How to Manage an XA Release 7 Environment Belinda Daub Senior IT Consultant...

How to Manage an XA Release 7 Environment

Belinda DaubSenior IT Consultant

[email protected]

Belinda Daub Professional Experience• 20+ Years in Information Technology• 15 Years XA Experience• IBM i5 Technical Certification• Software Design and Development

MAPICS Expertise• Installation and Migration• XA Operations and Maintenance• iSeries and XA Security Concepts• Technical Strategies for working with

XA

Recent Customer Success• Vestas Wind Systems – implemented

XA Enhanced Security Tools for SOX• Teledyne Technologies – beta

implementation for XA R7.8

My technical background in the iSeries/XA environment

allows me to help IT professionals manage their

computer systems to support users in day-to-day operations

while implementing new technologies for continued

business success .

Agenda

• R7 Operations Overview

• Managing the R7 Java Environment

• Maintenance and Updates

• R7 Security Concepts

• Performance Considerations

• R7.8 Enhancements

R7 Operations Overview

• XA Architecture Changes

• R7 Administration

• Java Environment

• Working with the IFS


• XA Architecture Changes– Previously

• Server Applications in four XA libraries• Browser applications installed on workstation • Client connects directly through ODBC• Installation via CD or Network Share• Updates installed on each pc/server


• XA Architecture Changes– Release 7

• Two additional libraries for product maintenance enhancement PTF

– AMCESLIB – AMCESSQL

• Power-Link runs from IFS directories with only small part installed on user workstations

• Client connects through server jobs running on iSeries

• Installation of clients using URL• Updates installed to IFS and automatically updates

clients as users log on


•XA R7 Environments

•R7 Java fixes

• R7 XA Architecture – IFS Folders


• R7 Administration– Server Administration is the same– New U-Jobs for java servers– Client administration

• Configuration (questionnaires)• Cleanup• Timeout settings

– Security configured on both server and client

R7 Operations Overview• R7 Client Application Settings (Questionnaires)


• R7 Client Administration and Idle Timeout


• Java Environment– Global Environment

• Two host jobs running in QUSRWRK – MPXREGSRV and MPXMGRSRV

• Serves up web pages for installation and connection of R7 clients

• Must be active to access Java Clients– If not, you will get ‘Page not Found’ error

• Shared by all R7 environments


• Starting the Global Environment – Starts with first environment Java U-Job– Start the global environment by itself or with

environments using batch command PSICTLJVS • Environment maintenance• Automatically end/restart environments for nightly

processing

Refer to download SH14910 – Instructions for Controlling Java Servers


Global Environment Jobs


• Java Environment– XA Environment U-Jobs (PSVJUPxy)

• MAPICS Java Server• Process requests from the client jobs for each user

– (QZDASOINIT and QZRCSRVS)

• Two jobs started in QBATCH– MPXENVCTL will end when the environment is ready

and signals the U-job to start – UMynnnnnnn U-JOB will be in Delay Wait status for 3

minutes until the environment services have been started

• Must be active before using Power-Link


• Working with the IFS– iSeries Integrated File System

• PC files on iSeries disk• Provides access to/from the LAN

– iSeries Navigator – File Systems• Folder and directory structure• Create network shares • Set user rights and permissions

– iSeries NetServer controls Windows access• Does not require iSeries Access on user pc


– iSeries Navigator, Shares and Permissions

Questions On

R7 Operations?

Managing the Java Environment

• Link Manager– Environment management tool– Install on IT workstations or servers only– Global environment must be active– Link Manager Console– Common Tasks


Left Pane is an overview of all process types and process instances for an environmentController

Instance

• Link Manager Console


You can manage environments or machines (server and auxiliary servers)



Right Pane - Details show specific information for the selected process:

– Max Sessions– Current Sessions



Right Pane - Log shows status information for the selected process (for troubleshooting errors)



• Link Manager Common TasksLink Manager Common Tasks– Start/Stop client environments and/or Start/Stop client environments and/or

processesprocesses– Review logs for troubleshooting errorsReview logs for troubleshooting errors– Move processes to auxiliary servers Move processes to auxiliary servers – Apply updates to the client environmentsApply updates to the client environments

• Including global environmentIncluding global environment

Refer to Guide to Link Manager in SH14777 for more information

Questions On

Managing the Java Environment?

Maintenance and Updates

• Server PCM and PTF updates has not changed

• Client PTF Updates applied via Link Manager

• Operating System Update Considerations

• Network changes


• Client PTF Updates– SH14855 for client updates

• View SH14855.doc for detailed information• Move to AFDWEB folder like other fixes• Use RST command to restore fixes to IFS instead

of QGPL• Apply through Link Manager

– Global environment Updated with the first environment maintained

– User workstations updated at next log-on


• Link Manger – Apply Updates

List comes from ‘fixes’ folder in IFS

Maintenance and Updates• Operating System Update Considerations

– V6R1 conversion tools• Applied immediately after the OS upgrade• Replaces XA objects with compatible versions• SH15514 - R7 Informational has detailed instructions• XAR6 and higher only

– Contact Infor if you have older versions of XA

– Third-party applications will likely require similar tools

• Network changes can affect access for the clients– Server and Gateway Addresses– Firewall and routing– User Authorities

Questions On

Maintenance and Updates?

