Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:
When open FAP.UDL file with DBCONV.exe program to upgrade the database you get a error.

ERROR: java.lang.NullPointerException

Possible solution:

The UDL file does not contain a password.

Copy the fap.uld file to folder D:\Program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\Data

Open the file in Cognos Controller configuration and add a password.

Click on test connection icon.

Click on arrow to start the Database conversion program.

Select FAP DB.

Click Connect.

Check if the numbers are different, then you need to click on Upgrade button.

Close the program.

Remove the fap.udl file from the \ibm\cognos\ccr_64\Data folder.

Also, ensure the SQLJDBC42.JAR file is in the folder D:\Program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64

More Information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/javalangunsupportedoperationexception-jre-version-16-error-when-using-database-conversion-utility-dbconv

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/could-not-create-view-could-not-create-controller-type-failed-launch-javalangnullpointerexception-launching-java-related-functionality-caused-invalid-ccrjavahome-variable

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2 if8 CONTRL_UPDATE_version=CCR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.1064-0
Microsoft Windows 2016 server
Planning Analytics 2.0.9.11  TM1-AW64-ML-RTM-11.0.911.20-0

Issue:
After upgrade of TM1 (Planning Analytics) to a newer version than 2.0.9.4 then the Cognos Controller FAP does not work.
The FAP IP stop with a error.

The TM1ProcessError can be:

Cannot convert field number 17, value “123456” to a real number

Error: Data procedure line (0): 01004[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]String data, right truncation

Solution:

Upgrade Cognos Controller software to a later version.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/download-ibm-cognos-controller-1042-if17

1. Install Controller 10.4.2 IF 17
2. Stop the Windows service of the TM1 server that is connected to FAP.
3. Stop the Windows service IBM Cognos FAP Service.
4. Manually delete the existing <…>MonthlyCompanyDetails_TextImportData TI process from inside TM1 Architect.
5. Start the Windows service of the TM1 server that is connected to FAP.
6. Start the Windows service IBM Cognos FAP Service.
7. Do a full FAP IP.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/cannot-run-ti-process-monthlycompanydetailstextimportdata

These errors occur because Planning Analytics 2.0.9.4 and later does not support FAP jobs with comments containing more than 2047 characters.  The existing <…>MonthlyCompanyDetails_TextImportData TI process that you upgraded from your previous TM1 environment does not adhere to this new limitation.

If you upgrade Planning Analytics 2.0.9, you must upgrade Cognos Controller 10.4.2 to a later version.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-upgrade-controller-1042x-later-interim-fix-if-fix-pack-patch-level

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

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6519826

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-cognos-controller-builds-ccr-name-and-database-version

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Issue:

We need to install a fix pack/interim fix to cognos controller – do we also need to upgrade the cognos controller client?

Suggested solution:

Do a test upgrade in your test environment, and see if the client works without upgrade the Cognos Controller client.

When you do a installation of a new version, you must upgrade the cognos controller client. But if you only install a Interim fix then the client installed can be used without upgrading.

Any fixes that are in the client side, like help – content issues, will not be solved.

Recommendation is to always upgrade the cognos controller client too.

Before installation we had in the client this version:

after installation we had this in cognos controller client – help – system info:

The client looks like it is working, but not any bugfixes that are in the Cognos Controller client code is not part of the solution.

Supported is to have both cognos controller client and cognos controller server at the same version.

You can check the version of cognos installed in the cmplst.txt file, often found in folder D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64

CONTRL_UPDATE_version=CCR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.1111-0
CONTRL_UPDATE_name=IBM Cognos Controller Update
[Main Applications]

When doing a upgrade of cognos controller to a interimfix it is important that you;

Note down cognos controller configuration for report server URL.

Specifically, stop the following Windows services:

• IBM Cognos
• IBM Cognos Controller Batch Service
• IBM Cognos Controller Consolidation
• IBM Cognos Controller Java Proxy
• IBM Cognos Controller Reports
• IBM Cognos Controller Web
• IBM Cognos Controller Web Spreadsheet Service
• IBM Cognos Controller Web UI
• IBM Cognos FAP Service
• WWW service

Stop COM+ object for Cognos Controller.

