Verastream Host Integrator 7.1 Service Packs 1 and 2 - Features, Fixes, and Release Notes

Verastream Host Integrator (VHI) 7.1 Service Pack 2 (SP2, version 7.1.2026) released in March 2012, and SP1 (version 7.1.1142) released in October 2011. This technical note describes product enhancements and fixes. If you are using a previous version, we recommend that you review this information before upgrading.

Note: For information about features in Verastream Host Integrator 7.5, see KB 7021251.

What's New in 7.1 SP2?

This release includes the previous SP1 features and fixes, plus the following additional updates:

Web Builder Updates

• Multiple improvements for Web Builder-generated "rejuvenation" applications that display host terminal screens (Project Properties > Screens > Unrecognized or Recognized screens > Display: Terminal):
  • Web Builder has simplified Aid Key Settings (Enable or Disable). In previous versions, the options were "Always show aid keys," "Always hide aid keys," and (for Recognized Screens) "Hide aid keys when operations are available."
  • When the aid keys are enabled in Web Builder, the generated web pages have more flexibility for users and do not display the aid key buttons by default. The web page Actions menu contains a Show Aid Keys or Hide Aid Keys link. When navigating across screens in the host application, this state is remembered for the session. (In previous versions, the on-screen aid key buttons were always displayed when aid key mapping was enabled.)
  • When the aid keys are enabled in Web Builder, in the resulting generated web application pages, it is easier for the user to send an Enter aid key to the host application:

• If the web page aid key buttons are displayed, you can hover the mouse pointer over the buttons to display tool tips for the current keyboard mappings. For more information about how the web application Javascript maps keystrokes to the host terminal keys, see http://docs2.attachmate.com/verastream/vhi/7.1sp2/en/topic/com.attachmate.vhi.webbuilder.help/html/reference/wb_keyboard_mapping.xhtml.
• .NET web applications generated by Web Builder no longer have a runtime error when the model contains multiple tables with the same procedure name. In previous versions, this situation would cause an unhandled exception in Controller.aspx:

Administrative Console Improvements

• Improved performance when Administrative Console is connecting to management server over a VPN or low-bandwidth network link. After entering credentials, the Administrative Console user interface is available more quickly. If loading the management server data takes longer than 0.8 sec, a progress dialog is displayed. In versions 7.0 through 7.1.1142, loading the management server data after connecting could cause Administrative Console to go into an unresponsive state.
• In Administrative Console, in session server and pool properties, the "Create pooled sessions concurrently" option has been removed. To achieve the same functionality as disabling this option (version 6.x behavior), set "Max pending sessions" to 1 (although higher values are recommended for optimal performance). In versions 7.0 through 7.1.1142, after disabling the check box option, it would later display as re-enabled.
• Administrative Console properly closes, exits, or disconnects when a Session Monitor view is open (displaying host screens). In previous versions, this situation may cause the Administrative Console application to become unresponsive (Windows task “not responding”).
• In Administrative Console, usability is improved if incorrect administrative credentials are entered. In versions 7.0 through 7.1.1142, if incorrect credentials were entered, the dialog would close and re-display with blanked out fields, so the user name had to be re-entered.
• In Administrative Console, there are no longer sessions displayed with the status Uninitialized. In versions 7.0 through 7.1.1142, under certain timing scenarios, uninitialized sessions may display and cannot be terminated. (Typical normal status values are Idle, Active, Rogue, or Suspended. Also, when idle sessions are created, they may briefly display Not Connected before connecting to the host.)
• Both Administrative Console and Design Tool Deployment Options disallow the same non-alphanumeric characters in pool names, such as hyphen and dot. In previous versions, these components behaved inconsistently.
• If a model package with pool(s) is undeployed, it will no longer cause a NullPointerException in Administrative Console. In previous versions, if the deactivatemodel command is run while a session server view is open in Administrative Console, it causes a console error such as the following:

Security and Other Updates

• The JDK installed with VHI is updated to version 1.6.0_29, which includes Java security vulnerability fixes. For more information, see https://support.microfocus.com/security/.
• Session Server and Log Manager services can no longer be stopped by non-privileged users. For information on manually stopping services, see KB 7021352.
• If an event handler scripting manager engine fails to start, the error 4300 message specifically states whether it is the Java or .NET engine. For more information about this error, see KB 7021334.
• Management Server service successfully starts on Windows systems configured for Turkish locale (1055) in Control Panel. In versions 7.0 through 7.1.1142, the Management Server fails to start and the installation log file (%TMP%\atm*.log) contains the following errors:

• In the installed jconsole.bat (Windows) and jconsole.sh (UNIX/Linux) script files, the CLASSPATH has been corrected. These undocumented scripts are used to run the JConsole application and access the management server via JMX.
• Attachmate's use of updated development tools effected other internal product changes.

What's New in 7.1 SP1?

Service Pack 1 includes the following key features and product updates:

Key Features

• Web services configuration enhancements:
  • In Administrative Console, you can easily configure web services options (see graphic below). In versions 7.0 through 7.1.221, these items were configured in a service-ctx.xml file as described in KB 7021550.