R7 Security Concepts• XA Connection Profiles

– MXAPLUS user profile is used for client connections– Password retrieved and used to sign on– Password is encrypted and must match the iSeries

profile password

– Use CAS Security Option 6 – Work with Client Data Connection User Profiles to set the password

R7 Security Concepts

• Client vs Green-Screen – Green-screen secured by menu options and

tasks– Client secured by:

• Business objects • Type of maintenance (display, create, change)• Private user definitions (views, subsets, etc.)• Security Categories secure

– Public User definitions (cards, card files, views, subsets)– Fields


• Client vs Green-Screen – Client security areas

• Inquiry and Maintenance tasks• Field-level security categories• User Defiinition security categories• Client Administration

– Control java servers– Integrator Business Objects– Preference Administration

– Security for tasks may be in both green screen and client application areas

• Both need to be configured (example: Purchase Order Entry in Purchasing and Procurement Management)


• User Preference Administration (Integrator)– Restrict user ability to customize user definitions– Administer preferences for user/group of users

• Security Subsets– Create subsets and assign to security category– Assign security category to users/groups– Restrict user access to modify/select subsets– Available for any field

R7 Security Concepts• Auto-content Security

– 5 fields throughout the XA data base• Company• Site• Customer• Vendor• Warehouse

– Works for all objects (including custom ones with Enterprise Integrator)

– Reduces the need for multiple security subsets– Assign to a user profile to control records a user can

access– Example: Sales reps may be assigned customers

and they should only be able to access those records


• Deployment Profiles (Enterprise Integrator)– Applies security in reverse of CAS

– Everything locked unless given specific access

– How it works• First, create the profile and choose what will be

deployed – Objects, Attributes, Actions and User Definitions– Allow display or maintenance functions

• Then, assign users to the profile– User only sees what you deployed– Works for Power-Link and Net-Link

R7 Security Concepts• Vendor Deployment Profile with Auto-content security

– Choose the objects and maintenance options you wish to deploy


– Choose the actions the user can perform


– Assign User(s) to the new Deployment Profile

– Control what user can do in• Power-Link• Net-Link• System-Link


– User sees only 4 objects on the Browser

Register for CISTECH’s Enterprise Integrator

training to learn how to use these advanced

security features

Questions On

R7 Security Concepts?

Performance Considerations

•iSeries Configuration

•Network and PC components

•Streamline User Definitions

•Create indexes for faster data access

•Performance Diagnostics and tools

Performance Considerations• iSeries Configuration

– Get to V5R4 for performance improvements– Apply latest Database PTF package from IBM– iSeries Performance Configuration (SH14413)

for Java– Purge and reorganize your XA data regularly

• Network and PC components– Switches vs. Hubs– Network traffic and Bandwidth performance– Meet recommended PC requirements

• 1GB memory • Consider other applications used simultaneously

– Auxiliary Servers for Net-Link and System-Link– Citrix/Terminal Server for remote locations


• Streamline User Definitions– Customization is easy and recommended– Customization can reduce or increase the

number of access paths being used– Train super users who understand basic

data base relationship concepts – Design views to reduce the number of fields

• Eliminate a file if possible• Avoid derived fields and sub queries• Column totals can be expensive


•Click•here

•cd record

•Streamline User Definitions - Views


• Streamline User Definitions – Customize Subsets to

• Reduce the number of files to eliminate need for “JOIN”

• Each file must have an index to avoid temporary indexes

• Set user preferences to a subset that reduces the number of records shown when opening objects (avoid all records for large files)


• When working with Integrator objects– Be sure the keys to custom files match those

of related XA files– Multiple member files are not recognized by

the client– Be careful defining cardinality for

relationships between a MAPICS object and a user object • e.g. should it be “many to 1”, “1 to 1”, etc.

Performance Considerations• Create indexes for faster data access

– SQL Optimizer will look for an available index– If an index is not available, a temporary one will be

created (this takes time)– Create logical files to provide the index

• Join logical files are not recognized by the optimizer– Use diagnostic tools to identify missing indexes

• XAR7 Diagnostics– Database Connection Monitor– SQL Monitor

• System i– iSeries Navigator SQL Monitor– Visual Explain

Watch for upcoming sessions on XA R7 Performance


• R7 Performance Diagnostics and tools– Press Ctl+D on

Power-Link Help Screen

– Start monitors for your Power-Link Job

– Open your object and select the view and subset to record activity


• R7 Performance Diagnostics and tools– Database Connection Monitor shows access paths created


• R7 Performance Diagnostics and tools– SQL Monitor replaces SQL Spy

Performance Considerations• System i Performance Diagnostics and tools

– SQL Monitor example shows index created multiple times

Create index with these key fields Over this file

Performance Considerations• System i Performance Diagnostics and tools

– Visual Explain• Provides a window into SQL’s black box

– Shows how SQL is being implemented– View your job log messages– Provides graphical view of how the SQL statements are

being executed • Identifies missing access paths

– Provides a way to create missing access paths

No. records

Optimizer msgs

Temporary index

Click on node to show file info

Questions On

R7 Performance?

R7.8 Enhancements• Infor currently in 3 beta installations

– general availability expected by 3rd quarter• New Link Manager Console – same as Power-Link

– Will manage both 7.7 and 7.8 environments after installed• IFS Structure changes provide for environment Independence

for applying updates• Product Maintenance Utility is prerequisite – including

additional two libraries • Installation process via disk image (or network share)• Updates:

• Remote Fix Servers for improved updates in WAN environments• Staged apply allows background download for users

Watch for upcoming R7.8 sessions this fall

Thank You!

Technical InformationBelinda [email protected]

Sales InformationBen [email protected]

How to Manage an XA Release 7 Environment Belinda Daub Senior IT Consultant...

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