IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact V7.1.0 Fix Pack 24 (7.1.0-TIV-NCI-FP0024)

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment "1.8.0_301" (8.0.6.35 (SR6 FP35))
WebSphere Application Server Liberty has been updated to version 21.0.0.11
Please note the following Components being deprecated or disabled:
Deprecated support:
Refer to the following published document:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6347586
1. IBM Connections integration support
2. Jabber support for 3rd party extensions

Disabled components:
- Starting in FP20, the "Event Isolation and Correlation" is disabled by default. Refer to the following page for more information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6357077

2.3 Enhancements in Fix Pack 24
Fix Pack 24 includes the following enhancements:

- A new option has been added to the nci_collect_logs script, which will allow for the inclusion of the Impact Fix Pack backup files during the "Must Gather"
collection process. This might at times be necessary if the Backup Files have not already been supplied (if there is needed for the issue being investigated):
-DincludeBackupFiles=true
To get a full list of available options, use the "--help" option (see below): nci_collect_logs --help

- RFE: RBA - Allow to specify event source when testing filter conditions
https://automation-management.ideas.aha.io/ideas/IRISCART-I-182
Problem summary: The RBA_GetFilterSampleEvents policy still uses the hardcoded event source "RBA_ObjectServer".
Solution: Allow RBA to call the Impact RBA servlet with an additional query parameter "TestEventSource" which supplies the name of the eventsource
 to be used for filter condition testing.
Refer to the following, for more information:
- Creating a new or modifying an existing analytics configuration
https://ibmdocs-test.mybluemix.net/docs/en/noi/1.6.3?topic=configurations-creating-new-modifying-existing-analytics-configuration
- Specifying event pattern criteria
https://ibmdocs-test.mybluemix.net/docs/en/noi/1.6.3?topic=patterns-specifying-event-pattern-criteria

- RFE: NOI Event Analytics - The Pattern filter is not automatically filled  with configuration sql filter
https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rfe/execute?use_case=viewRfe&CR_ID=146652

3.0 Troubleshooting Netcool Impact 7.1
General issues 
- You now can (if needed) reset the Derby DB to a default state (in a NOI installation); by using the following steps:

1.Find appropriately named ImpactDB_NOI_FP24.zip file located in $IMPACT_HOME/install/dbcore.
2.Stop all ImpactServers in the cluster (primary and secondary that run Derby DB).
3.Backup/Remove the existing ImpactDB directory structure in $IMPACT_HOME/db/<ServerName>/derby.
4.Copy the zip file found in step 1 to $IMPACT_HOME/db/<ServerName>/derby and unzip it.
5.Start Impact Server primary, let it fully initialize and start, and now start the secondary server and let it re-sync from the primary.

- Enabling LDAP Authentication

When editing the $IMPACT_HOME/install/security/impactdap.properties before

enabling LDAP Authentication, ensure the version of the impactdap.properties is from the latest install!

* Do not copy a props file from a different/older Fix Pack. 

* Ensure to only edit the properties, do not delete/remove any of the properties before running the

     $IMPACT_HOME/install/security/confAuth4LDAP.sh script

4.0 Known Issues in Fix Pack 24

- Creating an Event Reader (via the GUI), without an active "event mapping" filter, the wrong Error message is displayed.
Symptom: If one does not specify an active "event mapping" filter, during the creation of an Event Reader, the following error is displayed:
Error: Error occurred while removing Service: xyz
The message should instead state the following: Error: No active event mappings have been set.
Resolution: Prior to pressing the "Save" button on the Event Reader page,confirm that the Event Reader has an active "event mapping" filter 
associated with it.

- The Impact GUI, JazzSM's console integration, and Firefox's private browsing
Symptom: The Impact GUI does not load inside the JazzSM's console integration portlet when Firefox's private browsing is enabled.
Resolution: Private browsing will need to be turned off.

- The following applies only to Netcool/Impact Clients with Netcool Operations Insight (NOI) - and only for those with Existing configurations:
After upgrading to Netcool/Impact 7.1.0 FP13 (and above), run through the Wizard; confirm, verify & save the configuration. Refer to: Event Analytics 
Configuration 
1. It is a known issue that custom roll-up changes to properties and params files are overwritten. Running through the wizard will repair these.
2. Also, for seasonality View, it is advisable to run through the Wizard to make sure the right columns are displayed. 
Refer to the following link, for appropriate actions related to "Migration of rollups in Netcool/Impact":
 https://www.ibm.com/docs/noi/1.4.1?topic=analytics-migration-rollups-in-netcoolimpact-v71013

- The EventReader service for Seasonality Events is called "ProcessSeasonalityEvents" and it does not (by default) read updated or
de-duplicated events. "Get updated events" is not selected (by default) in the UI for the "ProcessSeasonityEvents" Service, on the Event Mapping tab.
The reason for this is due to the wide Filter for the "ProcessSeasonityEvents" Event Reader service. By default, the filter is
set to "1=1". With this wide filter, if "Get updated events" was enabled, and Seasonality rules fired, this could lead to an infinite loop. i.e.
Seasonality Rules updating events which in turn get read by the reader and fire the Seasonality Rules again. 
The solution is for the Event Mapping Filter to be set, in such a way, as to avoid already processed events. i.e. if the Seasonality rules are setting the
Service field to "something" then the Event Mapping Filter could be set to  restrict these.

