PH29729: CORRECTIONS ARE NEEDED TO THE DOCUMENTATION FOR IBM WEBSPHERE APPLICATION SERVER VERSION 9.0

APAR status

• Closed as documentation error.

Error description

• This APAR describes the issues that customers encountered with
  IBM WebSphere Application Server Version 9.0. These issues were
  resolved as documentation updates in September 2020.
  

Local fix

• N/A
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  This APAR provides a cumulative list of     *
  *                  the                                         *
  *                  documentation issues for September_2020     *
  *                  that                                        *
  *                  affect users of IBM WebSphere Application   *
  *                  Server Version 9.0.                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The Knowledge Centers for WebSphere     *
  *                      Application Server Version 9.0 need to  *
  *                      reflect customer enhancement requests   *
  *                      received in problem management records  *
  *                      (PMRs). These enhancements can include  *
  *                      fixing technical inaccuracies or        *
  *                      clarifying vague information.           *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  See the Problem conclusion section for a description of the
  issues, which are described in customer Skill Cases/PMRs, and
  the
  documentation change or changes that will address these issues.
  

Problem conclusion

• Note: As we update our knowledge centers, the following Version
  9.0 modifications will be available. To access the latest on-
  line documentation, go to the product library page at
  https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/was-nd/9.0.5 and select the
  version and product that is appropriate for your WebSphere
  Application Server environment.
  
  The following Version 9.0 issues will be addressed:
  
  ID: #2097
  Problem: Topic, Securing Liberty by using HTTP Strict Transport
  Security (HSTS), describes how to secure Liberty by using the
  HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) - BUT - needs to warn the
  user to first verify that the server has an SSL end point
  defined. without this verification, first, the procedure might
  fail.
  Resolution:  Topic, Securing Liberty by using HTTP Strict
  Transport Security (HSTS), is updated to warn the user to verify
  that the server being secured has an SSL end point defined -
  whether setting a web application context-parameter or a server-
  level web container custom property.
  --------
  
  ID: #3499
  Problem: Topic, CertificateRequestCommands command group of the
  AdminTask object describes the createCertificateRequest command.
  One of the command options to be used is, -certificateValidDays.
  However you get an error using this option.  the doumentation is
  in error.
  Resolution: Topic, CertificateRequestCommands command group of
  the AdminTask object, is updated for the
  createCertificateRequest command.  The -certificateValidDays
  option is not in the code.  As such -certificateValidDays is
  removed from this topic.
  
  This update also applies to V8.5 level of the knowledge center.
  -----
  
  ID: #3560 (GHE)
  Problem: Client is trying to implement the SAML SSO feature of
  Websphere Application Server for one of our clients, following
  the documentation does not help. For the SP initiated SSO,
  client followed the steps mentioned in topic, Enabling SAML SP-
  Initiated web single sign-on (SSO), but it is not working. This
  code is not getting executed at all. The topic is missing
  information and needs updating.
  Resolution: Topic, Enabling SAML SP-Initiated web single sign-on
  (SSO), is updated as follows:
  (1) The About this Task section of the topic is updated to read:
  The AuthnRequest must be Base64 encoded. This example uses the
  Base64 encoder that is provided in the
  com.ibm.websphere.wssecurity.wssapi.WSSUtilFactory API. You can
  use any Base64 encoder that you want. For information, see (give
  the link to the javadoc for
  com.ibm.websphere.wssecurity.wssapi.WSSUtilFactory).
  (2)
      In the code example, the following is added to the import
  list:
  
  import com.ibm.websphere.wssecurity.wssapi.WSSUtilFactory;
  (3)
  
  Before map.put the following code is added:
  
  // get an instance of the WSSUtilFactory
  WSSUtilFactory wssuf = WSSUtilFactory.getInstance();
  
  // invoke an API from the instance
  String encAuthnMsg = wssuf.encode(authnMessage.getBytes());
  (4)
  
      the map.put statement is changed to:
  
  map.put(AuthnRequestProvider.AUTHN_REQUEST, encAuthnMsg);
  
  This update also applies to Veraion V8.5 of the knowledge
  center.
  --------
  
  ID: #3599 (GHE)
  Problem: Two JVM properties, java.net.preferIPv4Stack AND
  java.net.preferIPv6Addresses are missing from the documentation
  for the BASE level of the knowledge center and their
  descriptions need to be added.
  Resolution: Topic, Java virtual machine custom properties, is
  updated to add these properties to the base level.  The
  properties read:
  java.net.preferIPv4Stack
  
  Use this property to disable IPv6 support. On operating systems
  where IPv6 support is available, the underlying native socket
  that the product uses is an IPv6 socket. On IPv6 network stacks
  that support IPv4-mapped addresses, you can use IPv6 sockets to
  connect to and accept connections from both IPv4 and IPv6 hosts.
  
  Setting this property to true disables the dual mode support in
  the JVM which might, in turn, disrupt normal product functions.
  Therefore, it is important to understand the full implications
  before using this property. In general, setting this property is
  not recommended.
  
  The default value for this custom property is false.
  
  java.net.preferIPv6Addresses
  
  Use this property to disable IPv4 support. Setting this property
  to true disables the dual mode support in the JVM which might,
  in turn, disrupt normal product functions. Therefore, it is
  important to understand the full implications before using this
  property. In general, setting this property is not recommended.
  
  The default value for this custom property is false.
  
  This update also applies to version 8.5 of the knowledge center.
  --------
  
  ID: #3601 (GHE)
  Problem: Topic, Secure Sockets Layer client certificate
  authentication, needs clarification concerning Client
  certificate authentication.
  Resolution: Topic, Secure Sockets Layer client certificate
  authentication, is update as follows:
  Change:
  Client certificate authentication occurs if the server side
  requests that the client side send a certificate. A Websphere
  server can be configured for client certificate authentication
  on the SSL configuration
  TO:
  Client certificate authentication occurs if the server side
  requests that the client side send a certificate. A Websphere
  server can be configured for client certificate authentication
  on the SSL configuration. Note that this configuration only
  affects WebSphere when it is acting as a server, not when it is
  acting as a client.
  
  This update also applies to version 8.5 of the knowledge center.
  -------
  
  ID: #3623 (GHE)
  Problem: Client is using the removenode command to remove a node
  that was created with a Cell profile (using the cell profile
  creation process.  Removing this kind of node is not possible
  using the removenode command and should be indicated in the
  knowledge center.
  Resolution: Topics, removeNode command, and topic,Creating cell
  profiles, are update with a note that reads:
  IMPORTANT
  Do not run the removeNode command if  the application server
  node was built as part of a cell profile creation.  Running the
  removeNode for this type of node results in the following
  message:   ADMU2035W: WARNING! Node removal utility is unable to
  remove this node since it was created during Cell Profile
  creation. Your current node has not been modified
  
  This update also applies to version 8.5 of the knowledge center.
  -------
  

Temporary fix

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