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Test 000-573: IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact V6.1 Implementation

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Section 1:Planning

  1. Given the stakeholder requirements, document the functional steps so that an IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact (Tivoli Netcool/Impact) solution is designed.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Analyze stakeholders' high level requirements.
    2. Determine method(s) of achieving customer requirements.
    3. Identify local and remote data to process.
    4. Determine components necessary to achieve requirements.
    5. Architect solution with necessary components.
    6. Design policies to fulfill functional requirements.
  2. Given the functional requirements determined by the stakeholders and the current state system architecture (if one exists), gather technical deployment requirements from the stakeholders so that a full technical architecture is documented and approved.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine hardware and operating system restrictions (what's available or desired).
    2. Gather current Netcool component deployment architecture (ObjectServers, user authentication and access, unique deployment features e.g. other application dependencies).
    3. Gather and determine Event "Source" requirements (Event readers and listeners).
    4. Determine sources of data.
    5. Determine availability requirements - clustering and failover requirements.
    6. Determine release management infrastructure/requirements (dev, test, production or other).
    7. Determine other external integration points (CLI, APIs, notification, external systems, etc.)
    8. Determine connectivity requirements (firewall paths, network access, security restrictions and requirements, etc.).
    9. Create technical architecture documentation.
    10. Present and obtain architecture signoff from relevant stakeholders.
  3. Given Tivoli Netcool/Impact functional requirements and Tivoli Netcool/Impact architectural requirements, determine Tivoli Netcool/Impact policy flow so that a Tivoli Netcool/Impact policy design standard is created.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine policy naming convention.
    2. Determine policy templates for documentation purposes.
    3. Determine Data Models: data sources, data types, data items, links, event sources
    4. Determine Policy Types: event enrichment, event notification, event relocation, event suppression, X events in Y time, XML, Web services.
    5. Determine Services: Event Readers/Listeners, Email sender/readers, Policy Activators
    6. Determine external requirements: data sources, ObjectServer fields, rules files, scripts
    7. Determine pre-conditions: suppression states, triggering events, timing.
    8. Determine post-Conditions: suppression states, synthetic/meta events creation, event fields, and notifications.
    9. Determine logging standards: Required, Info, Debug.
    10. Determine best practice: comments.
  4. Given the stakeholders for Tivoli Netcool/Impact, communicate and coordinate their involvement so that Tivoli Netcool/Impact functionality can be exploited.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine if enrichment is required.
    2. Identify from data users which Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus events are incomplete. Identify which external data owners have information that can be used to enhance Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus events.
    3. Request external data owners to advise on data structures (e.g. database names, tables, fields etc).
    4. Request external data owners create user accounts to permit Impact to access the data.
    5. Determine external data access details to enable creation of data sources.
    6. Determine which events need enriching and develop an appropriate policy design.
    7. Confirm with data users that event enrichment design is complete
  5. Given that functional requirements for Tivoli Netcool/Impact have been identified and external resources have been established, determine the users, administrators and authentication specifics so that users can be configured within Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine administrators of the Netcool users.
    2. Determine users of the Tivoli Netcool/Impact system.
    3. Determine native or external authentication.
    4. Determine SSL requirements.
  6. Given detailed functional requirements, assess existing application infrastructure so that application dependencies are documented.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review detailed functional requirements.
    2. Assess application infrastructure.
    3. Determine Tivoli application dependencies: ObjectServers, fields in ObjectServer, database accesses, data sources, data types, ITM, ITNM, TBSM, TSRM, CCMDB.
    4. Determine other application dependencies, for example: Oracle, Web Services, DB2, Jabber, XML, e-mail.
    5. Document application dependencies.

