Installation and using of Cognos BigFix and ILMT – tips, bugs and features

In these article I would like to disclose some extra information about installation and work of Cognos BigFix and ILMT systems.

Problem with obtaining evaluation license key

While installing of BigFix Server you can encounter some problem with obtaining the key from IBM with error related to timeout: "Unable to submit license request HTTP: Error 28: Timeout was reached". I did not find straight way to fix it, but after a lot of tries I see success page.

How to install ILMT

1. Follow instructions on https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS8JFY_9.2.0/com.ibm.lmt.doc/Inventory/planinconf/t_enabling_fixlet_internet_win.html
   1. Open BigFix Console, on the left bottom corner click BigFix Management
   2. Choose License Overview in left top window
   3. Read and accept license
   4. Find "IBM License Reporting" in list and click "Enable"
2. Then follow this instruction: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SS8JFY_9.2.0/com.ibm.lmt.doc/Inventory/planinconf/t_installing_server_interactive_win.html
   • If you don't see needed task in "IBM License Reporting (ILMT)" group – click "Refresh Console"
   • Wait until BigFix downloades ILMT. You can view status on the summary tab of the task

1. When task finish executing you will find file In folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\BigFix Enterprise\BES Installers\ILMT_installer" find zip file, unarchive it and execute "setup-server-windows-x86_64.bat" with Admin rights;
2. When installation completes, choose "Open browser and complete installation", follow installation steps.

Setup ILMT

• Create new user in SQL server with sysadmin rights.

• If you create new user that will connect to MSSQL, then check whevever auth with login and password is permitted in MS SQL Server. You can check this by connecting to MS Server with new login. If you see such error, you need to fix it.

  A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred
  during the login process. (provider: Shared Memory Provider, error: 0 - No process is
  on the other end of the pipe.)
  
  (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 233) 
  

  Do following:

  To solve this, connect to SQL Management Studio using Windows Authentication, then right-click on server node → "Properties" → "Security" and enable SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode.

On the next step specify databases users (by default this will look like this, only change SQL user name.

How to install client of BigFix

1. Copy folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\BigFix Enterprise\BES Installers\Client" from machine where BigFix server is installed to client (not only setup.exe, but also actionsite.afxm file)
2. Execute "setup.exe" to install BigFix client on client machine;
3. After some time (1-5 minutes), you will see new machine in BigFix Console.

How to execute machine scanner for ILMT

1. Open "Systems Lifecycle" in BigFix Console
2. Execute these fixlets (to execute find them in "Fixlets and Tasks" list, choose one, press Take action and then OK). List of fixlets to complete machine scanning:

• Install or Update Scanner (ошибка на этом этапе в Windows 2008 R2)
• Initiate Software Scan
• Upload Software Scan Results
• Run Capacity Scan and Upload Results

Find new machine in IBM License Metric Tool page

1. Go to "IBM License Metric Tool" page (https://[name of machine]:9081/)
2. Open "Management" → "Data Imports"
3. Press "Import Now".

Add information about VMs to make calculations of PVUs more accurate

1. Go to "IBM License Metric Tool" page (https://[name of machine]:9081/)
2. Open "Management" → "VM Managers"
3. Add information about VM
4. Give BigFix time to gather information about VMs to update reports (in my work information updates after 12 AM of the next day).