Planning

This section provides information related to the installation or update of BMC AMI Products for Web.

Steps involved

  1. Order BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services and its companion web products.
  2. Review the system, database, and security requirements.
  3. Install and start CES. Choose the appropriate milestone for the platform being installed: Windows, z/OS UNIX, Linux. You will need only to perform one of those three milestones.
  4. Configure CES.

Important

You will need two instances of CES: a test instance and a production instance. You will find it useful to have the test instance to apply maintenance for acceptance testing before applying to your production version.

Roles

The following individuals may be required to complete the installation and configuration of BMC AMI Products for Web:

  • z/OS UNIX system administrator to install BMC AMI Products for Web.

  • Database administrator to create the database (if not using Apache Derby). You no longer need to manually create tablespaces, but the database administrator needs the authority to create tablespaces as part of the automated database creation.

    Important

    Without database administrator privileges, you may not be able to complete the product installation or upgrade, which could result in a system outage. Please ensure that you have DBA privilege's available during this process.

  • MVS systems programmer to set up the CES Manager on JZOS, depending on your site standards.
  • Network security administrator.

Single user to install or upgrade CES and all web products into CES. This allows CES and those installed web products to run with a single set of permissions.

If multiple users have already installed web products into an installed version of CES, then the permissions must be modified in the install directory of CES to grant both read and write permissions (755) to all users.

The value in the java.io.tmpdir property indicates the temporary directory location. You can check the location by running the command, java -XshowSettings. Verify the user privileges, and ensure that the read and write permissions (755) are granted to all users for this temporary directory.

Prerequisites

  • The BMC AMI Products for Web Installer requires Java 11 (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19).
  • (For CES on z/OS UNIX only) To upgrade from CES versions 20.15.02 or earlier, to CES versions 23.01.01 or later, you must first upgrade to version 20.15.03.
  •  When you use an IBM Db2 LUW or Db2 z/OS database in CES 19.3.1 and later, Type 4 JDBC drivers are required for full functionality. CES works with Type 3 JDBC drivers, but not all functionalities are available.
  • Make sure to stop the CES server before you perform an upgrade installation of CES.
  • If you plan to update BMC AMI Products for Web by using either the BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services Update Center or an installer, and you are running SMF data collection in iStrobe, make sure to disable SMF data collection in CES and stop the SMF manager before starting the update. You might need to manually stop the Java process for the SMF manager.
  • When you run CES, iStrobe, Fault Analytics, or Topaz for Java Performance in a Java environment that uses hardware encryption, the user ID under which CES runs requires authorization to run the following CSFSERV functions:

    • CSFIQF
    • CSFRNGL
    • CSFOWH
    • CSFPKE
    • CSFDSV

Important

During installation, logs might indicate an error stating that either a port is already in use or the ActiveMQ broker is unable to start. These errors are the result of a timing issue and can be ignored provided that the BMC AMI Common Enterprise Server is accessible from a web browser and the online help works correctly.

Milestones

Installation, upgrade, and configuration, as well as verification and deployment are accomplished in the following milestones:

System requirements

All BMC AMI Products for Web are installed or upgraded at the same release level. If your site is typical, it uses a single CES instance for all BMC AMI Products for Web.

When installing or upgrading to a new release of CES (23.x.x) from an earlier release (19.x.x or earlier), you must reinstall all BMC AMI Products for Web products. For more information, see BMC Support.

Important

While it is possible to install a separate CES instance for each web product, we do not recommend this.

Platforms

BMC AMI Products for Web can be installed on any of the following three platforms:

Windows

  • Oracle Java 11 64-bit (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19) or AdoptOpenJDK 11 OpenJ9 (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19) or Azul Zulu JDK 11.0.18 installed on the MS Windows machine.

    Important

    When using Oracle Java 11 or AdoptOpenJDK 11 or Azul Zulu JDK 11, you must correctly set JAVA_HOME as your environmental variable.

  • Identified path to the installed JRE if JAVA_HOME is not set as a system variable, or if the Java version required by CES is not the one set in the JAVA_HOME.

