PeopleTools 8.48 – NEW FEATURES

BEA JOLT Session Pooling - JPOOL:

- BEA Jolt Session Pooling (JPOOL) is enabled by default
- BEA Jolt Session Pooling enables Web Server connections to be shared between user sessions, which reduces the usage of system resources (such as Threads and File Descriptors)
- web.xml is the file to control the JPOOL.
- joltPooling parameter value is “true” to enable JPOOL and “false” to disable JPOOL. Jolt Session Pooling is set per SERVLET
- When JPOOL is enabled, the user name in App Server client status is replaced by JPOOL_XXXX
{/init-param}
{init-param}
{param-name}joltPooling{/param-name}
{param-value}true{/param-value}
{/init-param}
{/servlet}
{servlet}
{servlet-name}psp{/servlet-name}

Jolt Failover and Load Balancing:

- Weighted Load Balancing
psserver=Host1:Port1#Wt,Host2:Port2#Wt,…

- Strict Failover with Weighted Backup
psserver=Host1:Port1#Wt[Host3:Port3#Wt,Host4:Port4#Wt],Host2:Port2#Wt,…

- Strict Failover with Sequential Backup
psserver=Host1:Port1#Wt[Host3:Port3;Host4:Port4],Host2:Port2#Wt,…


Application Server and Web Server Performance:

PSWATCHSRV
- PSWATCHSRV now detects and terminates processes that remain in the idle state during exiting or recycling
- PSWATCHSRV uses a new directory beneath the domain directory in which each server process writes a file before exiting (named by PIC) that PSWATCHSRV uses to determine if the process is idle

TIMEOUT for Processes Unable to Start
- Server processes hung during App Server startup will reach a TIMEOUT period and be SHUTDOWN
- TIMEOUT value is set in the psappsrv.ubx file and works in conjunction with the TM_BOOTTIMEOUT property

App Server Crash Log for UNIX
- In the event of a crash, a more detailed set of information is available in log files
- When the crash occurs, a directory named {servername}.{pid} is created under the server domain LOGS directory
- Information in the logs include: Request URL, Component, page and market names, Key lists for the CIs, and user action that triggers the request
- Using this information, one can find what the user was doing just before the crash

Preload Cache on Boot
- Select Pre-Load Cache Components
PeopleTools -} Utilities -} Administration -} Select Pre-Load Components

- Create Pre-Load Cache Project
PeopleTools -} Utilities -} Administration -} Create Pre-Load Project

- Configure App Server domain (psappsrv.cfg) to Pre-Load Cache
; Preload Cache projects for file and in memory cache
;PreloadFileCache=
;PreloadMemoryCache=

The file cache project is intended to be used for a new domain, where the file cache is not yet built. Prior to providing the domain for production use, use the Preload File Cache PSADMIN option to build the file cache containing the components specified in the project. The domain starts the PSAPPSRV process, builds the file cache, and shuts down.

The memory cache project is intended to be used during a server process recycle. When a new process starts to replace an old one, the new process loads memory cache based on the project specified by PreloadMemoryCache so that the new process will not have delays in the first few service requests. Because it is desirable to have new processes start as quickly as possible, there is a timeout (or limit) of 60 seconds for PreloadMemoryCache. That is, PreloadMemoryCache preloads as many definitions as possible before the timeout of 60 seconds.

Parallel Boot of Application Server
- Using a parallel boot enables you to have each server process within a domain start at the same time.