Backup the controller web folder

D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb and D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\frontend

Check that no JAVA processes is running, before you start the upgrade.

After upgrade, Cognos Controller Web need to be reconfigured.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-upgrade-controller-1042x-later-interim-fix-if-fix-pack-patch-level

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-cognos-controller-builds-ccr-name-and-database-version

Currently Supported Versions of Controller (incl. Interim Fixes):

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/download-ibm-cognos-controller-1042-if17

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-installupgrade-controller-serverclient

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

Product:

Cognos Controller 10.4.2

Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:

At new installation, i after selection of database, in cognos controller client, are then stuck.

No more information.

Solution:

The cognos controller client uses port 80 to talk to the cognos controller server, but after the selection of database, it will if SSO is active, connect to Cognos BI to validate the user.

This happens on the port listed in Cognos Controller Configuration as Report Server.

If this is port 9300, then port 9300 need to be open in firewall between server and client. This is not the normal case.

You should instead change the Cognos Controller Configuration for Report server to use port 80.

Wrong line at report server:

http://caservername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp

Correct line at report server:

http://caservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/controller-logon-window-does-not-appear-or-webpage-cannot-be-found-appears-after-selecting-database-caused-incorrect-report-server-settings

Product:

Cognos Controller Web 10.4.2

Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:

Controller Web does not work.

When you check the log file in folder D:\Program\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.web\logs you see text like

2022-04-11 15:47:15 | | ERROR | [com.ibm.cognos.fcm.wmc.ccrws.DefaultCcrClientFactoryInitializer] CCR WS API not initialized yet [error=2 counts of InaccessibleWSDLException.
]. Retrying in 1000 ms…

Solution:

Go to folder D:\Program\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.web

Open file com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties in notepad++

Ensure that the ccrwsUrl=http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver/ccrws.asmx points to the correct server.

More Information:

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

Product:

Cognos Controller 10.4.2
LICENSE_CONTROLLER_version=LICENSE_CONTROLLER-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.2-0
CONTRL_UPDATE_version=CCR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.1098-0

Microsoft Windows 2016 Server

Microsoft  SQL server 2019

Issue:

After change in Windows Server for SQL database, to not allow TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 protocol the Cognos Controller and FAP program can not connect to the SQL database. You have not enabled HTTPS in Cognos Configuration, therefor Cognos is not using SSL to the clients.

Cognos Analytics who uses the SQLJDBC42.JAR driver, works fine.

Error message:

TM1.SQLAPI   08001[Microsoft][ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server]SSL Provider: An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host.

TM1.SQLAPI   E16) Cannot connect to ODBC data source “ControllerDatabase”  08001[Microsoft][ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server]SSL Provider: An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host.

Above error when you test the UDL connection to the SQL server.

Above error when you try to login to Cognos Controller.

Could not connect to database. Database CTRL blacklisted. It will be considered again in 20 minutes.
Client unable to establish connection
TCP Provider: An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host.

Solution:

Upgrade the SQLNCLI.MSI program to a later version.

Download a new SQL 2012 driver from Microsoft and install that in your Controller Windows server.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50402

Also install same SQLNCLI.MSI driver on your TM1 server where you have the FAP service running.

Above is the working driver, you should download from Microsoft. Driver version 11.4.7001.0 is correct.

Go to the Control Panel on your Cognos Controller computer and check installed version of SQL 2012.

Above is the working version of SQL 2012 driver, if you not have it – you must install it for Cognos Controller.

Above drivers does not work when you have turned off TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1, to the SQL server.

When you install the new SQL client, you need to stop IBM Cognos Controller Batch Service and IBM Cognos FAP Service. Otherwise you will be reminded as below.

