Product:
Planning Analytics 2.0.9.3
Microsoft Windows 2019 Server

Problem:
How to install PA on Windows 2019 server?

Solution:
Follow IBM guide lines in the first place;

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSD29G_2.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.tm1_inst.2.0.0.doc/t_tm1_gs_inst_basic_install_on_windows.html

Download the latest service pack of the software

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-planning-analytics-20-fix-lists

Copy the media over to the server and run as administrator the issetup.exe file.

Click Next
Mark “I Agree” and click Next
Select folder to install to and Production and click Next

(Tm1 Perspectives only work on workstation with Excel and NET Framework 4.6.1)
Click Next
Mark “Make the shortcuts visible to all users” and click Next
Click Next
Wait during install (takes 28 min depending on your hardware)
Click Finish.

Start IBM Cognos Configuration as “Run as administrator”.
If you will use TM1 Application web then you can increase memory for WLP

If used with CAM, setup the Gateway URI to be same as the Cognos Analytics URL.

Set the servername for PMPSVC to be the FQDN of the TM1 Windows Server.


Change the port from 9510 to 9511 for TM1 Application Server (pmpsvc).
Save the configuration.
Right click IBM Cognos TM1 and TM1 Admin Server and select Start.

To test the installation right click Planning Sample and click start.
Inside C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\samples\tm1\PlanSamp\tm1s.cfg change to Language=eng to have tm1server log files in English.
Change Region in Control Panel on client computer to have English as Format, to get English menus in TM1 Architect. Or add Language=eng to file C:\ProgramData\Applix\TM1\tm1p.ini when TM1 Architect is not running, then you get English menu inside TM1 Architect with other Regional settings in Windows.

TM1WEB has it own installations package, that need to be downloaded from fix central.
https://exploringtm1.com/how-to-install-planning-analytics-spreadsheet-services/

Run analytics-installer-3.0.20091714-win.exe as administrator.
Select English and click Next.
Click Next.
Mark “I accept…” and click Next.

Click Next.
Click Install.

When done – change the IBM Cognos TM1 windows service to Automatic.

After you have decided if you use CAM authentication or not, browse to http://paservername.domain.com:9511/pmpsvc

First time you start Tm1 Application Web on port 9511, you need to change to correct port for tm1web.

Change to http://paservername.domain.com:9510/tm1web/Contributor.jsp

Click OK. This value is saved in file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\webapps\pmpsvc\WEB-INF\configuration\pmpsvc_config.xml, in case you want to change it later.


The new TM1WEB is now on the old URL http://paservername.domain.com:9510/tm1web/

# memory
-Xmx4096m
-Xms4096m

# generational concurrent garbage collection policy, useful for applications with many short-lived objects
-Xgcpolicy:gencon

# The size of the heap for the young generation, the objects which have a short life of time
-Xmn2048m

You can change the new TM1WEB memory settings in file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1web\wlp\usr\servers\tm1web\jvm.options

<add key=”AdminHostName” value=”” /> value can you set in the C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1web\webapps\tm1web\WEB-INF\configuration\tm1web_config.xml file, to make users do not need to enter a admin host, and can select the TM1 applications direct from the drop down list.

To make SSO work with CAM setup, you need in your Web Browser (IE) set the Cognos server to be trusted or local intranet. Go to Internet Options – Security – Local Intranet – Sites – Advanced – Add – OK.

To use Cognos Authenticate Mode, you need to add this values to the tm1s.cfg file for your application.
ServerCAMURI=http://cognos-analytics.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet/dispatch
ClientCAMURI=http://cognos-analytics.domain.com:80/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSD29G_2.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.tm1_inst.2.0.0.doc/c_parametersinthetm1s.cfgfile_n1503fe.html

Inside Cognos Configuration setup a new TM1 application by point to the folder that contain the TM1S.CFG file. Save the change and start the TM1 instance by right click and select start.

