Novell® Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1Readme

September 01, 2009

The information in this Readme pertains to Novell® Sentinel™ 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1.

1.0 Product Overview

Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment is a new packaging option for the Novell market-leading Sentinel Security Information and Event Management solution. Ideal for smaller organizations or regional installations, Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment provides full Sentinel functionality in a single-box package based on SUSE® Linux. Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment uses PostgreSQL* for the database, ActiveMQ* for messaging, and JasperReports* for reporting.

The key features of Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment are as follows:

1.1 Embedded Database

The major difference between Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment and previous versions of Sentinel is the introduction of an embedded Sentinel database, based on the open source PostgreSQL database engine. The new database is installed and configured automatically during the Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment installation, without the necessity of managing an external database. If you prefer to leverage an existing database investment, continue using the existing Sentinel 6.1 product.

1.2 Reporting Console

Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment introduces a new, streamlined reporting system to replace Crystal Reports*. This new reporting system is an integral part of Sentinel and allows you to easily run predefined reports or custom reports developed by using the JasperReports open source reporting engine.

1.3 Streamlined Installation

In Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment, installation is fast and easy with the single machine installer.You just need to provide a Sentinel password, a database password, and an optional set of credentials for the Sentinel Advisor service. The embedded database, reporting engine, and Web console are all included in the package and are installed and configured automatically, allowing you to deploy and begin using the product very quickly and with a minimum amount of effort.

1.4 Full Text Search

A new Web-based search tool allows users to quickly search for strings and patterns within the Sentinel event database. Users can search for text in a specific Sentinel event field, or across all fields. Data within the search results is hyperlinked to narrow the search results with a single click.

1.5 Web-Based Application Launch and Installation

The Web console used for Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment reporting and full text search also includes the option to launch or install the Sentinel client applications. You can now launch the Sentinel Control Center, Sentinel Solution Designer, and Sentinel Data Manager from a Web browser without the need to install these client applications locally. The Web console also includes the option to install the client applications and the Sentinel Collector Manager without the need to manually retrieve the installation package. Ensure that you have JRE* 1.6 installed on your machine so you can use a Web-based application launch.

2.0 What’s New in Hotfix 1

3.0 Installing Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1

3.1 Prerequisites

Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment is installed on a supported platform.

IMPORTANT:

  • The Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment hotfix 1 does not automatically update the Collector Manager installer or the Client installer package that you can download from the Sentinel Rapid Deployment Web server. Therefore, regardless of whether you have installed a Collector Manager or Client application before or after applying the hotfix on the Sentinel Rapid Deployment server, you must apply the hotfix on all the machines where Collector Manager or Client Applications, or both, are running.

  • Do not install Collector Manager or Client application on the same machine where hotfix 1 is already applied to either of the applications. Instead, install both the applications and then apply hotfix 1 to both.

3.2 Server Installation

  1. Log into the Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment server as the novell user.

    The novell user is created during the Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment installation process and does not have a password by default. Therefore, you can set a password in order to log in as this user, or you can run the following command to change user to novell if you are logged in as root:

    su - novell
    
  2. Download or copy the installer package to a temporary directory.

    NOTE:Ensure that the novell user has the complete rights to the downloaded installer zip file. If you download the installer to the Desktop as root, you cannot run it after changing the ownership to the novell user because /root/Desktop directory is not accessible to any user other than root.

  3. Unzip the installer package.

    unzip sentinelRD_6.1.0.1_01.zip
    
  4. Go to the unzipped directory:

    cd sentinelRD_6.1.0.1_01
    
  5. Run the hotfix installer and follow the on-screen instructions:

    ./service_pack.sh
    

3.3 Client Installation

3.3.1 Linux

  1. Log in as the root user to the machine, where Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Client applications are running.

  2. Download or copy the installer package to a temporary directory.

  3. Unzip the installer package.

    unzip sentinelRD_6.1.0.1_01.zip
    
  4. Go to the unzipped directory:

    cd sentinelRD_6.1.0.01
    
  5. Run the hotfix installer and follow the following instructions:

    ./patch_clients.sh
    

3.3.2 Windows

  1. Log in as the admin user to the machine, where Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Client applications are running.