More Information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/sqlncli111-provider-not-registered-local-machine-when-testing-database-connection

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/28268/sql-native-client-110-support.html

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ssl-provider-error-0-existing-connection-was-forcibly-closed-remote-host-error-when-launching-controller-client

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/identity/apps-forcibly-closed-tls-connection-errors

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-configure-force-controller-use-tls-12

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-enable-ssl-https-cognos-controller

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-configure-controller-use-tls-formerly-ssl-connect-microsoft-sql-database-transit-database-encryption

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2

Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:

How upgrade Cognos Controller to 10.4.2 IF15?

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6528580    (new version 10.4.2 IF16)

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6526468

Suggested solution:

Download the file up_cntrl_winx64h_10.4.2000.1098_ml.tar.gz

IBM Cognos Controller 10.4.2 Interim Fix 15, requires that IBM Cognos Controller 10.4.2 is installed.
If you not have 10.4.2, you need to install that first. https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-installupgrade-controller-serverclient

Follow IBM instructions https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6526240 or

1. Change to the directory where you have downloaded the interim fix.
   
2. Decompress the .tar.gz file. If you are using WinZip®, select the option “use folder names”.
3. Stop Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager (the Default Web Site).
   
4. Shut down the IBM Cognos Controller Consolidation COM+ application through Component Services.
   
5. Stop the following services through the Services Manager.
   
6. Check that you have a back up of the cognos content store and controller database.
7. If your IBM Cognos Controller environment is customized, back up the entire IBM Cognos Controller location.
8. Go to the location where you downloaded and extracted the files.
9. Go to the win64h directory and double-click the issetup.exe file.
   
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. Open IBM Cognos Configuration, save the configuration, and then start the IBM Cognos service.
17. Open Controller Configuration, and check that the values are there, special for Server Authentication and Client Distribution Server Configuration.
    
18. If you have a distributed environment, repeat these steps for all remaining IBM Cognos Controller servers.
19. Start the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager (the Default Web Site).
20. Reboot your windows server.

When you check in Cognos Controller client under help – system information – you see the version number there. Cognos Controller Version depend on the client you have installed.

In the transfer log you can find lines like this:

Condition “File “d:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.reports\apps\fcm.reports-rest.war\WEB-INF\lib\log4j-api-2.5.jar” exists” evaluated to true.

Successfully deleted file “d:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.reports\apps\fcm.reports-rest.war\WEB-INF\lib\log4j-api-2.5.jar”.

Condition “File “d:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.reports\apps\fcm.reports-rest.war\WEB-INF\lib\log4j-core-2.5.jar” exists” evaluated to true.

Successfully deleted file “d:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.reports\apps\fcm.reports-rest.war\WEB-INF\lib\log4j-core-2.5.jar”.

The update replace the jar file to later version.

If you upgrade from a version older than 10.4.2, you need to reinstall your cognos controller client to a new version on all users laptops.

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

This version also contain other corrections, here is Controller fix list;

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-cognos-controller-104x-fix-list

More information:

If you have CA11 installed, that also need to be upgraded.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6526474

Workarounds and Mitigations

IBM is developing a “non-upgrade” option for “On Prem” Cognos Analytics customers that will patch the system and allow customers to remain on their current applicable version.  Cognos Controller customer have to upgrade to latest version, or patch the faulty jar files themselves. But IBM is developing a “no-upgrade” option for “On Prem” customers that will patch the system and allow customers to remain on their current applicable version. Check IBM page https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6528580

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Issue:
After a windows patch, no one can login to cognos controller.

Error:

An error occurred while trying to access server…

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array….

Solution:

Login to Windows server where CA11 and Cognos Controller IIS are.

Check if you can login to Cognos Controller, after above restart of www service.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-controller/10.4.2?topic=controller-error-occurred-while-trying-access-server

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Issue:
Working in a excel file with fgetval formulas, but even do – i is logged into Cognos Controller, the cell show “You have not logged in”.

Solution:

Check if it will update the values if you press F9.

Otherwise check your formulas carefully in your spreadsheet, as if they are wrong you will get this error.

