7.2 Configuring the Database for Configuration Storage

Configuration storage refers to stored configuration data in Operations Center as well as data used for version tracking. By default, the data store is an Object ODB that is embedded in Operations Center and installed with Operations Center. If there is an active database definition set up to use the Operations Center embedded database for Configuration Storage, the embedded database starts when the server starts.

However, configuring an external database for configuration storage is recommended. For more information on supported databases, see the Operations Center Getting Started Guide. Note that not all of the databases support the Version Tracking functionality. For more information, see the Operations Center Version Tracking Guide.

The following sections provide details on configuring the Configuration Storage database and enabling processes to perform maintenance on database entries:

7.2.1 Configuring the Database

The following databases require configurations in order to use them for configuration storage:

General Database Requirements

The following database requirements apply when configuring a database for configuration storage:

  • Verify you have set the proper log space requirements as advised by the appropriate database vendor.

  • Database must be case insensitive.

DB2

The database default bufferpool and table space size must be 8K or larger when using DB2 as the Configuration Storage database.

Be sure to create a user temporary tablespace and ensure that the proper access rights granted to the database user.

Oracle 10g

If using Oracle 10g as the database for Configuration Storage, set the database character set to the default value. The default character set is based on language settings from the operating system.

The following errors have occurred in the formula.trc file when using Oracle 10g with the character setting of Unicode (AL32UTF8).

WARN org.hibernate.util.JDBCExceptionReporter - SQL Error: 24813, SQLState: 99999

ERROR org.hibernate.util.JDBCExceptionReporter - ORA-24813: cannot send or receive an unsupported LOB

WARN Adapter.Meta.Graphics - Unable to load graphics setup

Oracle RAC

To configure Oracle RAC for Configuration Storage:

  1. Download and install the Oracle Instant Client.

  2. Copy the ojdbc6.jar file from the Oracle Instant Client installataion to your jre/lib/ext directory.

  3. Create a file named tnsnames.ora in the Oracle Instant Client installataion directory, then add the following entry to the file:

    racdb = (DESCRIPTION=

    (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=node1_ipAddress)(PORT=node1_portNumber))

    (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=node1_ipAddress)(PORT=node1_portNumber))

    (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=node2_ipAddress)(PORT=node2_portNumber))

    (LOAD_BALANCE=yes)

    (CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=rac_service_name)

    (FAILOVER_MODE=(TYPE=SELECT)(METHOD=BASIC)(RETRIES=180)(DELAY=5))))

  4. To allow the OCI dll files to be loaded, edit the system environment variables:

    • Add an entry for TNS_ADMIN with the value of drive:/OracleInstantClient_install_path

    • Edit the LIB and PATH variables to add drive:/OracleInstantClient_install_path to the beginning of both strings.

    Then, verify the changes to the system environment variables have been applied.

  5. Continue to Section 7.2.2, Specifying a Configuration Storage Database.

    Select Oracle Database Server (OCI/Native Drivers) as the configuration storage type to connect to RAC.

7.2.2 Specifying a Configuration Storage Database

The Configuration Storage database is not configured using a Database Definition, but through the Configuration Manager (in the Server pane) instead. For more detailed information about the Configuration Manger, see Updating Server Settings Using the Configuration Manager. Configuration Storage data can be shared among multiple Operations Center servers. For more information on configurations, see Section 8.0, Managing Configurations.

To specify a configuration storage database:

  1. Perform any steps necessary to configure the database. For instructions, see Section 7.2.1, Configuring the Database.

  2. Access the Configuration Manager.

    For information on launching the Configuration Manager, see Section 2.1, Accessing and Using Configuration Manager.

  3. On the Components tab of Configuration Manager, click NOC Server.

    Configuration Manager Dialog
  4. Do one of the following for the Configuration Storage:

    • Click Create to create a new Configuration Storage definition.

      The Create Configuration Storage dialog box opens.

    • Click Change to change the parameter for a Configuration Storage.

    • If you have multiple Configuration Storage data stores, click Set Default, then select one from the list.

  5. Enter a name for the new configuration in the Name field.

    Create Configuration Storage Dialog
  6. From the Configuration Storage Type list, select the database type.

    Properties fields display based on the type selected.

  7. Specify the required properties to connect to the database (properties vary depending on the database type selected):

    Server Name: The name of the database server.

    Port: The port number used by the database server to communicate with Operations Center. A default port is provided for each type of database.

    Domain: The domain to use for domain authentication with single sign on (used when defining a Microsoft SQL Server database with Domain Authentication).

    User Name: The User ID with administrator rights to access the database.

    If using Microsoft SQL Server with Domain Authentication, specify the username of the Windows user account, or leave blank (on Windows servers) to attempt to use the credentials of the currently active Windows user account.

    Password: The password for the user account entered above.

    If using Microsoft SQL Server with Domain Authentication, specify the password of the Windows user account, or leave blank (on Windows servers) to attempt to use the credentials of the currently active Windows user account.

    Database Name: Name of the database to be used as the Configuration Storage data store.

    Additional JDBC URL Parameters: (Optional) Additional JDBC URL property values for Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft SQL Server (Domain Authentication) databases. Prefix each parameter entry with a semi-colon, such as:

    ;parameter1=value1;parameter2=value2

    For example,

    ;progName=NOC;domain=mosol

    SID: The System ID for an Oracle database.

    Service Name: The service name for an Oracle RAC database.

    Track Configuration History: Enables Version Tracking. For more information on configuring Version Tracking, see Operations Center Version Tracking Guide.

    Retention Days: The number of days to retain version tracking data. For more information on configuring Version Tracking, see Operations Center Version Tracking Guide.

  8. Leave None in the Cluster drop-down unless the Operations Center server is part of a clustered environment. For information and requirements about configurations in a clustered environment, see Implementing a High Availability Solution in the Operations Center Server Installation Guide.

  9. Click OK.

7.2.3 Configuring Maintenance Options for the Configuration Storage Database

A clean up process can be enabled that performs a maintenance clean up on Configation Storage database entries when the Operations Center server starts. Running the clean up process removes entries for elements under root=Elements that do not have relationships, attributes, or children.

In order for the clean up process to successfully run:

To enable ConfigStore clean up:

  1. Open the /OperationsCenter_install_path/config/Formula.custom.properties file (or create one if you do not already have it) to add or edit the following properties:

    • Server.cleanConfigEntries.atServerStart Set to true to start the clean up of configuration entries when the server starts.

    • Server.cleanConfigEntries.maxTraverseDepth Specify the maximum number of levels to traverse for elements under root=Elements. Set to 0 to not impose any limit.

    • Server.cleanConfigEntries.maxTraverseEntries Specify the maximum number of entries to traverse for elements under root=Elements. Set to 0 to not impose any limit.

    • Server.cleanConfigEntries.maxRemoveEntries Specify the maximum number of qualifying entries to remove for elements under root=Elements. Set to 0 to not impose any limit.

    Note that these properties can be copied from the /OperationsCenter_install_path/config/formula.properties into the Formula.custom.properties files, then uncommented and customized.

    For more information about using the Formula.custom.properties file to customize configuration options, see Section 2.4, Making Custom Changes.

  2. Stop and restart the Operations Center server for the changes to take effect.