To be able to add Cognos Users with TM1 architect, when in IntegratedSecurityMode=2 you need to add CognosGatewayURI = http://caserver.domain.com:80/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp to file C:\ProgramData\Applix\TM1\tm1p.ini and in file C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Applix\TM1\tm1p.ini

From PA server copy file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\bi_interop\bi_interop.zip to the CA server temp folder, and unzip it with https://www.7-zip.org/

Update the planning.html file (used by old PMPSVC) with
var planningServices = [“http://tm1webserver.domain.com:9510″,”http://tm1appwebserver.domain.com:9511″,”http://pawserver.domain.com”];

Update the pmhub.html file (used by PAW) with
var pmhubURLs = [“http://tm1webserver.domain.com:9510″,”http://tm1appwebserver.domain.com:9511″,”http://pawserver.domain.com”];

Update the tm1web.html file (used by TM1WEB) with
var tm1webServices = [“http://tm1webserver.domain.com:9510″,”http://tm1appwebserver.domain.com:9511″,”http://pawserver.domain.com”];


Copy the planning.html and pmhub.html file to the /webcontent/bi/ and /webcontent/ directory.
Create the folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\webcontent\bi\tm1\web.
The tm1web.html file is copied in the new /webcontent/bi/tm1/web/ directory.
Rename the variables_TM1.xml.sample file to variables_TM1.xml inside CA Install Dir/templates/ps/portal folder.
Rename the variables_plan.xml.sample to variables_plan.xml inside CA Install Dir\templates\ps\portal folder.

If missing, copy icon_active_application.gif to CA Install Dir\webcontent\ps\portal\images folder.

Test by browse to http://tm1webservername.domain.com:9510/tm1web

This ports need to be open in the firewall:
To end users: 80, 9510, 9511
To TM1 developers: 80, 443, 9510, 9511, 5495, 5498, 5895, 5898, 8888, 9012, 9300, 12354-44312 (depending on your setup of TM1 instances)

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSD29G_2.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.tm1_inst.2.0.0.doc/c_tm1_inst_defaultvaluesfortm1installation.html

To ensure that Cognos TM1 Applications can properly detect a CAM session termination, set the pmpsvc session timeout to a value higher than the CAM session timeout in the fpmsvc_config.xml file.

Install of a new PA agent, needs to be done after installation of a new PAW version: https://pmsquare.com/analytics-blog/2019/1/10/when-upgrading-paw-dont-forget-to-upgrade-paa-agent

More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6324657

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/unable-start-ibm-planning-analytics-spreadsheet-services-and-ibm-cognos-tm1-service-same-host-server

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSD29G_2.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.tm1_nfg.2.0.0.doc/c_paw_nf_sc57_local.html

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/businessanalytics/blogs/nadine-mnch/2018/03/07/cognosanalytics-and-planninganalytics-integration-walkthrough-part-3

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/286765

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/changes-tm1web-deployment-planning-analytics-local-2055-release

TM1WEB version supported:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6233252

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-planning-analytics-microsoft-excel-conformance-requirements

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7  Product_version=11.1 R7 (LTS)
Microsoft Windows 2019 Server
Microsoft SQL server 2016

Problem:
How install CA 11.1.7 on a Windows 2019 server?

Solution:
Follow the IBM Cognos instruction first, then use this as a compliment. Download latest fix pack from https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6335329

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-cognos-analytics-11x-fix-lists


Install Web Server with NET framework 4.7 and Windows Authentication and WebSocket Protocol.
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_single_server.html

Install rewrite_amd64_en-US.msi and the Application Request Routing extension for IIS by going to the following URL: http://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/application-request-routing

Run setup of CA11 from file ca_instl_win_2.0.200618.exe
Click Next

Click browse and select the ca_srv_win64_11.1.7.zip file and click Open and Next.
Choose IBM Cognos Analytics and click next.
Mark “I accept the terms of the License Agreement” and click Next.
Mark “Make shortcut visible to all users in the Start menu” and click Next.
Click Yes.
Select Custom and click Next.

If installed on a single server, select all and click Next.
Click Install.
Click Done. (install the latest fix pack on top of your installation of CA11)


Add SQL driver sqljdbc42.jar to CA11 folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\drivers

Prevent creation of DUMP files in CA11
Open file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\configuration\cclWinSEHConfig.xml in notepad++

Change to <env_var name="CCL_HWE_ABORT" value="0"/>

Save the xml file.

Download the new policy zip file from https://public.dhe.ibm.com/ibmdl/export/pub/systems/cloud/runtimes/java/security/jce_policy/
Unzip the file in a new folder (c:\install), creating folder C:\install\unrestricted.

Copy the two new files (US_export_policy.jar and local_policy.jar)to folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\ibm-jre\jre\lib\security\policy\unlimited

Open Cognos Configuration and go to Cryptography > Cognos. Change Confidentiality Algorithm and PDF Confidentiality Algorithm to Advanced encryption standard with Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode 256 bit key.

