Step 1. Reviewing System Requirements

In this section:

Before beginning the server installation, review the requirements in the following topics.


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Operating System Release Requirements

For current information about supported releases:

  1. Go to http://techsupport.informationbuilders.com.

    The Information Builders Technical Support home page opens.

  2. In the Quick Links section on the right side of the page, click Supported Systems/Adapters.

    The Supported Systems and Adapters page opens.

  3. Click the link for the server release you want.

    The Supported Systems and Adapters page for that release opens.

  4. Click the link for your platform.

    The support chart for that platform opens.

In general, the operating system should have the latest cumulative patch levels applied.

Confirm that your server installation software is labeled for your operating system level.


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Shell Requirements

The IBM i - QShell Interpreter (IBM i Installation Option 30) must be installed to use the server. The QShell Interpreter is a free optional feature of IBM i. The easiest way to check if this feature is installed is to enter QSH on the IBM i command line. If it is installed, a UNIX-like environment starts (F3 to exit). If it is not installed, you receive a Command QSH in library *LIBL not found message. If it is not installed, install it before proceeding.


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JVM Requirements for Java Services

If JVM-based adapters, server-side graphics, XBRL, or user-written CALLJAVA applications are to be used, a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) JVM must be installed on the machine, and the server must be configured to use it.

As of 7.7.05 and 8.0.01 production releases, the minimum JVM release level is 1.6 or higher, due to required internal components of the server. The Java Listener will not start unless 1.6 (or higher) is in use. Prior 7.x releases would allow the listener to start with any release, and sub-components would fail if they required a higher Java Level. The primary reason for this change is that Java 1.5 (and prior releases) are past their End of Service Life (EOSL) dates, and, as such, are unsupportable, in addition to lacking newer functionality. The following URL has Java EOL and EOSL information:

http://java.sun.com/products/archive/eol.policy.html

The location of the JVM on IBM i is controlled by the object QSYS/QJVAJNI. This is normally on the system path, so you do not need to do anything to fulfill basic JVM "find" requirements. However, if the default JVM level of the machine is not 1.6 or higher, corrective action may be required to access the correct JVM level.

The easiest way to determine the current default for the server iadmin ID is to issue the command QSH CMD('java -version'), which will display the default release level for the ID.

There are several choices on how to address using the correct JVM level, but also varies by operating system levels due to changes or restrictions by IBM.

For V6R1 or lower, the choices are:

For V7R1, the choices are:

On V5R4 or V6R1 systems, to change or add a Java property of java_version=1.6, use EDTF against the /QIBM/UserData/Java400/SystemDefault.properties file or the server ID home directory SystemDefault.properties file. If an editor is not available, you can also create or append to the Java system or user property files using the following:

QSH CMD('echo "java.version=1.6">>
   /QIBM/UserData/Java400/SystemDefault.properties')

or

QSH CMD('echo "java.version=1.6" >> $HOME/SystemDefault.properties')

On V5R4 or V6R1 systems, to configure the server JVM property, use the Web Console to access the Java Listener tuning:

  1. Select Workspace from the menu.
  2. Open the Java Services folder.
  3. Right-click DEFAULT and select Properties.

    The Java Services Configuration pane opens.

  4. Expand the JVM Settings section.
  5. Under Non-standard JVM options, enter -Djava.version=1.5 in the JVM_OPTIONS field.
  6. Click Save and Restart Java Services.

In V7R1 systems, the various Java releases that may be available will be found in the /QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM folder. For example:

/QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk14/64bit /QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk50/32bit /QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk50/64bit /QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk60/32bit /QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk60/64bit

To use the JVM from one of these releases, specifically for the server iadmin ID (if it is not already the system default), set the JAVA_HOME variable to point at a 32bit JDK. For example:

JAVA_HOME=/QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk60/32bit

The variable may be set in any of the following ways:

To change or add operating system environment variables, set and export the variable in a .profile, script, or CL that always gets called during a server start. It is very common to place variables in the server edastart script, but it is recommended that they be placed in a script that in turn calls edastart (so that the edastart script remains vanilla).