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• Many of the above settings can also be overridden on a model- or pool-specific basis.
• Above settings will be retained after installing future upgrades or hotfixes. (Some settings are not automatically retained when upgrading from previous versions; refer to the appropriate upgrading information in Installing Your Product Update below.)
• Model deployment descriptor XML files support web services configuration in a new ws-config node. For more information, see http://docs2.attachmate.com/verastream/vhi/7.1sp1/en/topic/com.attachmate.vhi.help/html/reference/deploy_descriptor.xhtml.
• The web services default method timeout has been increased to 60 seconds (60000 milliseconds). This value represents the maximum wait time for table procedure results data to be returned. Higher values are needed if the session server needs to navigate a large number of host application screens or there is high network latency. The web services method timeout was 30 seconds in previous releases.
• Web services WSDLs are easier to find:
  • WSDL links are conveniently available in Administrative Console (in Server, Model, and Pool Properties > Web Services category).
  • To view the list of web service WSDLs, you can use a shorter URL http://sessionserver:9680 that will redirect. In versions 7.0 and 7.1.221, you had to use the longer URL http://sessionserver:9680/vhi-ws.
• Security improvements:
  • Multiple security vulnerability fixes. For more information, see https://support.microfocus.com/security/.
  • Expanded FIPS 140-2 SSL encryption support. Administrative Console and management server communications are automatically encrypted using components that comply with US Government standards (see KB 7021285). Note: Host communications must still be separately enabled for FIPS mode encryption as described in KB 7021544.
  • To enhance security, each session server instance generates a unique private key and certificate for SSL encrypted communication with connectors, if enabled. (Connector-to-session server encryption is enabled by calling the RequireSecureConnection API method before connecting, enabling the "Require secure connection" option in Web Builder Project Properties, or enabling security in Session Server Properties in Administrative Console.)
• IBM AIX support added. Server Kit version 7.1.221 was not available for this UNIX platform, but AIX support has been restored for version 7.1.1142. For more information about supported platforms and system requirements, see KB 7021532.

Design Tool Updates

• The Model Debug Messages dialog in Design Tool allows opening up to 50 .vmr files simultaneously. In versions 6.0 through 7.1.221, only 4 files could be open per Design Tool instance.
• Resolved an issue where Design Tool could terminate ungracefully when applying certain changes to Recordset Field Operations.
• In Design Tool Settings, if you have configured the 3270 Numeric Input Field Character Set option to "Numeric Characters Only" or "All Characters," field input is properly restricted when the model is deployed to a session server. In version 7.1.221 and earlier, the setting was not saved, so the default "Numeric and Uppercase Characters" was always used.

Administrative Console Updates

• If pool schedules are configured in Administrative Console, they are properly displayed in the pool properties for the appropriate session server only. In versions 7.0 through 7.1.221, the pool schedules could improperly display in other pool properties (if the same pool name was used on other session servers in the management cluster).
• Repeatedly refreshing Administrative Console (with F5 function key) no longer causes a significant session server performance impact. Multiple refresh requests are coalesced instead of queued up.

Installer Improvements

• On UNIX/Linux platforms, a licensed Server Kit can be installed over time-limited evaluation software. In version 7.1.221, on Linux and Solaris platforms, the installer displayed a message that the evaluation product must first be uninstalled.
• On Windows, when attempting a mixed kit installation, the error message is improved and displayed immediately. For more information, see KB 7021583.

Other Fixes

• When Session Server is started or exits ungracefully, its configuration is automatically backed up as a sesssrvr.config.backup file in the %VHI_ROOT%/etc directory. This file can be used to restore the previous configuration state (by renaming it to sesssrvr.config when the service is stopped).
• Improved authentication handling when management server is running on a Windows system with multiple network interfaces. In versions 7.0 and 7.1.221, errors could occur when authentication is required, such as:
  • When deploying models (with Design Tool, or running the activatemodel or deactivatemodel commands), the following errors may display:

• When Web Builder is retrieving model metadata.
• When a client attempts to connect to the session server, if Session Server Security has been enabled (as described in KB 7021567).
• Resolved errors that could occur when connecting to the host via Reflection for the Web Security Proxy Server. With version 7.1.221, when attempting to launch a configured Design Tool session from the Reflection for the Web Administrative WebStation Session Link List, the following errors may display:

Obtaining Your Product Update

Customers with a current maintenance plan are eligible to download Verastream Host Integrator 7.1 SP2 from the Attachmate Download Library at https://download.attachmate.com/Upgrades/.

For more information on using the Download Library, see KB 7021965.

Note: The product download is a full product "7.1+SP2" package that can be used for new installations or to upgrade existing installations.

Installing Your Product Update

For more information about installing the update on an existing installation, refer to the appropriate Technical Note:

• From version 7.x on Windows: 10121
• From version 6.x on Windows: 10095
• From version 7.1 on Linux or Solaris: 10129
• From version 7.0 on Linux, Solaris, or AIX: 10122
• From version 6.x on Linux, Solaris, or AIX: 10094

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