E-CA Setting Up EMHUB for Manual File Deploy (Doc ID 1984098.

1)
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In this Document

Goal
Solution
References

Created from SR 3-10130244711[This section is not visible to customers.]

APPLIES TO:

PeopleSoft Enterprise PT PeopleTools - Version 8.54 and later

Information in this document applies to any platform.
*** reviewed for currency Aug 2016 ***

GOAL

Scenario 1

Please explain this error message given off from Change Assistant:  

Message - “Check 7: EMHUB enabled Targets. 

Warning - EMHUB unreachable - File Deploy Steps Will be Disabled”

The EM HUB is configured and running on a server that hosts the Target database application
server, web server, and process scheduler. 
What is missing with the setup or configuration?

Scenario 2

Or, said the opposite way:

We need to know how to configure Change Assistant to allow us to apply changes manually
without setting up the Environment Management Hub (for file deploy).

 
 

SOLUTION

Note that this message "File Deploy Steps Will be Disabled"  will not stop you from applying
maintenance or performing an upgrade. It only means that the files will need to be moved
manually to their destination servers.
Many customers who have received this error message, have continued with their maintenance
and just moved the files manually.  This way is much quicker than allowing Change Assistant to
do the file deploy and some sites prefer this. 

The file deploy is chosen, or not,  during the EM Hub configuration, in the Change Assistant
wizard:

If you wish to not setup the EM Hub for file deploy, and instead manually file deploy, simply do
not check the checkbox, see illustration above.

REFERENCES

E-CA Change Assistant File Deploy: Issues and Answers (Doc ID To

1304232.1) Bottom

In this Document
Purpose
Questions and Answers
References

APPLIES TO:

PeopleSoft Enterprise PT PeopleTools - Version 8.44 to 8.53 [Release 8.4]

PeopleSoft Enterprise PT PeopleTools - Version 8.54 to 8.54 [Release 8.4]
Information in this document applies to any platform.
***Checked for relevance December 2016 ***

PURPOSE

The Change Assistant will, as part of applying an UpdateId, Maintenance Pack, or in an Upgrade
will move delivered files to the various servers:  application server, batch server, web server, file
server.  
This solution documents problems with the process of File Deploy.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question:  Where does Change Assistant deploy the files, per file type code ?

Is there any document available where I can see where exactly to deploy (what folders in
PS_HOME) these
following file types?
File Type Code: MAINT
File Type Code: COBOL
File Type Code: CBL_UNIX
File Type Code: CBL_WIN32
File Type Code: CBL_MVS
File Type Code: WINWORD
File Type Code: SCRIPTS
File Type Code: CLASS
File Type Code: CLASSES
File Type Code: DOCUMENTATION
File Type Code: DATA

or can you at least point me which file types goes to where? The Change Assistant template does
not even show where it will be copied.

Answer:  There are 2 ways we may find out where the file types go to what location. 
1. In Change Assistant, after the files are deployed, right click on the file name and select 'View
Log' - this shows where the file is deployed to.
2. We may open up the upgrade project (eg. PRJ999999) in Application Designer, and do a
'Tools- Miscellaneous Definitions- File Type Codes' - the Paths for the various File Type Codes
are specified there.
This is outlined in PeopleBooks:     "Defining the File Type Code
Each file reference definition that you create for the project must be associated with a file type
code. The file type code stores generic information that is applicable to a group of files within
the same
target directory.
Access the file type code definition from Tools, Miscellaneous Definitions, File Type Codes.
To define the file type code for the file reference definition:
1. Click New to access the New File Type Code dialog box.
2. Enter a file type code and click OK.
The file type code can be up to 30 characters in length. This action opens the File Type Code
dialog box.
3. Enter the Path.
This notifies Change Assistant where the file belonging to this type code should be deployed.
The only supported environment variable at this time is %ps_home%.
4. Enter a description for the file type code.
This field is required in order to save the definition. 

In general, most of the file type codes go to the appropriate subfolders/directories with the
PS_HOME directory. Eg. for WINWORD, it would be PS_HOME\WINWORD.

The default is as follows (based on a project I looked at):

File Type Code: MAINT %ps_home%\maint 
File Type Code: COBOL %ps_home%\src\cbl\base
File Type Code: CBL_UNIX %ps_home%\src\cbl\unix
File Type Code: CBL_WIN32 %ps_home%\src\cbl\win32
File Type Code: CBL_MVS %ps_home%\src\cbl\mvs
File Type Code: WINWORD %ps_home%\winword
File Type Code: SCRIPTS %ps_home%\scripts
File Type Code: CLASS %ps_home%\class
File Type Code: CLASSES
File Type Code: DOCUMENTATION %ps_home%\documentation
File Type Code: DATA %ps_home%\data

Additional information is available from PeopleBooks:

Enterprise PeopleTools 8.49 PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Software Updates
section Automatically Deploying Files to Different Servers
Change Assistant can automatically deploy files in a change package to different servers within
an environment. If the job that is running while applying the change package includes a Deploy
Files chapter and contains tasks and steps, that indicates to Change Assistant to deploy the files
to the agents that are running in the environment.