Section 2:Installation

  1. Given the prerequisite components, verify their setup so that the IBM Tivoli Netcool/ Impact (Tivoli Netcool/Impact) Server is ready for installation.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Verify installation of a Tivoli Netcool/ OMNIbus ObjectServer instance(s).
    2. Verify the IBM Tivoli Integrated Portal (TIP) version installed on the system
    3. Verify Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server system requirements
    4. Verify file permissions for source and destination directories where Tivoli Netcool/Impact will be installed.
    5. Verify all necessary operating system patches and packages are installed on Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server.
    6. Verify hardware requirements on Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server (disk space, swap space & RAM requirements).
    7. Verify communication and firewall requirements between Impact and any immediately planned data sources such as Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    8. Run the prerequisite scanner and ensure it passes.
  2. Given available ports, additional components, and resiliency requirements, identify all of the installation parameters so that installation parameters are identified in preparation for installation of Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Identify whether default install directory ($NCHOME - unix, %NCHOME% - Windows) has been defined. If so, assess whether there may be any conflicts with existing applications.
    2. Identify configuration settings for additional components (e.g., an existing TIP server, and ObjectServer).
    3. Determine naming conventions for Tivoli Netcool/Impact servers and clusters.
    4. Determine if there are any potential conflicts with default ports to be used (using netstat, and with reference to Tivoli Netcool/Impact Administration guide.
    5. Identify setting for email sender service, if required.
    6. Determine which type of versioning control should be used.
  3. Given the determined technical architecture and installation prerequisites and parameters, obtain, install, test, and document the Tivoli Netcool/Impact solution so that a functioning Tivoli Netcool/Impact solution is available and deployment is documented.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Download Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server binaries/
    2. Uncompress Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server binaries/
    3. Review installation parameters (Name Server).
    4. Execute Tivoli Netcool/Impact Installer.
    5. Review installation and installation logs for issues.
    6. Start Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server.
    7. Test availability and proper installation.
    8. Document installation procedure.
  4. Given the architecture resiliency requirements, install two Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server cluster members, configure the necessary failover points, and set up self-monitoring of Tivoli Netcool/Impact so that all components meet the requirements.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review the requirements and determine appropriate resilient architecture.
    2. Install the primary Tivoli Netcool/Impact server in the cluster.
    3. Install the secondary Tivoli Netcool/Impact server cluster member.
    4. Set the server clustering properties.
    5. Configure an ObjectServer data source with failover.
    6. Configure other data sources with failover.
    7. Set up Tivoli Netcool/Impact self-monitoring.
    8. Recommend actions to be taken on self-monitoring events.
  5. Given the various Tivoli Netcool/Impact component scripts, configure application startup so that all necessary components are running and will start up automatically upon physical server restart.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Select the Tivoli Netcool/Impact services to automatically start up (i.e. event readers, policy activators, email readers, etc.).
    2. Start TIP server (if relevant).
    3. Start Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server.
    4. Start secondary Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server (if relevant).
    5. Start JRExec process on all Tivoli Netcool/Impact Servers.
    6. Deploy script to auto-start all processes upon physical server startup (UNIX Install).
    7. Set up Windows services for automatic startup (Windows Install).

