Configure Cognos Components to Run Within the Application Server 

Cognos 8 must be configured with the application server configuration information, and the configuration must be saved to create new cryptographic keys. Cognos Configuration uses the JVM that is defined by the JAVA_HOME environment variable.

Important: You must set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to the JVM supplied or used by the application server and then copy the security provider files before you run Cognos Configuration to ensure valid encryption keys are generated.

Steps

1. From the c8_location/bin directory, start Cognos Configuration:

   • On Windows, type cogconfig.bat in a command window or select Cognos Configuration from the Start menu.

   • On UNIX or Linux, type cogconfig.sh

   If you have existing incompatible encryption keys, you will be prompted to automatically generate new ones at this time.

   Tip: Ensure that the existing keys are backed up to a secure location before proceeding. There is no undo action available after you generate new keys.

2. Use the Build Application Wizard to create the application file that will be deployed to the application server. To launch the Build Application Wizard from Cognos Configuration under Actions, click Build Application Files. The wizard allows you to select the type of application to build and the context root used to access the application.

   You must build the application file on the same computer on which you will be deploying the file.

   The context root value entered in the wizard must be the same as is entered in the Environment tab, and used to deploy to the application server. For Cognos 8, the default context root and application directory name is p2pd, which can be used in most cases. For the Cognos Servlet Gateway, the default context root and application directory name is ServletGateway. Other default application deployment values, such as the application name, may be changed to better suit your environment.

   Tip: It is not necessary to rebuild or redeploy the archive file when you make configuration changes because configuration information is stored externally to the application.

   For WebLogic and JBoss, you can use the Build Application wizard in Cognos Configuration to build the application to an expanded directory.

   For example, for WebLogic, you put the application in C:\bea\user_projects\domains\apps\p2pd, where p2pd is the name of the application. When deploying the application from the WebLogic Administration Console, you would select the p2pd directory.

   Important: For JBoss, if you use the Expand files into a folder option, you must include the .war extension in the name of the folder where the wizard will create the p2pd application. When the wizard prompts for the folder location, go to JBoss_location/server/instance_name/deploy and create a folder named p2pd.war.

   For information about which type of application file, WAR, EAR or expanded directory, is supported in your environment, see your application server documentation.

3. In the Explorer window of Cognos Configuration, expand Environment and then change the following properties to use the port number and host name or IP address of the server where the Cognos 8 component and application server are installed.

   • All URIs for the dispatcher, including

     Dispatcher URIs for Gateway

     External dispatcher URI

     Internal dispatcher URI

     Dispatcher URI for external applications

   • Gateway URI
   • Content Manager URIs

   The application server must be configured to listen on the host name or IP address entered in the URI. For more information, see your application server documentation.

   If you change the context root from the default value of p2pd, you must change the context root portion of the URI as well.

4. Under Environment, Cognos 8 service, right-click Cognos 8, and then click Delete.

   The entry for the Cognos 8 service is used to configure environment settings for running under Tomcat. The entry is not required when using a different application server.

5. Complete other required configuration changes such as

   • specifying properties for the Content Manager database

   • entering user IDs and passwords

   If you used the default settings for the Cognos installation, you may only have to make minor changes to the default configuration settings . You can review the configuration for single computer installations or for distributed installations to determine if there are any additional changes required.

6. Save the configuration.

   New cryptographic keys are created using the JVM that is defined by the JAVA_HOME variable.

7. Close Cognos Configuration.