How to set up the Netcool OMNIbus ObjectServer IDUC port to avoid ncp_g_event process failure during ITNM startup

Answer

On Demand Consulting
Author: Dave Thompson

Overview: ?

This article applies to ITNM (IBM Tivoli Network Manager) v4.2 and Netcool OMNIbus v 8.1.

The ncp_g_event process (Event Gateway) transfers event data between ITNM and the Netcool Omnibus ObjectServer.?? Two ports on the ObjectServer are used for communications: the main ObjectServer listening port and the ObjectServer IDUC (Insert, Delete, Update or Control) listening port. The IDUC connection is used for data transfer purposes in OMNIbus gateways.? In environments where there is a firewall between the servers or where iptables are configured on the servers, the ncp_g_event process may connect to the main ObjectServer listening port but fail to connect to the IDUC port.? While the main ObjectServer listening port uses a fixed port, the IDUC listening port is randomly selected by default. A fixed IDUC listening port must be specified in order to be able to define firewall rules or iptables setttings that allow ITNM to connect to the ObjectServer on the IDUC listening port.

If the ncp_g_event process fails to start due to IDUC port issues, the ncp_g_event.<OBJ_SERVER_NAME>.trace file on the ITNM server may contain entries like:
IBM Tivoli Network Manager Version 4.2 (Build 11) 64 bit created by ncpbuild at 08:57:51 Sat Jan 23 GMT 2016
ncp_g_event[6446] Becoming Primary for tier 1
Error on socket 17. NcoConnect::ConnectToObjectServer: connect(). Reason: Connection timed out Error No: 110
Fri Jul 8 09:24:15 2016 Warning: Error found in file NcoConnect.cc at line 1189
Fri Jul 8 09:24:15 2016 Termination: Exit function called found in file CNcoConnection.cc at line 767 - Unable to connect reader to Object Server: <YOUR_OBJECTSERVER_NAME>
Fri Jul 8 09:24:15 2016 Termination: Exit function called found in file CGwEventMgr.cc at line 241 - Failed to connect to the Object Server
ncp_g_event is dead.

High Level Steps:

• Set a fixed IDUC listening port on the ObjectServer.
• Configure your firewall rules or iptables settings to allow connections from ITNM to the ObjectServer on the IDUC listening port.
• Also check that the firewall rules or iptables settings to allow connections from ITNM to the ObjectServer?s main listening port.

Procedure:

1. Find an unused port number on the ObjectServer that can be used for the fixed IDUC listening port. Typically this should be a port number above 1000.
2. Set the IDUC listening port to a fixed port on the Object sever.
   1. Edit the $OMNIHOME/etc/<OBJ_SERVER_NAME>.props file for the ObjectServer.
   2. Locate the Iduc.ListentingPort property and set its value to the port number you selected in step 1.
3. Determine the main listening port number for the ObjectServer.
   1. View the $NCHOME/omni.dat file on the ObjectServer.
   2. Locate the entry for the ObjectServer and note the port number used. Port 4100 is used in the example below:

4. Work with your IT staff to set firewall rules and / or iptables settings to allow the ITNM server to connect to the ObjectServer on both the main ObjectServer listening port and the ObjectServer IDUC listening port.
   • Details of configuring firewall rules and iptables are outside the scope of this article.
5. Re-start the ObjectServer process so that the changes to the IDUC listening port take effect.
6. Restart ITNM and validate that the ncp_g_gateway process starts correctly.
   1. After restarting ITNM use the itnm_status command to check the status of the ITNM processes.

References:

Related IBM support Technote: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21674003