At subject alternative name for DNS names, enter both the FQDN and the HOSTNAME with a space between. You must use lowercase letters on all server names in Cognos Configuration.
Configure the AD connection to your domain.

Remove the DB2 connection and create a new Microsoft SQL Server connection.
Configure the Content Store connection to your SQL server.

Save the configuration and start Cognos service.


Setup IIS with script found in folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\cgi-bin\templates\IIS
Edit the file to include your servers name, then run the CA_IIS_Config.bat from a administrator CMD window.

Ensure all is correct and press Y.

Check that you can access cognos on http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/
Setup WebDAV for report creators:

  • Go to IIS Manager
  • Under Connections, expand your web server, Sites, and select Default Web Site.
  • Double-click WebDAV Authoring.
  • Click Enable WebDAV.

  • Click WebDAV Settings.

  • If you have anonymous access enabled, select True for Allow Anonymous Property Queries, and click Apply.
  • Select the /bi/samples/images directory
  • Double-click WebDAV Authoring.
  • Click Add Authoring Rule.
    Select All content and All users and Read Permissions and click OK.
  • Right-click the /images you added authoring rules to, and click Edit Permissions.

  • Click Security tab, and click edit. Click add and enter everyone. (or a user group that should have access) and click check names.
  • Click OK.
  • Click OK again.

Install SQL 2012 native client, to make old report connections work (SQLNCLI11).

https://download.microsoft.com/download/B/E/D/BED73AAC-3C8A-43F5-AF4F-EB4FEA6C8F3A/ENU/x64/sqlncli.msi

Open firewall ports 80 and 443 for clients, and ports 9300, 9362, 4300, 5701, 9301 for Cognos servers to be able to talk to each other.

Setup SSO with Kerberos Active Directory is possible (but not covered here)

Set “Allow anonymous access” to False.
Change the log on user for the IBM Cognos service to a domain account, instead of Local System.

Set the server to trust for delegation inside the Active Directory.
You need to do more;

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/iis-support-blog/setting-up-kerberos-authentication-for-a-website-in-iis/ba-p/347882

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/enabling-single-signon-use-kerberos-authentication-constrained-delegation-ibm-cognos-business-intelligence

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/what-does-parameter-singlesignonoption-do

Instead of kerberos can you use old windows login, inside cognos configuration setup (enter below values);

Save and restart Cognos, try to browse to http://caservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/

Show the Legacy Studios in CA11.1.x
Check that they are active in Manage – Configuration – System – Appearance.
Please Note: In order to access the legacy studios, you must be using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Setup the samples
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ig_smples.doc/ig_smples.pdf

Setup the skins
https://quebit.com/askquebit/IBM/creating-and-setting-a-default-theme-for-cognos-analytics-11-0-4/

For CA11 installations with many users, you can increase the Windows TCP ports;

  1. Click on Start menu, run – Enter regedit
  2. In the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters directory, create a new DWORD-32 value named MaxUserPort.
  3. Set the properties for MaxUserPort to use a value of 65534 and a base of Decimal.
  4. In the same directory, add another DWORD-32 value named TcpTimedWaitDelay.
  5. Set the properties for TcpTimedWaitDelay to use a value of 50 and a base of Decimal.

    The range for value is from 30 seconds to 300 seconds, with a default value of 240 seconds (4 minutes).

    After closing the regedit application, restart your computer.

Data server connections to PA can give below error if TM1 cert is not loaded in the CA keystore.
XTR-ERR-0005 A request to TM1 resulted in error: “[400] javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: com.ibm.jsse2.util.h: PKIX path building failed: com.ibm.security.cert.IBMCertPathBuilderException: unable to find valid certification path to requested target”.

Add Planning Analytics cert to the keystore. Copy the file \\paservername\c$\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\bin64\ssl\tm1\ibmtm1.arm file to your CA11 server to folder c:\install.
Start C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\ibm-jre\jre\bin\ikeyman.exe, run as administrator.

Click on open keystore. Select C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\ibm-jre\jre\lib\security\cacerts file and open it with password changeit.


Switch to Signer Certificates and click Add.
Browse for c:\install\ibmtm1.arm and open it and give it the name TM1ServerCert.

Data Server Connections to PA can give below error if the UseSSL=T is not correct in data connections.
XTR-ERR-0005 A request to TM1 resulted in error: “[400] java.net.SocketException: Connection reset”.

Ensure that the Use SSL is marked if the UseSSL=T is in the tm1s.cfg file for the TM1 instance. Planning Analytics have UseSSL=T as default, if the line is missing from tm1s.cfg file.