If it is only one spreadsheet that does not work, it is probably a misspelled formula in that sheet.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-controller/10.4.2?topic=excel-cognos-controller-functions-in-microsoft

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:
When login to Cognos Controller, you get a error, after you select the database. This is a multi-server setup with load balanced Controller and CA11 servers. SSO with Active Directory is used.

Error message:

or

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Cognos.Controller.Common.CRNBridge.CRNBridge.ValidateUser(String passportId, String[]& membership, String sGuid, String sUser, String& sErrorMessage)….

System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebServiceHandler.CoreProcessRequest()
— End of inner exception stack trace —
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(SoapClientMessage message, WebResponse response, Stream responseStream, Boolean asyncCall)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodName, Object[] parameters)
at CCRRemoteServerProxy.Proxy.Light.WSLight.UserManager_GetCurrentUsers(String sGuid, String sUser)
at FrUserManagerB.RemoteUserManager.GetCurrentUsers…..

or

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.ControllerReportNetService.RepNet.GetUserInfo(String sGuid, String sUser, String passportId)
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.CCRWS.GetUserInfo(String sGuid, String sUser, String passportId)
— End of inner exception stack trace —
at Cognos.Controller.Forms.Common.Main.DoLoginCognos8(Form& frm)
at CCR.AppContext.DoLogin()
at CCR.AppContext.Login()

Suggested Solution:

Check that the Cognos Gateway point to the correct Cognos Dispatcher or correct port in the IIS setup.

Start Internet Information Services (IIS) manager on the Cognos Gateway server.

Click on the Server name and double-click the Configuration Editor icon.

Expand the drop-down list and select webFarms.

Mark Collection and click on the ellipses.

Click on the webFarm element and then the ellipses.

Select the server you want to check, expand the applicationRequestRouting, and see the port number.

Edit the number, if it is wrong.  Check the other servers in the list.
Close the dialog.

Close the collection editor dialog to.

Click Apply in the Configuration Editor.

Close IIS manager.

You can also check the values in applicationHost.config file, under C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\Config folder.

Open the file in Notepad++

The lines for webfarms is at the end of the file.

How the communication probably works;

Check that the ccr.exe.config files WSSURL value point to a Cognos Controller server that is up;

<add key=”WSSUrl” value=”http://controllerservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver”/>

On that server; Ensure that Cognos Controller Configuration points to a report server gateway that is up;

http://caservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp

On that server; ensure that Cognos Analytics Configuration Dispatchers URI for gateway point to a CA dispatcher (report) server that is up;

http://caservername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp

But also check the IIS server farm, that they point to CA servers that is up and that they use the correct port:9300

The CA11 server cognos configuration, will use the Content Manager URI, to validate that you can login;

http://caservername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet

But also check that the IIS site /ibmcognos/sso have Windows Authentication enabled.

If the IBM Cognos service is not running, then the IIS Server Farm will classify it as unhealthy.

If the dispatcher server is unhealthy, then the CA gateway will not send the request there, and it will time out.

Check that the Windows firewall will allow port 8173 for the IIS communication and port 9300 for Cognos communication.

More information:

https://www.thebestcsharpprogrammerintheworld.com/2014/01/17/configuring-application-request-routing-arr-to-use-a-port-other-than-port-80/

https://serverfault.com/questions/132081/load-balancing-with-arr-iis-on-ports-other-than-80

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/request-failed-http-status-503-service-unavailable-when-launching-controller

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/invalid-login-response-error-when-accessing-cognos-analytics-sso

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/enabling-single-sign-cognos-secured-against-active-directory

https://docuri.com/download/the-active-directory-story_59c1d487f581710b2865bb0f_pdf

In the cognosserver.log file you can see error like this:

ERROR com.ibm.bi.platform.commons.web.BIResponseWrapper [Default Executor-thread-72] NA bi HttpServletResponseCode for /bi/v1/ping is in error: 503

Browse to   http://caservername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet   to check if the content manager is running.