Still not RESTing on my laurels

I can keep this pun going forever: -

Using the REST APIs in IBM Business Process Manager V7.5

Not RESTing on my laurels - IBM BPM Standard 7.5.1.1 and the ubiquitous localhost

This useful reminder came from my IBM BPM jedi colleague, Dawn, who kindly pointed out that we have a sweet REST UI testing tool built right into the product.

This is the link from the BPM 8.0.1 Information Centre: -

Testing the REST APIs

<snip>

Start the REST API test tool. Direct your web browser to the URL for the REST API test tool. The value of the URL depends on how the virtual host and context root were configured for your installation. The URL takes the following form:

http://host_name:port_number/bpmrest-ui

</snip>

*BUT* the same also works for me on my current project using BPM Standard 7.5.1.1, both for Process Center AND Process Server.

Which is nice ….

IBM Education Assistant - a much underused asset - and it's free !!!

WebSphere Application Server Version: V8.0 Labs

WebSphere Application Server Version: V8.5 Labs

IBM BPM 8.5 - Samples and Tutorials

My IBM colleague kindly shared this with me: -

BM Business Process Manager, V8.5, All platforms > Getting started with IBM Business Process Manager > Samples and tutorials > Hiring Tutorial

In this tutorial, you will use the tools in IBM® Process Designer to re-create the packaged Hiring Sample process application that is in IBM Process Center.

This tutorial gets you started with aspects of the Process Designer tool by having you iteratively model and test a hiring process instance. As you complete the lessons, you will learn about Process Designer so that you can build your own processes.

Note: This tutorial is a learning exercise that describes one way of modeling, implementing, and testing a process. Depending on your process and process application, other techniques might be more appropriate.

This tutorial is broken down into the following five modules:

• Model the process

• Implement the process

• Create the user interface

• Integrate the process with services

• Conduct the final playback

After you complete this tutorial, you will be able to do the following tasks:

• Model a process that is based on the process requirements.

• Implement the process, including data variables and services that are required by the process.

• Create the user interface for the process.

• Conduct playbacks at each phase to validate the work that you completed.

• Run and review the process.

Hiring Tutorial

Intermittent SSL issues occur in IBM Business Process Manager (BPM)

Interestingly, we saw this self-same issue in one of our BPM Standard 7.5.1.1 environments last week: -

Abstract

In IBM Business Process Manager V7.5.x and 8.0.x products, there is an intermittent issue that causes the wrong trust store to be used for SSL connections. This siutuation leads to different types of communication errors between servers.

Content

The communications errors continue until the affected server is restarted. This issue does not occur frequently. However, it has a high impact when it occurs. It is more likely that you might see this issue with IBM Business Process Manager V7.5.x, but it can also occur with Version 8.0. Due to the impact of this issue, you should apply the interim fix for APAR JR46822, which is available in Fix Central. For more information about the issue, see JR46822.

The fix is included in IBM Business Process Manager V8.5.

and we're testing JR46822: -

JR46822: Certificate chaining errors occurring in BPM due to a runtime switch to the CACerts truststore when NetUtils is loaded

right now.

IBM BPM - Process Designer Enhancements in v8.0 and v8.5

IBM Education Assistant - IBM Business Process Manager - Version: V8.0 and 8.0.1 - Process Designer

IBM Education Assistant - IBM Business Process Manager - Version: V8.5 - Process Designer

WebSphere Application Server JVMs - Dumping

Thanks to my mate, Mike, for this.

<caveat emptor>

Want to force a WAS JVM ( or, almost certainly, any other JVM ) to generate a core dump ( Javacore ) ?

Using Unix ?

If so, identify the Process ID ( PID ) of the JVM, perhaps using ps auxw | grep -i java and then, once you've checked AND double-checked that it's the right PID, issue this command: -

$ kill -3 12345

( where 12345 is an example of the PID )

The Javacore will be, by default, written to the WAS profile root e.g. /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01.

Want to force a heap dump ?

If so, fire up wsadmin: -

$ cd /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01/bin

$ ./wsadmin.sh -lang jacl

wsadmin> set objectName [$AdminControl queryNames WebSphere:type=JVM,process=<JVM Name>,node=<Node Name>,*] 

which returns something like this: -
 
WebSphere:name=JVM,process=bpmPCapp01-server01,platform=proxy,node=primary_base,j2eeType=JVM,J2EEServer=base-bpmPCapp01-server01,version=7.0.0.25,type=JVM,mbeanIdentifier=JVM,cell=ProcCtr03Cell,spec=1.0

wsadmin> $AdminControl invoke $objectName generateHeapDump

Again, the heap dump  will be, by default, written to the WAS profile root e.g. /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01. 

</caveat emptor>

Remember - your mileage may vary - if in doubt, do nowt

Common Timeouts effecting Web Services, HTTP and SOAP clients

Problem(Abstract)

IOException,SocketTimeoutException results from Intermediary Server timeouts, Network Problems and Configuration Tuning problems on Client and Server ends.

Common Timeouts effecting Web Services, HTTP and SOAP clients