To be able to connect to old TM1; run installation of PA, on CA server, with issetup.exe from \\servername\fileshare\planninganalytics\tm1_winx64h_2.0.93.28_ml.tar\winx64h and select TM1APIs.

Report performance can be adjusted in different ways to match your hardware
https://senturus.com/resources/cognos-analytics-performance-tuning/

Go to Manage – Administration console.
Click on System at Status tab.

Click on All Servers drop down – go to Service – go to Report (or Batch Report)
Right click on ReportService and select Set Properties
Click on Settings tab – select Tuning in Category drop-down menu.

Set Maximum number of processes for the report service during peak period to a higher value, maybe start with the same number of CPU cores you have on the server. Do the same for Maximum number of processes for the report service during non-peak period, and also for Maximum number of processes for the batch report service during non-peak period.
Check that Number of low affinity connections for the report service during peak period is not below 8.
Values you set, depend on number of users and your hardware.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-improve-report-performance

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/enabling-legacy-studios-cognos-analytics-111x

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/sites/default/files/inline-files/ibm_fixlist_cognos_analytics_1117fp1_2.pdf

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/xtr-err-0005-error-when-testing-ibm-planning-analytics-20x-datasource-ibm-cognos-analytics-1112
To show info about the Windows server, go to the command prompt and enter MSINFO32.EXE.

To list installed roles on server enter in powershell this command:

Get-WindowsFeature | Where-Object {$_. installstate -eq “installed”} | Format-List Name,Installstate >  roles.txt

https://redmondmag.com/articles/2018/10/31/powershell-windows-server-roles-features.aspx

https://www.pelegit.co.il/how-to-get-all-roles-and-features-are-installed-on-server/

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.0 IF2
Microsoft Windows 10

Problem:
After update to a new version of Excel,  the program crash when you inside the cognos controller data entry form click preview to open the sheet.
Gone from version Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus 16.0.13029.20308  to version Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 16.0.13127.20408 of Microsoft Excel.

Error:

Faulting application name: EXCEL.EXE, version: 16.0.13127.20408, time stamp: 0x5f56c50b

Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.3.9600.19724, time stamp: 0x5ec50c3e

Exception code: 0xe0434352

Fault offset: 0x000156e8

Faulting process id: 0x1a384

Faulting application start time: 0x01d69707dd729044

Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\KERNELBASE.dll

or

Standard Error

Source:              ControllerForms12

Description:     System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.Exception: Security Error 2

at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.SoapExtension.ServerExtension.CheckAccessControl(SoapMessage& message)

at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.SoapExtension.ServerExtension.ProcessMessage(SoapMessage message)

Solution:
Start Microsoft Excel
Go to Options
Click on Advanced
Scroll down to Formulas
Untick “Enable multi-threaded calculation”

Save and test again.

More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/office-365-supported-controller

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/intermittent-excel-has-stopped-working-crasherrors-when-using-report-generator-reports-run-run-reports-or-forms-triggered-multi-threading

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/intermittently-reports-run-hangs-near-completion-eg-84-report

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
How do i change CA11 WLP to use balanced in java?

Suggested solution:

The log file cbs_run_WebSphereLiberty.log say “CBSBootstrapService attempt to load config from “C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\bin64/bootstrap_wlp_winx64.xml”
This should mean that the WLP is controlled from the file bootstrap_wlp_winx64.xml. Open file in Notepad++
Change line 37 to;

param condName=”${java_vendor}” condValue=”IBM”>-Xgcpolicy:balanced</param>

save the file and restart the server, will give that WLP use garbage collection Balanced instead of default gencon. Then this will not help you, if you not have a big solution that maybe need it.

WLP settings for Planning Analytics is on the other hand stored in file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\bin64\bootstrap_wlp_tm1_winx64.xml

Normally you add the line -Xgcpolicy:balanced to the file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\wlp\usr\servers\tm1\jvm.options instead, of doing above.

Edit C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\wlp\usr\servers\cognosserver\jvm.options to have the line -Xgcpolicy:balanced  will not work with CA11. You may need to do something more….

More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-enable-garbage-collection-gc-logging-tm1-application-server

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/c_configuringcognos8.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_inst_tuningwebspherelibertyprofile.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYKE2_8.0.0/com.ibm.java.vm.80.doc/docs/mm_gc_generational.html

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Problem:
After upgrade of Cognos and the IIS gateway settings the large dashboard with many columns does not work. If you use less columns the dashboard work. Error like this:

We can’t retrieve the data from data set….