  • Enough allocated system space during the installation.

    Minimum space

    Recommended space

    1 GB

    3 GB

  • To use Update Center to upgrade BMC AMI Products for Web, you will need at least 1 GB of space for the data folder.
  • If you are hosting a Workbench for Eclipse maintenance file, you will need at least 5 GB of space for the data folder.

z/OS UNIX

  • Compatible version of Java installed on the z/OS UNIX machine:
    • 64-bit IBM Java 11.
    • 64-bit IBM Java 11 is required for new installations of all BMC AMI Products for Web.
  • 2 GB of Java memory needed to run CES.
  • An appropriate user ID for running CES on z/OS UNIX. It is a long running process. Choose a user ID appropriate for this scenario.
  • An OMVS or an SSH client.

  • Enough allocated system space during the installation. When the installation is complete, the temporary installation files are removed.

    Important

    Log files will also use this disk space and can consume it should there be numerous dumps.

    Installed space

    Temporary space

    Total space required

    1,125,000 of 1k blocks (1375 cylinders of HFS/zFS)

    1,125,000 of 1k blocks (1375 cylinders of HFS/zFS)

    2,250,000 of 1k blocks (2750 cylinders of HFS/zFS)

  • To use Update Center to upgrade BMC AMI Products for Web, you will need at least 1GB of space for the data folder.
  • If you are hosting a Workbench for Eclipse maintenance file, you will need at least 5GB of space for the data folder.

Linux

  • Compatible version of Java installed on the Linux machine:
    • AdoptOpenJDK 11 Open J9 (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19) or Oracle Java 11 (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19) or Azul Zulu JDK 11.0.18 is required for new installations of all BMC AMI Products for Web.
  • Identified path to the installed JRE if JAVA_HOME is not set as a system variable, or if the Java version required by CES is not the one set in the JAVA_HOME.
  • The installer should have “root” or “sudo” privileges.
  • An appropriate user ID for running the CES daemon in a Linux environment. It is a long running process. Choose a user ID appropriate for this scenario.
  • An SSH client.
  • If you are performing an upgrade installation of BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services, be sure to stop the CES daemon before beginning the upgrade.

  • Enough allocated system space during the installation. When the installation is complete, the temporary installation files are removed.

    Installed space

    Temporary space

    Total space required

    1.2 GB
    (1,125,000 of 1k blocks)

    1.2 GB
    (1,125,000 of 1k blocks)

    2.4 GB
    (2,250,000 of 1k blocks)

  • To use Update Center to upgrade BMC AMI Products for Web, you will need at least 1 GB of space for the data folder.
  • If you are hosting a Workbench for Eclipse maintenance file, you will need at least 5 GB of space for the data folder.

Database configuration planning

BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services installs with an Apache Derby database by default. Derby is a lightweight database. We recommend using a more robust DBMS for larger processing needs such as SMF processing.

BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services can also use:

  • z/OS Db2
  • LUW Db2
  • SQL Server
  • Oracle
  • MongoDB. This database is used exclusively with Total Test.

Important

We recommend installing and configuring MongoDB before installing Total Test Repository Server. For how to install and configure MongoDB, see the BMC AMI Products for Web installation documentation appendices.

Warning

The upgrade to CES version 23.01.01 and 23.01.02 for z/OS Db2 includes an ALTER TABLE with a CLOB column. The z/OS Db2 upgrade script does not have the SET CURRENT RULES='STD' command. Because of this, the Webhooks UI in CES does not display as expected.

If your Db2 subsystem uses SET CURRENT RULES='DB2', perform the following additional steps:

  • If you have not upgraded the database:
    1. Download the DDL file from the Database settings page in CES.
    2. Insert SET CURRENT RULES='STD'; before the ALTER TABLE statement for the CES_API_NOTIFICATIONS table with a CLOB column.
    3. Save the DDL and run it.
      The AUX tablespace, table, and index are created for the new CLOB column.
  • If you have already upgraded the database with the SET CURRENT RULES='DB2' command:
    1. You must get additional Create statements to complete the database upgrade. Refer to the following script and modify the highlighted text to suit your environment.
      • In <CustomerTablespace>, specify a new name for the tablespace.
      • In <CustomerDatabase>, specify your existing database name.
      • In <CustomerSchema>, specify your existing schema name.