While Change Assistant runs individual deploy file steps within the job, it will query the hub for
the location to deploy the file. The query is based on the PeopleSoft server, operating system,
and database platform. If the query returned from the hub matches what was defined for the file
reference in the change package, Change Assistant attempts to deploy the file to the agent
running on the host machine.

When the file is deployed, the step's log file lists the host name and the type of server that match
the file reference and the target path on the remote host.

If the Environment Management agent is not running at the time when Change Assistant is trying
to deploy the file, a warning message appears stating the inability to deploy the file. Other types
of problems that may occur, such as lack of disk storage space, will result in step failure.

Issue:  Change Assistant Error in File Deploy: Unable to deploy file

Change Assistant gives errors (below) when trying to deploy files. All of the agents are running
and can be seen as running from the hub URL.

Deploy File for EPINSDMO_DMS_881

Retrieving File Reference Data.
Retrieving File.
File Size: 1203 bytes
File Date: Fri Oct 15 09:51:52 CDT 2004
Contacting EM Hub.
Warning: Unable to deploy file to pst01 (PeerID: 31)
Detected the following servers installed that match the File Reference: Web Server
Trying to deploy epinsdmo.dms to /psfnp/app/psoft/fdmo882\scripts
The agent on pst01 may not be running.

Action:  The PeerID given above (31)  is very high.  It has been observed that a peerid over 15 is
potentially trouble with File Deploy.   In such a situation, it is recommended to perform the tasks
listed in the Change Assistant "clean up resolution" Doc ID  622874.1.  At that point it will be
possible to apply packages without this error.

Issue:   Change Assistant does not Deploy Files to the File Server.

Files are not being deployed to the File Server when Change Assistant is applying a Change
package, even though files were deployed to the File Server in the past.

Action:  Ensure that all agents are running. Start Change Assistant and select Tools and Apply
Change Packages. Go through the steps of applying the change package and creating the job.
During the creation of the job, it is important to ensure that the File Server is listed. If it is not
listed, the agent for the file server was not running when the job was created. Files will not be
deployed to the file server even if the agent is brought up during the deploy section of the patch. 

This only applies to the file server agent. All other server agents will work even if they are
started after the job is created.

Issue:  Change Assistant Hangs on File Deploy to Mapped Drive

Change Assistant hangs when deploying files. In viewing the log for this step you notice that
there are two slashes in the path. For example:

Deploying file to CA-WORKSTATION (PeerID: 3)

Detected the following servers installed that match the File Reference: File Server
Deploying bpbcdesc.sqc to j://sqr

Where is the j:// coming from? The double slash looks like the problem.

Answer:   In this instance J: is a mapped drive from the Change Assistant workstation to the file
server. The agent is running on the Change Assistant workstation and not on the file server.

The GCS does not recommend this particular configuration. This set up is prone to performance
and reliability issues.

SOLUTION 1 
(Recommended) Run the agent directly on the file server, rather than on the workstation.

OR

SOLUTION 2 
(Not recommended by GCS) Instead of mapping the drive to where it currently is mapped to,
map to 1 directory above so that the PSHOME is a subdirectory of the mapped drive. You will
also need to edit the StartAgent.bat and StopAgent.bat to account for directory changes.

OR

SOLUTION 3 
(Not supported by GCS) Create a subdirecory under the current mapped drive for the PSHOME
and move all the files and directories into it. You will need to delete any app server, batch server
and/or web server domains created on this PSHOME and recreate them. You will also need to
edit the StartAgent.bat and StopAgent.bat to account for directory changes.

GCS suggests you implement SOLUTION 1 

Mapped drives are problematic when running agents. There are performance issues and
reliability issues when running agents across the network on mapped drives. Typically when you
set up a PSHOME you would not set it up in the root of a drive which is what the agent is
interpreting how it is installed on the mapped drive.

The agent knows that the PSHOME is on Drive J: and in the '\' (root) directory according to the
mapped drive and it knows that the file needs to be deployed in the \SQR directory below the
PSHOME. So it strings this information together to come up with the location of where the file
needs to be deployed:
J:\\SQR.