Solution:
Inside IIS Manager on your Microsoft Windows server, check the values for Maximum URL length.
Go to your ibmcognos\bi folder and click on “request filtering”.

Click on edit feature settings on the right side.
Update to 8192 or 16000. (adjust other values as needed)
Click OK (the values are saved in C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\webcontent\bi\web.config)
Restart the IIS service and test again.

The CA_IIS_Config.bat file should set this values in your windows server:

More Information:
https://www.cognoise.com/index.php?topic=34991.0

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/we-cant-retrieve-data-data-set

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Problem:
On a installation where you use SSL only to the IIS gateway, and not to the Cognos dispatchers.
When try to login to Cognos Analytics HTTPS portal you get a error similar to this;
HTTPS Error 404.0 – Not Found…
Requested URL  https://cognosserver.domain.com:443/bi/
Physical Path  c:\inetpub\wwwroot\bi\

Solution:
Run the CA_IIS_Config script with HTTP instead of HTTPS, so you change the Reverse Proxy Inbound Rule to have Rewrite URL http://ca_servers/bi/{R:0} instead of HTTPS.
Add the certificate server name to the IIS manager – Default web site – bindings. Edit the settings for HTTPS port 443, so you have a host name in the host name field.

After any change to IIS, restart it from a DOS prompt with command: iisreset

From your web browser test that you can browse to the Gateway URL;
https://caservername.domain.com:443/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp

More Information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_config_iis_with_ssl.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/cleaning-temporary-java-workarea-cognos-analytics

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-properly-clear-microsofts-internet-information-service-iis-configurations-setup-new-configuration-iis-support-ibm-cognos
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshoot-ssl-gateway-iis

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2016 Server

Problem:
After upgrade to CA 11.1.7 in a Multi server solution the event studio events are not running all the time, and also you get other errors in cogserver.log file.

Error:
CNC-ASV-0048 Error building report template: {0} CNC-ASV-0048 Error building report template: PRS-REQ-0760 The operation “/” “” “xts.run” is invalid.

javax.net.ssl.SSLPeerUnverifiedException: Certificate for <servername> doesn’t match any of the subject alternative names:…

CNC-SDS-0222 An error occurred while trying to send a message in message manager

Suggested Solution:

Upgrade your installation to the latest Fix Pack of CA11.1.7
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-cognos-analytics-11x-fix-lists

If you restart the IBM Cognos windows service by some script, change the script to instead use the Cognos Configuration program to do the restart. Create a CMD file with this content:

REM https://ss64.com/nt/call.html

call “C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\bin64\cogconfig.bat” -stop

PING -n 31 127.0.0.1>nul

call “C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\bin64\cogconfig.bat” -s

Name the file c:\scripts\birestart.cmd and put your schedule software to use that, instead of the NET STOP command, as stopping Cognos BI from windows may corrupt some temp files.

CA 11.1.7 demands that all server names are in FQDN format.
Stop the Cognos BI service on Windows from Cognos Configuration.
Update all the server name in Cognos Configuration to be FQDN and lowercase. Also ensure the Server Common Name, under Security – Cryptography -Cognos, is the FQDN server name.

Environment
Gateway URI
External dispatcher URI
Internal dispatcher URI
Dispatcher URI for external applications
Content Manager URIs
Environment > Configuration Group
Group contact host
Member coordination host
Security > Cryptography > Cognos
Server common name
Subject Alternative Name > DNS names
Subject Alternative Name > IP addresses
Note: You must at DNS names enter both the FQDN and HOSTNAME to make the logging to work.
Check that the windows firewall does not block the port used by cognos – particular ports 9300, 9362, 4300, 5701, 9301. They need to be open between Cognos servers.

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/c_reviewthedefaultsettings.html

Before start of the Cognos from Cognos Configuration, clean out some folders to ensure there are no old settings around.
Backup and then remove the analytics/configuration/data/flipper folder
(You need a backup of flipper folder, like file flipper\config\global\configuration0.properties, as it will erase your new cognos advance settings, or you need to manually add the values back.)
Backup and then remove the analytics/configuration/data/discovery folder
Backup and then remove the analytics/wlp/usr/servers/cognosserver/workarea folder
Backup and then remove the analytics/wlp/usr/servers/dataset-service/workarea folder
Backup and then remove the analytics/javasharedresources folder
Backup and then remove the analytics/temp folder
Backup and then remove the analytics/logs folder
Backup and then remove the analytics/data folder

You can check the setup of Configuration Group by browse in IE to the server first on
http://caservername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp
and login, then change the URL in IE, and browse to http://caservername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/flipper/diag
This json file can be saved.