      • In <8KBufferPoolName> and <4KBufferPoolName>, specify the bufferpool based on your database configuration.

        SET CURRENT RULES='STD';


        CREATE LOB TABLESPACE "<CustomerTablespace>" IN "<CustomerDatabase>"
        BUFFERPOOL <8KBufferPoolName>
        LOCKSIZE ANYCLOSE NO LOG NO ;


        CREATE AUXILIARY TABLE "<CustomerSchema>"."CES_ACSRF_02826900"
        IN "<CustomerDatabase>"."<CustomerTablespace>"
        STORES "<CustomerSchema>"."CES_API_NOTIFICATIONS"
        COLUMN "CSRF_BODY" PART 1;


        CREATE UNIQUE INDEX "<CustomerSchema>"."ICES_ACSRF_2826900"
        ON "<CustomerSchema>"."CES_ACSRF_02826900"
        FREEPAGE 0 PCTFREE 10GBPCACHE NONEBUFFERPOOL <4KBufferPoolName>
        COPY NOCLOSE NO;

    2. Save the DDL and run it.


For further database configuration details, see BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services Database Configuration.

Port numbers

BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services occupies ports to handle different aspects of BMC technology, such as application access and mainframe communication. The following port numbers are default numbers as shipped with BMC AMI Products for Web. Any of them can be changed for your environment.

Port name

Default port number

Port description

Web Server

HTTP port (Jetty)

48226

Used to access the web application via a browser. Note: In earlier releases, this port was known as the Web application port.

HTTPS port (Jetty secure)

48443

Used when configuring a secure port for web browser access to view application screens.

Note

In earlier releases, this port was known as the Web application listener secure port.

BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services

Strobe communication

24354

Used to communicate between mainframe and client. This replaces the iStrobe Manager function that was previously used in iStrobe5.x. All LPARs running Strobe that download profiles to iStrobemust be able to connect to this port. Note: In earlier releases, this port was known as the Server port.

BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services shutdown

8465

Used to stop the web application. For Windows and Linux. Not for zOS Unix. Note: In earlier releases, this port was known as the Web application stop port.

Internal messaging

17667

Used to provide additional processing capacity. it is now required. Note: In earlier releases, this port was known as the Profile Parallel Processing port.

Derby

1545

Used to start the embedded Derby database. It is not used when switched to an Enterprise DBMS (eg. Db2, SQL Server, Oracle).

Internal proxy

11329

Used to proxy internal requests between installed products.

Abend-AID Fault Analytics

Abend-AID communication
(for Fault Analytics only)

48301

Used to transmit messages. All LPARs running Fault Analytics Collector jobs connect and send to this port (/CES/data/fa/config/config.properties). Note: In earlier releases, this port was known as Fault Analytics server port.

Topaz for Java Performance

Agent Communication
(for TJP only)

48128

Used to communicate between the mainframe agent and the server. TJP Agents send TJP measurements to this port defined in (/CES/data/fa/config/config.properties). Note: In earlier releases, this port was known as TJP server port.

iStrobe

SMF collection

24355

All LPARs running Strobe Global Monitoring that download SMF info to this iStrobe

must be able to connect to this port.

Total Test Repository Server

MongoDB

27017

iStrobe

A determined location for storing iStrobe Performance Profiles within Windows.


    • When storing Performance Profiles locally on the machine where you have installed iStrobe, you may use the “local system”. This is usually the case for a standalone workstation install.
    • When storing Performance Profiles on a file server, you need a domain ID with authority to run the CES service. The permissions on the Profile Directory must include create, read, update, and delete.

  • BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services resource requirements, such as data storage and memory will vary depending on the scope, subject (DB2, SQLAF) and duration of the Strobe measurements being taken. If large volumes of measurement data are being captured, set JVM heap size higher (ie. -Xmx6G), and be sure the intended profile data store location is of sufficient size. Processor usage also varies, depending on the number of users and their use.

