Re: ISC/AC questions

Answers embedded below with >>

Date:    Wed, 8 Jun 2005 10:17:44 -0400
From:    Richard Rhodes <rrhodes AT FIRSTENERGYCORP DOT COM>
Subject: ISC/AC questions

We have taken the jump into testing for our TSM v5.1.6 to V5.3 upgrade.

We got ISC/AC installed on a AIX server and are going through the learning
curve for it,
for which I've got some questions (like everyone else!) . . . .

1)  On the table lists that AC creates there is a icon for "enable/disable
inline action bar".
When I select it, it does . . . I'm not sure.  The icon action switches
from "enable" to
"disable" (or back), but nothing changes in the table.
I can't find any info on it in the help.  What does this do?
>> You are correct about the behavior. The intent of the bar was for
tables that don't use paging and display all rows in the table at once.
Thus the actions drop down scrolls off the screen as you view the table.
If you do not have too many rows,  the additional action bar will not pop
up. Because we are introducing scrolling tables in 5.3.2, this problem
will be solved anyway as the inline action bar won't be necessary anymore.


2)  Under the "Settings" tabs the portlets have an extra window icon for
"configure" (along with minimize/maximize/help)  where you can select the
number
of rows to show in tables.  This does not appear on the portlet windows
for
"Work items" or "Status".  Is there no way to select  the rows displayed
for
these tabs, or, is it just well hidden?
>> You can not configure the display for the ~Work Items~ and ~Status~
portlets. The number of rows we display in a table is fixed at this point.
 .   In the future, we would like to provide the ability for the customer
to customize such feature of the table (include which columns we display).


3)  Is there anyway to set the default for tables to always set the
"Show row filter" option so that the column filter buttons show up by
default?
>>You can not update the way the filter shows up. The behavior is
pre-defined in the application.

4)  We want to have a second ISC/AC ready to go.  (We
have 2 datacenters - each is the DR site for the other, and a TSM server
at each).  What files need copied from one ISC/AC to another to keep the
configuration (users defined and their TSM server that are defined)?

5)  Do you have to shutdown ISC/AC to back it up (backing up isc-root
directory structure)?  We are using a AIX as our server which will let you
backup
open files, but that doesn't mean they are any good.
>> Yes.  ISC should be quiessed for the backup

6)  Has anyone implemeted SSL communications?  Our security folks want
us to implement this.  I've read the info on doing this in the Ref Guide.
Any
wisdom/comments/problems with the procedure as layed out in appendix D?
We do not have WebSphere in house and none of us in the storage area
has any experience with web servers, let alone SSL.  For example, it
indicates
that we need to get a certificate but never says what to do with it.  It
just
refers you to the webSphere Security manual.


>>>>
For the first step outlined for the TSM Admin Guide SSL setup , consider
this additional information:
1. Create the Key files (.jks and .arm) as described in section 10.9.1 of
the Websphere Security Redbook

2. Create an addSSLentry.jacl script in <isc_root>\AppServer\bin to run
via wsadmin to enable the ISC to use these keys:
        a. Copy the sample script for "Creating a new SSL entry" (Example
D-4) in Appendix D of the Websphere Security Redbook
        b. Update the keyFileName, keyFilePassword, trustFileName,
trustFilePassword fields to specify the files and passwords created in
step 1  (Note:  If your password contains a special character, like $, you
will need to enter a preceding backslash, e.g.  pa$$w0rd should be entered
as "pa\$\$w0rd")
        c. Make sure the following lines in the sample script are
concatenated into 1 comment line (starting w/ '# this') and 1 command line
(starting w/ 'set'):

# this long line puts the attributes for the object together from the
variables and values
set ssl_def [list $ssl_clientAuthentication
$ssl_enableCryptoHardwareSupport $ssl_keyFileFormat $ssl_keyFileName
$ssl_keyFilePassword $ssl_securityLevel $ssl_trustFileFormat
$ssl_trustFileName $ssl_trustFilePassword]

3. Ensure wsadmin is configured to connect to the ISC_Portal by doing the
following:
        a. Check the serverindex.xml file in
<isc_root>\AppServer\config\cells\DefaultNode\nodes\DefaultNode for the
serverEntry with serverName="ISC_Portal"
        b. Under that serverEntry, find the port number specified under
the endPointName="SOAP_CONNECTOR_ADDRESS" (should be port 8425)
        c. Edit the wsadmin.properties file in
<isc_root>\AppServer\properties and change the com.ibm.ws.scripting.port
setting to the port found in step 3.b

4. Open a command prompt, change to <isc_root>\AppServer\bin, and run the
command:  wsadmin -f addSSLentry.jacl

5. Continue on with the procedure (steps 2-8) outlined in Appendix F
"Setting Up SSL" in the 5.3 TSM Admin Guide
>>>>>


Thanks

Rick



Kathy Mitton
Manager - IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Server Development
kmitton AT us.ibm DOT com
Phone: 520-799-4437 Tie-line: 321-4437