If you had put the PSHOME in the '\PT849' directory for example it would string the information
together as follows:
J:\PT849\SQR.

The double slashes that are causing the Change Assistant to hang are the result of not finding a
subdirectory for the PSHOME.

If the agent were running on the file server, it would find the PSHOME in a subdirectory and
there would be no problem.

Issue: Change Assistant File Deploy Creates updateid.DMS Folder 

When attempting to to deploy files with Change Assistant 8.49.xx the following occurs...

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR
-----------------------
Expect the SQRs to be deployed to <PSHOME>/SQR directory

ACTUAL BEHAVIOR
-----------------------
Actually being deployed to <PSHOME>/<typecode>/<updateid>.DMS directory
For example N:/pt849/SQR/UPD741852.dms

Action:   The issue is caused by using bad access id and/or bad access password (possible typo).
Change Assistant uses the access id and password to query the database to get the location of
where to deploy to. When it failed to log in and get the correct location, it uses a default location
of <PSHOME>/<typecode>/<updateid>.DMS.

Re-apply the Change Package using the correct access id and password.

WORKAROUND:

Just move the files to the correct location.

Issue: Change Assistant Files are deployed to multiple instances

When applying a Change Package, seeing that some of the files were deployed to two different
instances even though only one was specified in the Change Assistant settings. The log file
below shows the SQR was deployed to environments Scmdev and Scmdmo.

Deploy File for AMAS2000_SQR

Retrieving File Reference Data.
Retrieving File.
File Size: 48620 bytes
File Date: Fri Feb 20 12:56:52 CST 2004
Contacting EM Hub.
Deploying file to ACPSDEVL (PeerID: 2)
Detected the following servers installed that match the File Reference: Web Server
Deploying amas2000.sqr to k:/Peoplesoft/scmdev/sqr
Deploying file to ACPSDEVL (PeerID: 2)
Detected the following servers installed that match the File Reference: Application Server,
Application Server, Batch Server, File Server, Web Server
Deploying amas2000.sqr to k:/Peoplesoft/scmdmo/sqr

Action :  Examine the viewer.xml file, it may appear that you have the same GUID for both
instances. This is the PSOPTIONS table GUID column and the value there should be unique. 

This can be fixed (meaning to re-populate one of the GUID values) :

1) clearing it out from the PSOPTIONS table
update PSOPTIONS set GUID = ' ';
2) bouncing the appserver
and
3) doing a recrawl.

Issue: Changing Sqr Default Deploy Mapping in Change Package to a Custom Folder 

How can a custom SQR be file-deployed to a specific location? 

Answer:   
Do this by:
1. Creating a customized "File Type Code" (i.e naming it "SQR_custom") for that file or group
of files.

2. Creating a File Reference for that File Type Code (in this example, SQR_custom)
3. Then insert this into the project

4. Modifying the Change Package (finalizing it).

All this information is contained in the following source:

PeopleBooks 8.49--> PeopleSoft Software Updates --> Using change Packages

Specific items are listed below:

a) Defining the File Type Code. (In this step you will create the File Type code and define the
deploy directory, in your case, your customized directory)
b) Creating a File Reference Definition (To add the File Type Code to that)
c) Modifying the Change Assistant Template
d) Finalizing a Change Package. (To repackage the Change Package with your files).
e) Test on a DEMO environment.

Issue:   Unable to deploy file, as there is a windows "\' not UNIX "/" in path

Unable to deploy file as it errors out when Change Assistant tries to copy files from the XP
machine to the UNIX server. Change Assistant is appending a back slash instead for a forward
slash to the PATH. See below:

Deploy File for AMAS2110_SQR

Retrieving File Reference Data.
Retrieving File.
File Size: 39013 bytes
File Date: Thu Sep 21 16:22:36 EST 2006
Contacting EM Hub.
Warning: Unable to deploy file to <server name filled in here> (PeerID: 1)
Detected the following servers installed that match the File Reference: Batch Server
Trying to deploy amas2110.sqr to /u02/oradata/pt849\sqr
The agent on <server name filled in here > may not be running.

Answer:    The problem was due to the Agent not running on the target server. 

For the most part the slashes' direction can be ignored. They will get resolved properly. The
actual problem in this case is reported in the log:

'The agent on <server name filled in here> may not be running.'

In this case the Agent was not running on the server. Once the Agent was started, the files
deployed. 
Issue:  How can you mark the File Deploy steps to be manual?

How do I instruct Change Assistant  to skip the task 'Deploy Files'? This task takes a long time to
execute comparing with copying them manually using Windows Explorer. I chose 'Deselect All'
at the screen Tools, Apply Change Packages, Select File Servers but CA still goes ahead to
deploy files.