If you have old reports that fails, please try to upgrade the reports to the latest version.

  1. Open IBM Cognos Administration.
  2. On the Configuration tab, click Content Administration.
  3. Click the arrow on the new content maintenance button New content maintenance on the toolbar, and then click New Report Upgrade
  4. Type a name for the upgrade task and, if you want, a description and screen tip. Click Next.
  5. Select the packages and locations for the report specification you want to upgrade. Click Next.

    If you upgrade report specifications by folder, all reports in the folder will be upgraded.

  6. Choose one of the following:
    • Save and run once opens the run with options page.
    • Save and schedule opens the scheduling tool.
    • Save only allows you to save the upgrade so that you can run it at a later time.

    Give time to upgrade all reports and all templates in your Cognos solution. To upgrade users my folders, select Directory – My Folder of AD (your namespace).

If schedule or events are not working, try dropping the NC* tables with this script:

1. Stop the Cognos Service
2. Take a physical backup of the Content Store or Notification database
3. Select the appropriate folder for your content store or notification database type ,like C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\configuration\schemas\delivery\sqlserver for SQL.
4. Run NC_DROP_MS.sql against the content store or notification database in Microsoft SQL Management Studio.
4. Restart Cognos Services.

Should dropping the NC* tables not resolve the issue, then restore the content or notification store from the last backup version.

CA 11.1.x have made changes to the IIS setup for URL rewrite, manually change IIS settings to the new values or use the script in folder: C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\cgi-bin\templates\IIS
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/automate-configuration-microsofts-internet-information-service-support-ibm-cognos-analytics

Check the rules under ibmcognos and bi folder in IIS manager. Compare yours to the latest webpage https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_gateway_iis.html

  • Name is Event Studio.
  • Pattern is ^(ags|cr1|prompting|ccl|common|skins|ps|cps4)/(.*)
  • Open the Conditions section.
  • Change the Logical Grouping to Match Any
  • Click Add.
    • Condition input is {HTTP_REFERER}
    • Check if input string is Matches the Pattern
    • Pattern is v1/disp
    • Check Ignore case.
  • Click Add
    • Condition input is {HTTP_REFERER}
    • Check if input string is Matches the Pattern
    • Pattern is (ags|cr1|prompting|ccl|common|skins|ps|cps4)/(.*)\.css
    • Check Ignore case.
  • Action type is Rewrite
  • Rewrite URL is /ibmcognos/{R:0}
  • Check Stop processing of subsequent rules.
  • Click Apply and Back to Rules.

In IIS Manager on the Application Pool for Cognos (ICApool) change to 10 for Maximum Worker Processes, if you have many users in Cognos.

 

If nothing helps – contact Cognos Support.

More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/c_reviewthedefaultsettings.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/cognos-analytics-1117-interim-fix-2

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ca_new.doc/ca_new.pdf

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_cra.doc/c_asg_bulk_cleanup.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_gateway_iis.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_inst_upgradingrepspecs.html

https://ss64.com/nt/call.html

https://www.computerhope.com/call.htm
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshoot-ssl-gateway-iis

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_increaseforhighendload.html

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows Server

Problem:
When a user start Cognos Controller Client on Citrix server a second time they get a error:
System.Unauthorized Access Exception: Access to the path c:\cognos\ccr\ccr.config is denied at System.IO…Error.WinIOError( Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath )

Suggested Solution:
Disable the use of FSLogix.  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/fslogix/overview
Cognos Controller update the ccr.config file during start of client, and also when the user change personal parameters inside the Cognos Controller client.
Each user of Cognos Controller need there own ccr.config file. If the file is not there, this error can show up.
They are normally in folder c:\users\%username%\appdata\roaming\cognos\ccr
and are created during login from the default file in folder c:\program files\ibm\ibm cognos controller local client\ccr.exe.config

https://help.nerdio.net/hc/en-us/articles/360036890651-FSLogix-How-It-Works-What-Can-Go-Wrong-How-To-Troubleshoot-

The understanding of the orchestration of FSlogix with profiles will make logical sense when you look at the pieces and parts that FSLogix puts together.