To change or add a variable in a server environment start up file (EDACONF bin\edaenv.cfg), either edit the filein a text editor before starting the server or:

  1. Start the server (services like Java Listener may fail until configured and the server is restarted).
  2. Open the Web Console and login using an administrator ID.
  3. Select Workspace from the main menu.
  4. In the navigation pane, open the Configuration Files and Miscellaneous folders.
  5. Right-click Environment - edaenv.cfg and select Edit.
  6. Make the desired edit.
  7. Save the file.
  8. Restart the server (changes are not effective until server is restarted).

The format of edaenv.cfg variables is one per line in name=value pairs. Spaces before and after the equal sign are optional. Values with embedded spaces do not require quoting. Variables are always upper case.

To add classes to the JVM class path for customer-written CALLJAVA applications, set and export the CLASSPATH variable to the operating system level before server start-up or use the Web Console to set the Java Listener IBI_CLASSPATH property by using the Web Console to access the Java Listener:

  1. Select Workspace from menu bar.
  2. Open the Java Services folder.
  3. Right-click DEFAULT and select Properties.

    The Java Services Configuration pane opens.

  4. Expand the Class Path section.
  5. Add the desired full path jar names (one per line).
  6. Click Save and Restart Java Services.

If JVM-based adapters or features are not required, the message Failed to find JVM is normal and can be ignored.


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IP Port Number Requirements

The install process prompts for two IP port numbers: the TCP Listener and HTTP Listener. It also uses the next two consecutive ports after the supplied HTTP Listener port for FDS use. This results in a total of four IP ports.

The supplied IP port numbers must be above the IANA registered well-known reserve range (numbers under 1024) and not over the maximum legal number (65535). Additionally, do not use IP port numbers already being used by other applications or products. Netstat, or netstat like commands, should reveal what actual ports are in use.


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SMTP E-Mail Server Information (Optional)

The server has outbound email features using STMP protocols. To use these features, the TCP/IP host name (or number) and port number for an accessible SMTP server must be configured (the default port number is 25). The installation process allows this information to be set at installation time, but it may also be added (or changed) afterward using the Web Console. To change it from the Web Console, select Workspace from the main menu, and then select E-Mail SMTP Server from the ribbon.

If the defaults are not taken at the prompt for directories and port numbers, an additional prompt for the SMTP Server host name occurs. If an SMTP Server host name is supplied, the process will then prompt for the SMTP Server port number and inputs for default email sender address (the from address for users reading an email from the server if none was specified in the originating application) and the server administrator email address (address to send administrative warnings to, such as an agent crash).



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Browser Requirements

The Web Console server requires one of the following web browsers:

The Opera™ browser does not support RIA (Rich Internet Application), the default appearance mode of the 7.7.x Web Console. Opera 5.0 or higher seems to operate properly in HTML mode, and the Web Console detects this and switches to this mode automatically. Since HTML mode is less extensively tested, Opera is considered unofficially supported at this time. Please report any issues you find to customer service.


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Disk Space Requirements

The following are approximate disk space requirements. Specific sizes may vary slightly with options selected during configuration. The usage numbers do not include space for actual applications, data sources, sort space, output preparation, or logs.

Version

During Install

After Install

V5R4

2 GB

1 GB

V6R1 or higher

2 GB

1 GB



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Memory Requirements

Memory and shared memory usage depend on the following elements:

Actual memory usage differs between applications and the server load.


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Communications Requirements

You need four TCP/IP ports for each server instance that you configure. Three of these ports must be consecutive. You specify these port numbers during installation. You may require additional ports depending on which options you configure later.


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User ID Requirements

When installing and using the server, you need several types of operating system user IDs:

For specific information on creating IDs, see Step 2. Creating User IDs.


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Installation and Configuration Directories

The installation process creates these high-level directories:


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