  2. Download or copy the installer package to a temporary directory.

  3. Unzip the installer package.

  4. In the unzipped directory, go to the installation directory.

  5. From a command prompt, run the patch_clients.bat file and follow the on-screen instructions.

3.4 Collector Manager Installation

3.4.1 Linux

  1. Log in as the root user to the machine, where Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Collector Manager is running.

  2. Download or copy the installer package to a temporary directory.

  3. Unzip the installer package.

    unzip sentinelRD_6.1.0.1_01.zip
    
  4. Go to the unzipped directory:

    cd sentinelRD_6.1.0.01
    
  5. Run the hotfix installer and follow the following instructions:

    ./patch_clients.sh
    

3.4.2 Windows

  1. Log in as the admin user to the machine, where Novell Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Collector Manager is running.

  2. Download or copy the installer package to a temporary directory.

  3. Unzip the installer package.

  4. In the unzipped directory, go to the installation directory.

  5. From a command prompt, run the patch_clients.bat file and follow the on-screen instructions.

4.0 Defects Fixed in Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1

This section describes the defects that are fixed in the Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1 release. The Defects column lists the defect numbers as seen in Bugzilla. The Description column lists the description as mentioned by the reporter of the defect.

Table 1 Bugs Fixed in Sentinel 6.1 RD Hotfix 1

Defects

Description

504678

Event insertion errors are now fixed and events are successfully stored in the database.

522565

The Solution Pack framework now supports Solution Packs that contain unsupported content.

531972

The Vulnerability tag is not deleted from the Event Configuration window when uninstalling a Solution Pack that contains the Vulnerability tag.

531971

An exception error no longer appears when uninstalling a control whose namespace is deleted manually.

531010

The content installer does not install a plug-in if it is not supported by its platform.

534350

The IsNull operator works as expected on filters.

534353

Attachments with short filenames (fewer than 3 characters) can be viewed in the Solution Manager.

531974

Solution Packs that are saved from the Solution Designer can now be imported successfully.

534447

Exceptions that were being logged in the control center log file while installing a Solution Pack created in the Solution Designer are now fixed.

5.0 Known Issues

This section describes known issues for the Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment server, Collector Manager, and the client applications.

5.1 Known Issues Found in Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1

5.1.1 Solution Packs on the Sentinel Content Page May Not Work with the Sentinel Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1

The solution packs that are released before August 2009, which are available on the Sentinel Content Page, might not work as expected while installing on Sentinel Rapid Deployment. The Solution Manager tries to install the Crystal Reports-based reports in the solution pack though Crystal Reports are not supported in Sentinel Rapid Deployment.

The workaround is to open the solution pack in the Solution Designer and save that as a new solution pack. The new solution pack is repaired and works as expected on the Sentinel Rapid Deployment platform. You can now continue to install the new solution pack.

5.2 Known Issues Found in Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment

5.2.1 Unable to Log In to SCC, SDM, and Web Interface When the Database Is Full

When the disk space allocated is full and when the system attempts to drop the old partitions, you cannot log in to the SCC, the SDM, and to the Web interface. For more information, see Managing Disk Space Allocation.

5.2.2 Solution Designer Cannot Be Launched Through Web Start in Offline Mode

You cannot launch Solution Designer by using Web Start when the Sentinel server is down because the Tomcat Web server is also down, and you cannot open the Applications page of the Web interface.

To run the Solution Designer in offline mode, do either of the following:

  • Run the solution_designer.sh script from the server's <Install_Directory>/bin directory to launch the Solution Designer as a Client application.

  • Use the Solution Designer jar files.

    When Solution Designer is loaded for the first time with a Sentinel Server, the Solution Designer jar files are stored in the Java* Web Start cache on the local computer. Thereafter, you can run the Solution Designer in offline mode via Web Start:

    1. Start the Java Control Panel.

    2. Click View Temporary Internet Files to start the Java Cache Viewer.

    3. Locate Sentinel Solution Designer under Show Applications.

    4. Double-click Sentinel Solution Designer to start the application.

      IMPORTANT:Ensure that you choose Offline mode in the login screen.

5.2.3 Debugger Search Window Disappears

When you are debugging a JavaScript* Collector and you press Ctrl+F to search for a specific line in the Collector, a Search window opens at the far right of the screen. However, if you close this window, then attempt to search again, the Search window doesn’t appear again.