Percentage of Memory Growth
- This option makes the recycling of a server process dynamic as opposed to using a static Recycle Count. This parameter works in conjunction with the Recycle Count parameter in that the latter needs to be set to 0 for dynamic recycling to occur

;-------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Number of services after which PSAPPSRV will automatically restart.
; If the recycle count is set to zero, PSAPPSRV will never be recycled.
; The default value is 5000.
; Dynamic change allowed for Recycle Count
Recycle Count=0

;-------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Percentage of Memory Growth after which PSAPPSRV will automatically restart.
; Default is 20, meaning additional 20% of memory growth after the process has
; built up its memory cache.
; Uncomment the setting to use memory growth instead of Recycle Count at
; determining the restart point.
Percentage of Memory Growth=20

Sysaudit Report:

- New SYSAUDIT queries were added for Integration Broker and XML Publisher for PeopleSoft Enterprise.
- Additionally, there is new Record Audit Query as below:
RECORD-14 (Record Field Field Number has invalid value)

If the reported record was delivered by PeopleSoft or generated as part of an upgrade, contact the GSC.

Run the following SQL to determine which fields need to be updated:

SELECT FIELDCOUNT FROM PSRECDEFN WHERE RECNAME='X';

SELECT FIELDNUM FROM PSRECFIELD WHERE RECNAME='X' ORDER BY FIELDNUM;

The PSRECFIELD.FIELDNUM values should be numbered sequentially 1 through PSRECDEFN.FIELDCOUNT. If any value is skipped then renumber the FIELDNUM values accordingly.

Security Administration - Changes to PeopleTools Security:

User Level Security for Web Services:

- In previous releases, web service requests were authenticated at the node level. With PeopleTools 8.48, you can now secure web services at the user-level, providing greater flexibility and granularity.

LDAP Libraries Support:

- With PeopleTools 8.48, PeopleSoft no longer supports Sun Microsystems LDAP libraries on the following operating systems: Linux (SUSE and Red Hat), AIX, HP-UX PA-RISC.

- For these operating systems only, use the Oracle LDAP libraries. For all other operating systems, no changes are required as the Sun Microsystems LDAP libraries continue to be supported on all other operating systems.

Triple DES Encryption: Configuration Manager:

- Improved triple DES encryption has been implemented throughout PeopleTools in various locations, such as Configuration Manager and PSADMIN

- The improved encryption provides increased protection for sensitive text strings, such as passwords and connect passwords

- Except for the Configuration Manager, the changes are transparent and do not require any additional configuration steps

- If you use the PeopleTools 8.48 version of Configuration Manager to set the connect password on a workstation, then you will not be able to use previous versions of Application Designer or other development environment applications running on the same workstation

- Previous versions of PeopleTools do not recognize the connect password encrypted using the triple DES algorithm

- If you intend to support development workstations connecting to both PeopleTools 8.48 and previous versions of PeopleTools, you need to set the connect password using the Configuration Manager from a previous release of PeopleTools, not PeopleTools 8.48. PeopleTools 8.48 supports the encryption used in previous PeopleTools releases.

- If you experience signon issues using Windows workstation applications, such as Application Designer or Data Mover, from a previous release, and the workstation is also configured to connect to PeopleTools 8.48, then open the Configuration Manager from the previous release, change the connect password (and confirm), and click Apply

New Location for PSCipher Encryption Key on Web Server:

- The location of the psvault encryption key (key file) has changed. In previous releases, psvault was stored in {PS_HOME}\secvault\ on the web server. With PeopleTools 8.48, the new location for psvault on your web server would be as :

- OAS: {OAS_HOME}\j2ee\{COMPONENT}\applications\{APPLICATION}\psvault

- IBM WebSphere: {PS_HOME}\webserv\{Node_Server}\{APPLICATION}

- WebLogic: {PS_HOME}\webserv\{DOMAIN}\psvault

- On the application server, psvault is still stored in the {PS_HOME}\secvault\ directory

Password Expired Modification:

- The password expiration interface has been modified

- In previous releases, the Login Information section on the General tab of a user profile definition contained the Expire password at next login check box. With PeopleTools 8.48, the check box is now labeled Password Expired?

- The check box is disabled unless you select the Password Expires in X Days option on the Password Controls page

- If the password is expired, the Password Expired? check box becomes selected

Reference: PeopleTools 8.48 Release Notes