Configuring WebSphere® Application Server for Cognos® Business Intelligence

Install and configure IBM® WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment on the computer hosting IBM® Cognos® Business Intelligence and also configure a new profile for Cognos, so that the server can be managed by the Deployment Manager used with IBM® Connections.

About this task

The WebSphere® node hosting the Cognos® BI server will be federated to the same dedicated Deployment Manager as your IBM® Connections deployment. Do not use a WebSphere® node that has already been federated to a different Deployment Manager.

If you plan to install Cognos®, you also need the libraries listed in the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence 10.2.2 Supported Software Environments technote. Follow the Requirements by platform link for Linux and then read the Footnotes section.
Note: If you want to use the 32-bit version of Installation Manager and run it in GUI mode, you must download the 32-bit versions of the libraries as explained in the IBM technote, Unable to install 32-bit Installation Manager on RHEL 6.0/6.1 (64-bit). You only need the libraries if you want to use GUI mode (not for silent mode or console mode).

Procedure

  1. Install WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment as described in the WebSphere® Application Server Version 8.5.5 knowledge center.
    Attention: Due to a known issue with Cognos BI server running on WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5.14 with JDK 8, you should use WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5.14 with JDK 7 instead. For instructions on updating the server to use JDK 7, see Troubleshooting Cognos Metrics.

    Use WebSphere® Customization Toolbox to create an Application server type profile. It will be federated to the Deployment Manager by the Cognos® Installation wizard.

    If you will use a server where the appropriate version of WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment is already deployed, you do not have to install it again; just create a new Application server profile for Cognos® Business Intelligence with WebSphere® Customization Toolbox, or run the following WebSphere® Application Server command.:

    IBM® AIX®, Linux™
    manageprofiles.sh -create -templatePath WAS_install_root/profileTemplates/default -enableAdminSecurity true  -adminUserName was_admin_name -adminPassword was_admin_password -cellName cognosCell -profileName cognosProfile -nodeName CognosNode01
    Microsoft™ Windows™
    manageprofiles.bat -create -templatePath WAS_install_root\profileTemplates\default -enableAdminSecurity true  -adminUserName was_admin_name -adminPassword was_admin_password -cellName cognosCell -profileName cognosProfile -nodeName CognosNode01

    Note that the -cellName must be unique; do not use the Connections cell name that the node will be federated into.

    You can verify that the installation was successful by reviewing the WebSphere® Application Server log stored in: Cognos_WAS_node_profile/logs/Cognos_server_name/SystemOut.log; for example on Windows™:
    C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles\cognosProfile\logs\cognos_server\SystemOut.log
  2. On the newly installed server, set the system clock to match the time (and time zone) on the Deployment Manager's computer.
    Attention: The node's clock must be synced to within 1 minute of the Deployment Manager's clock to ensure that federation does not fail in a later task.