- NOI 1.6: The Event Analytics Configuration wizard reports an Unexpected Token error when the Impact GUI server under the Turkish locale
Symptom: When loading the Event Analytics configuration page, an "Unexpected token: E" error is reported. Configuration cannot continue.
Root Cause: When the Impact GUI server is running under the Turkish locale, the GUI server is unable to find the contents of the uiproviderconfig 
directory.
Resolution: Switch to a different locale and restart the Impact GUI server

- Customization made to web.xml is overwritten 
Symptom: Any customization made to the web.xml file of a .war file (such as opview.war and netcool.war)  may be overwritten during the upgrade process.
Resolution: Please check the web.xml file after completing the upgrade and reapply the customization. You can find the old customization in the following 
directory. 
Merge the customization, as appropriate:
<backup>/install/gui_backup/<prior-fp name>/wlp/usr/servers/ImpactUI/apps/ImpactUI.ear

 - For Impact systems since 7.1 FP20 where the Runbook Automation add-on is installed:
In the "RBA_EventReader" service, on the "Event Mapping", under the "Event Matching" tab, the "Stop testing after first match" option needs
 to be always selected. The "Test events with all filters" option should not be used (except for limited testing)! The "Test events with all filters"
option will be removed in a future Fix Pack.

- On Test environments, where more than one instance of Impact is installed (under the same user ID), Installation Manager may suppress the pop-up
message "insufficient space for back-up directory" when performing the preliminary system checks (at Fix Pack update).
Resolution: A minimum of 900MB of space is required for updates. If it is really to have more than one instance of Impact on the environment, 
each instance should be installed under different user IDs and under different directories.

- The Prerequisite Scanner will report a failure when it checks the OS Version for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 or later. This failure can be ignored as
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 is supported by Netcool/Impact.

- In the embedded help documentation, the product version is erroneously listed as 7.1.0.19 for non-English versions in the table of contents and
front page. The embedded documentation for all supported languages is up to date for 7.1.0.24.

- Default type values disappear from the NOI.DEFAULTVALUES table.
Symptoms:

1. An error in PG_PROCESSTYPES policy logs, for example: com.micromuse.response.common.PolicyProcessingException:
ReferenceError: "TYPE_DEFAULT_EVENTID" is not defined. (NOI_UTILS#1594) in PG_PROCESSTYPES

2. An export of the configuration using NOI_DefaultValues_Configure will show undefined values for the following 5 fields:

              type.resourcelist=undefined

              type.default.eventid=undefined

              type.default.eventtype=undefined

              type.servername.column=undefined

              type.serverserial.column=undefined

3. No IBMExtractedType field will be set for incoming events, which means events won't match deployed patterns.
Resolution: 1. To fix the issue, export the NOI configuration using nci_trigger to call the NOI_DefaultValues_Export policy.
2. Manually edit the produced file to set the 5 fields above. By default, these fields are set to

              type.resourcelist=NODE

              type.default.eventid=IDENTIFIER

              type.default.eventtype=ALERTGROUP

              type.servername.column=SERVERNAME

              type.serverserial.column=SERVERSERIAL

3. Update the NOI.DEFAULTVALUES table by using nci_trigger to call the NOI_DefaultValues_Configure policy.
Document reference: https://www.ibm.com/docs/noi/1.6.3?topic=wizard-exporting-event-analytics-configuration

- MWM: On some systems, the Time Zone value will default to blank when creating new Maintenance Windows. Creating new Maintenance Windows
with a blank Time Zone option will cause MWM to break.
Symptoms: When there is a Maintenance Window with values that cannot be processed properly, the MWM policy will throw an error and not
process the rest of the Maintenance Windows, causing the entire functionality to stop working properly.
Resolution: Set the Time Zone to a non-blank value before saving new Maintenance Windows.

If MWM is saved with a blank Time Zone by error, it needs to be removed from the Derby database manually (under the table IMPACT.MM_WINDOWS).

- Event Readers: The wrong message is displayed when an event reader can not be created
Symptoms: When creating an Event Reader via the GUI, and if an active
"Event Mapping" mapping is not specified, the creation of the Event Reader will fail.  The pop-up message, under the "More" tab
will display the message "Error: Error occurred while removing Service: xyz.", instead of showing the following message:
"Error: No active event mappings have been set"
Resolution: Make sure the Event Reader entry has an "active" filer!
NOTE: If you first attempted the creation and failed, you may need to choose a different name for your Event Reader, on your second try. 
Otherwise, you will get a message that the service already exists.

- Impact on Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022
Symptoms: New installations of Impact will not function properly on Windows
11 and Windows Server 2022, if the appropriate "Microsoft Visual C++" packages are not installed.
Resolution: Prior to installing Impact on Windows 11 or Windows Server 2022, the following Windows Visual C++ three packages need to be installed:

Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x64) - 12.0.21005

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x64) - 14.30.30704

Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86) - 14.30.30704

NOTE: The "Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x64) - 12.0.21005" is included in the Impact Full Installer package

For the latest updated APARs list, check Fix Pack 24 download page:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-tivoli-netcoolimpact-v710-fix-pack-24-710-tiv-nci-fp0024