  • FSLogix apps is an installer that is loaded on WVDSH00 and is part of every deployment done with WVDSH00
  • Registry entry is configured on WVDSH00 to enable FSLogix and point the profile storage to \\FS01\Profiles\%username%
  • There is another registry entry that excludes DESKTOP, DOCUMENTS and FAVORITES folders from FSLogix profile because those are redirected to \\FS01\USERS\%username% folder. This registry entry points at an XML file that tells FSLogix to exclude those folders. This file is \\FS01\Profiles\redirections.xml

More Information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshooting-cognos-controller-link-not-installed-or-excel-link-not-installed-errors

App-V is not officially supported by IBM. But the following tips helped package/deploy the Controller client successfully:

    • (1) Re-package the Cognos Controller client *without* capturing (saving) the following folder (inside the App-V package):

%APPDATA%\Cognos

(2) To avoid an ‘Excel Link is not installed’, configure the setting ‘local interaction’ to ‘FALSE’ (within the OSD file for the main Cognos controller application).

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/error-systemxml-root-element-missing-inside-multiple-menus-controller-solved-avoiding-use-softgrid-microsoft-application-virtualization

The Controller client reads from and writes to a configuration file called ‘ccr.config’.

  • This is located here: %APPDATA%\Cognos\CCR\ccr.config
  • By default, this is: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Cognos\CCR\ccr.config

if the I.T. department have modified the value for %APPDATA% (for example redirected user’s profiles to be stored on a remote network file share) then this means that ccr.config reads/writes are slower.

  • In some environments, these are so slow that Controller aborts trying to read/write to that location, and falls back to a default local location (C:\Cognos\ccr\)
  • However, only one person at a time can use that location, therefore errors will occur (when trying to read the configuration file) if a different user tries to read that file.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/intermittent-access-path-ccognosccrccrconfig-denied-and-http-status-404-not-found-errors

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-install-controller-local-client

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/130597

Use the “CacheDir” parameter to cause the Controller local client to move the storage location of the ‘cache files’ (*.DSS and *.DSD) into subfolders of the CacheDir.

Example:

For example, if “CACHEDIR” is configured to be the value “D:\Controller\Cache” then these files will created/stored inside folders such as:

D:\Controller\Cache\Windows_Username1\Cognos\CCR
D:\Controller\Cache\Windows_Username2\Cognos\CCR
etc.

NOTE: The configuration file (CCR.CONFIG) is unaffected by this parameter, and will stay inside the default location (%APPDATA%\Cognos\ccr)

IMPORTANT:

Do NOT modify the location of the “Cache Dir” to either (a) a mapped network drive or (b) a network UNC path.
Doing this will seriously affect the performance/speed of Controller, and also the stability (may create error messages).

Logon to client PC using the *same* Windows user that launches/runs Controller
Create a folder which will be used to store the cache files (for example: D:\Controller\Cache).

IMPORTANT:

Do not choose a network drive letter (or UNC path).
Instead, you MUST choose a location which is on one of the client device’s local hard drives.
This does not need to be its C: drive, although it must be a local hard drive
For example, you could choose: D:\Controller\Cache

3. Launch Windows Explorer
4. Open the folder where Controller is installed.

For example, by default this is here: C:\Program Files\ibm\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client

5. Open the file “CCR.exe.config” inside Notepad
6. Search for the entry similar to the following:

<add key=”CacheDir” value=””/>

7. Modify this entry appropriately, for example similar to the following:

<add key=”CacheDir” value=”D:\Controller\Cache” />

8. Save and test

You will notice that, after launching Controller, now all the cache files are created inside the following folder: D:\Controller\Cache\<Windows_Username>\Cognos\CCR

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Problem:
There are 3 jave.exe on the Cognos Analytics server, what are they for?

Solution:
Java.exe (with most memory usage is Query Service, if you use Dynamic Cubes) command line c:\program files\ibm\cognos\analytics\ibm-jre\jre\bin\java.exe
Java.exe (with command line ..\ibm-jre\jre/bin/java.exe is the Content Manager and WLP service for the cognos portal) it have -Xgcpolicy:gencon
Java.exe (with least memory usage is the exploration engine in CA11) command line c:\program files\ibm\cognos\analytics\ibm-jre\jre\bin\java.exe” -Xms1024m -Xmx8192m -XX:MaxDirectMemorySize=512m

The 3 java.exe process for exploration in CA11 is part of the query service and is configured with advanced parameters in cognos connection;
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_cra.doc/t_ca_query_coprocessing.html

  1. From Manage > Administration console, open Cognos Administration.
  2. On the Configuration tab, click Dispatchers and Services, and click your dispatcher name.
  3. In the list of services, locate the Query service, and click its properties icon Set properties.
  4. On the Settings tab, under Category, select Environment.
  5. Next to Advanced settings, click Edit.
  6. Select the Override the settings acquired from the parent entry check box.
  7. Type or copy the parameter names and their values, from the Cognos documentation.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Restart the Query service.