Change assistant automatically starts the job then it executes the steps through File Deploy
automatically. There is chance for me to reset the step properties once it started automatically.

Action:    Change Assistant is required to be used when applying maintenance,  to a Demo or
any other type of environment.  This way, you know for sure where the files will deploy.
However, there may be a situation where you choose to deploy the change package files
manually.

There are 2 options

1 easiest and fastest but you have to do this for each environment
a) Click on the red X as soon as the job starts. This will give you a message saying that CA will
stop after it has completed the current step, click on OK , let the first step finish.
b) mark all the file deploys as manual. In the Change Assistant job, in order to manually deploy
the files, you can just go into the step properties (right click) on that task, and mark that task as
manual. It will turn to a red step.
c) click on traffic light to restart

OR

2 a little more effort but you only have to edit the template once
a) unzip Change Package
b) import template
c) open template
d) change all file deploy to manual
e) save template
f) export template
g) rezip up Change Package ( or better yet use App Designer to repackage it ) 

If you have any questions on what directory or server the files should be copied to, go to
Application Designer, Tools, Miscellaneous Definitions, File Type Codes to find the directories,
and go to Application Designer, File, Open, <project name>, File References, to find the servers
to copy to.

[UPDATE NEW SETTING]   How to configure Change Assistant to allow application of

changes manually --without setting up the Environment Management Hub (for file deploy)?   
See E-CA Setting Up EMHUB for Manual File Deploy document 1984098.1.

Issue:  I am interested in learning more about the \MAINT directory.

Answer:   The Pshome\MAINT is a location that an update (a Maintenance Pack, a Bundle, or a

single updateid) will create on the servers necessary for files that will used one time in the
application of the update.

These files will not be used again.  You can leave the files in the \Maint for historical purposes or
delete them if you want to. 
MAINT is typically only on the Windows file server, but depending on the file references and
file type code of the specific file for a specific update, it may need to be on other servers. The log
file would show a warning if it was meant to be installed on another server that it could not
reach.   Change Assistant will deliver the files to the location that the developer intended for
them to be delivered -- this is coded into the Project when created at Oracle.

Issue:  There is a little yellow warning sign in the change assistant job, near a file that was
to have been deployed.  It appears to have been moved without incident -- so why the
yellow warning sign?  Is something wrong? 

Answer:   The files have most likely been deployed without error -- but this is something to be
doublechecked.  The warning sign is, many times, a result of a stopped agent.  CA is just telling
you there is a stopped agent in your enviornment, and most likely another agent did the file
deploy successfully.   There are two things to be aware of: 

1)      If you have multiple updates in the job, it won’t go to the next update until you mark the
warnings as complete.

2)      To get rid of future warnings, run the cleanup refresh process to remove the older Peer
IDs: E-CA How to Refresh and CleanUp the Environment Management Hub (PSEMHUB) data
(Doc ID 622874.1).

649568.1
640071.1
648192.1
659510.1
663152.1
623720.1
1080999.1
854011.1
658163.1 
[This section is not visible to customers.]
 

Issue: How are the new release files deployed to multiple servers during an upgrade?

Answer: During a PeopleTools upgrade, new release files are deployed to multiple servers by
installing the PT 8.55 media to each server.
Note that Change Assistant does not utilize the EMHUB during the upgrade process; it is used
when applying updates.

E-CA How does Change Assistant Identify PS_APP_HOME for Deploying

To
Files? (Doc ID 1506618.1)
Bottom

In this Document

Goal
Solution

APPLIES TO:

PeopleSoft Enterprise PT PeopleTools - Version 8.52 and later

Information in this document applies to any platform.
GOAL

 The goal of this document is to show how Change Assistant identifies PS_APP_HOME when
deploying files.  This can be useful when cloning PS_HOMEs or diagnosing file deploy issues.

SOLUTION

Here are the steps to manually create the file: 

1. Install Applications Virtual CD (VCD), Select File Server and install file server to
PS_APP_HOME - When application File server is installed, the installer will generate a
file named “appsfilesrvr.info” in <APPS_HOME> \bin\client\winx86  folder. 
2. Go to  PS_APP_HOME/bin/client/winx86
3. Verify the file PS_APP_HOME/bin/client/wix86/appsfilesrvr.info
4. The content of file should be

rellabel=<Applications Name and Version>

Ex:

 rellabel=PeopleSoft Enterprise HRMS and Campus Solutions 9.2

The attached document gives a more complete description of the process.

CA_-_AppHome_-_Fi
le_Server_Deploy_10122011.docx