5.2.4 Right-Click Options for Server Processes Are Disabled in the Server’s View of the SCC

You cannot stop or restart the following processes by using the right-click options for Action > Stop or Action > Restart in the Servers > View of the Sentinel Control Center.

  • DAS_Core

  • Web Server

  • UNIX Communication Server

In addition, the right-click option Actions > Stop Processes stops all the process except the ones listed above.

This is working as designed. If you could use these options to stop the processes, all processes including DAS_Core are stopped, which also stops the proxied client. This stops the system, including communication between the server and the client, so the current health is not updated.

5.2.5 Giving the Wrong Port Number and Server Hostname Does Not Halt the Remote Collector Manager Installation

If you give a wrong port number and server hostname while installing the Collector Manager, the installation completes without giving any errors. However, when you log in to the Sentinel Control Center, you can see that the Collector Manager is not listed in the Servers View under the Admin tab. It indicates that the Collector Manager installation is failed.

To troubleshoot this issue, uninstall the Collector Manager, then install it again by using the correct port number and server hostname.

5.2.6 Events Show the Wrong Collector Script Version on Replacing the Legacy eDirectory Collector with the JS eDirectory Collector

After installing Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment, log in to the Web interface. Use the Application page to launch SCC and log in. In the Live view, create a collector node by using the legacy eDirectory™ Collector (Novell_eDirectory_6.1r2) that is bundled with build. Configure the audit Connector and Event Source with the eDirectory Legacy Collector and ensure that you are getting events in the Sentinel Active View.

Import an eDirectory JS Collector (Novell_eDirectory_6.1r3) and select the Update Deploy Plugin check box in the Import Plugin Wizard window. When you check the events details in the Active View that is parsed by the JS eDirectory collector, you can see that the Collector Script version is displayed as Novell eDirectory 6.1r2 instead of Novell_eDirectory_6.1r3.

5.2.7 Running the Send E-mail JS Script in the JS Action Debugger Throws an Exception in the Console

Launch the SCC by using the Web interface and set the Action Debugger to On. Create an action by using the Send Email JS plug-in. Create a right-click menu item, for example, Send_email_menu_item.

Right-click any event in the Active View, then select the menu item created to open the JS Action Debugger. When you debug the JS action, you get an error message Wrapped.java.mail.SendFailedException:Sending failed; in the Action Debugger followed by an exception thrown in the Java console.

5.2.8 Sentinel Control Center Launched Remotely or via Java WebStart on a Windows Machine Does Not Allow File Browsing

Use the following scenario to replicate the problem:

Launch SCC remotely or by using the Java Web Start on a Windows machine. Log in to the SCC, then launch the ESM Live view. Configure the File connector to any compatible Collector. Right-click the File Connector and select Add Event Source. In the File Event Source window, when you click Browse and try to open any folder in the file system by double-clicking it, the folder does not open.

Workaround: The issue is because of a bug in the Java Swing class JFileChooser from the Java version 1.6 update 4 (1.6.0_04) and later. Use the following workaround for this issue:

  1. Enter the full path of the file in the File path text field.

    For example, enter /var/opt/novell/file.log or c:\programs\file.log directly in the File path field.

5.2.9 Uninstallation Does Not Clean Up the Environment Variables

Install the Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Hotfix 1 patch for the Collector Manager or the Client applications, or for both. When you attempt to uninstall the Collector Manager or the Client applications, or both, the environment variables such as ESEC_VERSION are not completely removed by the installer.

Next time when you attempt to install either or both of these application on the same machine, installation is denied because the environment variables from the previous installation exist on the system.

The workaround is to manually remove the environment variables from the machine. For more information, refer to Post-Uninstallation Procedures in the Sentinel 6.1 Rapid Deployment Installation Guide.

6.0 Documentation

Sentinel technical documentation is broken down into several different volumes:

7.0 Documentation Conventions

In this documentation, a greater-than symbol (>) is used to separate actions within a step and items in a cross-reference path.

A trademark symbol (®, ™, etc.)denotes a Novell trademark; an asterisk (*) denotes a third-party trademark