    Warning

    For iStrobe, you must export any user-defined help that was created before beginning the upgrade. Any user-defined help that is not exported is lost. After exporting the help and completing the upgrade, you must then import the user-defined help.

Software and hardware requirements

For information about IBM System z software and hardware compatibility--specifically regarding IBM's z/OS Recommended Service Upgrade, IBM's Extended Address Volumes, IBM Db2 for z/OS, and z/OS product compatibility, see BMC Support.

Important

Day one support for IBM hardware and software is for toleration-only. For more information on day one support, see BMC Support.

Hardware platforms

Mainframe Systems (for a web server running on IBM z/OS UNIX System Services or IBM Linux on System z):

  • z16
  • z15
  • z14, z14 ZR1
  • z13, z13s
  • zEC12, zBC12
  • z196, z114
  • z10-EC/BC

Distributed systems

  • Linux x64
  • Windows x64

Distributed

  • Google Chrome
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Mozilla Firefox

The following sections show the possible software configurations for each of the components tested with BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services. Other configurations might be compatible with BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services, but have not been tested.

Corequisites

When upgrading, CES must be upgraded first. The mainframe point products can then be installed.

Operating systems

The following operating systems are supported by BMC AMI Products for Web. We recommend using the 64-bit versions of the following operating systems.

  • IBM z/OS UNIX System Services with JZOS toolkit 3.1, 2.5, and 2.4.
  • Microsoft Windows 10, 11, 64-bit
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022 64-bit
  • Red Hat Enterprise Server 7.2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, 8.7, 7.9, 64-bit for both the Intel x64 and IBM zSeries platforms
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, 11, 64-bit for both the Intel x64 and IBM zSeries platforms

Languages

  • IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition 11
  • Oracle Java SE 64-bit JDK11 (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19)
  • AdoptOpenJDK 11 (versions 11.0.17 to 11.0.19)
  • Azul Zulu JDK 11.0.18

Hardware requirements

These are the minimum requirements for CES running in a distributed environment. If performance problems are encountered, it may be necessary to increase memory or processor speed.

  • Hard Disk: 1 GB minimum
  • Memory: 4 GB minimum
  • Processor: 2 GHz minimum

These are the minimum requirements for CES running in a z/OS UNIX environment. Both the installer user ID and the started task user ID must have these minimum memory requirements.

  • TSO region size: 2 GB
  • MAXASSIZE: 2 GB
  • MEMLIMIT: 2 GB

Database management server requirements

Major subsystems

IBM Db2 for z/OS V12.1 and 13.1

Distributed

IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows (LUW) V9.5, 9.7, 10.1, 10.5

ISV software

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2014, Standard and Enterprise Editions
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2016, Standard and Enterprise Editions
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2017, Standard and Enterprise Windows Editions
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2019, Standard and Enterprise Windows Editions
  • Oracle Database 19c
  • MongoDB (used exclusively with Total Test Repository Server)

Security planning (as of 18.02.01)

BMC AMI Common Enterprise Services provides the ability to secure access to the BMC AMI Products for Web. With security enabled, authenticated users have access to products and administrative functions based on the roles and groups to which they are assigned. By default, security is not enabled.

Security options include the following:

  • Internal
  • LDAP
  • Client certificate
  • Kerberos

Best practices

  • Use HTTPS. This is the only way to ensure secure network traffic.
  • Disable HTTP in the CES web server settings.
  • Enable LDAP, Kerberos, or client certificates to provide product-level authentication.
  • When using client certificates, you must also use HTTPS
  • Principle of Least Privilege - enable user groups and provide access to only the minimum set of features required for a person to do their job.
  • Secure HCI communication with TLS.
  • On z/OS or Linux, run CES with a user dedicated to this purpose. This user should own the directories CES installs to. Consider restricting file permissions to this directory for other users as much as possible.
  • Restrict access to the database used by CES.


 

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