The Java.exe for Query Service memory usage is also controlled from cognos connection.

JVM heap size limit for the query service: Specifies the maximum size, in MB, of the JVM heap.

JVM garbage collection policy: Specifies the garbage collection policy used by the JVM.

Go to Cognos Administration page, and click on System in the left.
Click the arrow at All servers and select Services – Query.
Now you only see the QueryService for each server. Click on arrow and select Set properties.
Change the Initial JVM heap size for the query service to a unique value like 2048, then after a restart it is easier to tell the jave.exe apart from each other.

The Java.exe for content manager and WLP is setup from inside Cognos Configuration.
If you have the RAM in the server, it can be increased to 24576 MB.  The start up time of Cognos will be longer, when the WLP use more memory.

  1. Start IBM Cognos Configuration.
  2. In the Explorer window, expand Environment > IBM Cognos services, and then click IBM Cognos.
  3. In the Properties window, change the value for Maximum memory in MB.
    • To reduce the startup time, memory footprint, and resources that are used, use the default setting of 8192.
    • This value can be adjusted based on available system resources.
  4. From the File menu, click Save.

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_cnfg_enable_srv.html

More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/c_installs_verify_ram.html

https://www.cognoise.com/index.php?topic=36704.0

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11 CP4D
Linux

Problem:
How report on a DB2 database?

Suggested Solution:
Depending on what data source you are going to connect to – the way may be different.
https://www.ibm.com/support/producthub/icpdata/docs/content/SSQNUZ_current/cpd/access/data-sources.html

Login to Cloud pak for data to setup the data source (this is only for Cognos Content Store called BLUEDB).


Click on menu icon to get to the connections

Click on new connection

Enter a name for the connection and click on the drop down menu to select type of data source. When you select DB2, you get other fields to complete.

Enter the IP address of the database server host.
Enter the port for the DB2 database, default is 50000 – but this you need to change when you setup your DB2 server, to something else like 50500.
Enter the name of the database.
Enter the name of the user to access the database (can be DB2 default user db2inst1) and enter the password.
Scroll down and click on Test connection.

Click on Create.

You have now a data source in CP4D.

Click on menu and select My instances – to see what applications are running.

Click on the dots to open the menu on the right side of your application, and click on open to go to Cognos Analytics.

If security is setup correct, you should be logged in automatically.

To setup a data source for CA11, you can use the same as you done in CA11 on Windows. Described below;

Setup in Cognos Analytics 11

Click on Manage icon in lower left corner and select Data Server Connections

Click on + to create a new data connection, the dialog will expand to the right.

Select DB2 in this case

First enter the jdbc:db2://192.168.1.15:50500/SAMPLE2 to your database.
Scroll down and click close
Select Use the following signon

Click on ? to create a new signon, enter the user and password that will connect to the DB2 database.
Change the name for the connection to SAMPLE2.

Change the name of the connection and click save.

Click on Test and after success, click on schemas tab.

Click on dots to show the options, and click on Load metadata.

Wait for the metadata to load.

Click on new icon and select Data module.

Click on the data icon and select your data source from the list. New dialog opens automatic.

Click on the schema to work with and click OK.

Click on Discover related tables and click Next

Cognos Analytics will show in word diagram the most popular fields. Select 3 of them and click next.


Table relations is shown, click OK.

Click on save icon in top left corner.
Select to save as.

Click on my content or the folder where you want it to be saved.
Enter a name for the data module.
Click on save.

Click on new icon and exploration.

Select the folder, select the data module and click add.

Enter a table name or click on the boxes to select the data you want to find out about.

Select one of the charts on the right, if they fit your question.

When you are satisfied with your chart, click save icon to store the report in the folders inside Cognos Analytics.

More information:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkOkje0tXgI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NtellENB88
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3gkkTTvLOc9HTUJSNeOxg
https://www.ibm.com/cloud/garage/dte/tutorial/ibm-cognos-analytics-1113-getting-started-exploration-0/
https://www.ibm.com/support/producthub/icpdata/docs/content/SSQNUZ_current/wsj/manage-data/conn-cognos.html