Section 3:Configuration

  1. Given appropriate data access and the documented system architecture, configure and test IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact (Tivoli Netcool/Impact) data sources so that defined data sources are operational.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Obtain access information from identified personnel (hostname/IP, database name/instance, schema, login, ports,etc.).
    2. Obtain Web services definition library files and XML schema definitions, if applicable.
    3. Configure Tivoli Netcool/Impact data sources per the documented system architecture via Tivoli Netcool/Impact GUI.
    4. Test connection to from Impact Data Source (where applicable).
  2. Given a properly configured and accessible data source and access to the Tivoli Netcool/Impact GUI, create a data type based on that data source so that a configured data type with access to data items within the data type is available.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Select the Data Types tab.
    2. Select the data source required for the data type from the drop-down list, and then select ‘Add'.
    3. In the DataType window, provide a unique name for the data type.
    4. Select a different display icon, if required.
    5. Input details of the base table of the database and then select ‘Refresh'.
    6. Select at least one field of the returned table as the key field.
    7. Remove fields from the table if not required in the DataType.
    8. Select an appropriate field for the display name.
    9. Apply a filter condition to apply to the Data Source's Data Items, as required.
    10. Apply a sort order to apply to the Data Source's Data Items, as required.
    11. Save the configuration by selecting the ‘Floppy Disk' icon.
    12. Confirm the data type's configuration by selecting the ‘View Data Items' icon adjacent to the Data Type entry.
  3. Given that Tivoli Netcool/Impact has been properly installed, the name of the Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server is known, a valid user name and password is known (optionally encrypted), a policy to execute is known, and optionally a @Identifier and @Serial if policy contains a call to the Returnevent function, configure command-line activiation of policies requirements so that policies may be executed from the command-line.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine name of Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server.
    2. Determine valid user name/password combination.
    3. Determine policy name.
    4. Optionally determine encrypted password.
    5. Execute a policy from the command line.
  4. Given the anticipated event volumes and multi-policy processing, set up event processor so that processing of events is optimized with minimal conflicts.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine if self-tuning is sufficient.
    2. Update the event processor as necessary.
    3. Select whether to enable logging
    4. Save configuration; stop and restart event processor
    5. Determine whether to enable ‘event locking' within the Event Readers, and update Event Readers accordingly.
  5. Given that access to data sources has been configured, data types have been created and policies written, identify Tivoli Netcool/Impact service configuration requirements so that Event Readers can be created within Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine service name.
    2. Determine data source.
    3. Determine polling interval.
    4. Determine Restrict fields.
    5. Determine Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server startup requirements.
    6. Determine logging and reporting requirements.
    7. Determine event mapping requirements.
  6. Given that services are available, configure services so that logging is available.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. For any service where logging is an option, select the service to access the configuration window.
    2. Review service log: write to file option and select or de-select as required and then select Ok.
    3. For the Policy Logger service select or de-select the following Log options, as required:
      1. Highest Log Level (0-3)
      2. All SQL statements
      3. Pre-execution Action Module parameters
      4. Post-execution Action Module parameters
      5. All Action Module parameters
      6. service log: Write to file-Append thread name to log file name -Append policy name to log file name
    4. For any service where logging has been selected, check the log files at $NCHOME/impact/log/.log

Section 4:Development

  1. Given functional requirements, an architectural design and policy objectives, draft pseudo-code so that a document that fully describes the critical elements of a policy defined in the functional requirements is created.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review the requirements.
    2. Formulate a development plan for accessing appropriate data.
    3. Formulate a development plan for testing the policy during development.
    4. Verify access to test systems and data.
    5. Define the event or trigger that will execute the policy.
    6. Identify any relationships or interactions with other events or policies.
    7. Create pseudo-code or flow chart.
  2. Given that IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact (Tivoli Netcool/Impact ) planning requirements have been met, proper installation and configuration of the Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server has occurred, and a Netcool ObjectServer is running and accessible with administrative access, determine and create Netcool ObjectServer fields to meet functional requirements so that additional ObjectServer fields are created.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine policy interaction requirements.
    2. Determine event if there are suppression flow requirements.
    3. Determine communication states between ObjectServer and Tivoli Netcool/Impact requirements.
    4. Determine Column Names and Data Types for New Fields.
    5. Log in to Netcool ObjectServer with Administration application.
    6. Use Administration tool to create ObjectServer Columns.
    7. Optionally use script to create ObjectServer Columns via SQL Interactive.
    8. Determine if "fasttrack" (priority) events are required.
  3. Given pseudo-code or policy flow statements with properly configured data sources and data types, develop and unit test Tivoli Netcool/Impact policies so that functional requirements are met.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine the functional category.
      1. Event Enrichment policy
      2. X in Y policy
      3. Event Notification
      4. Event Gateway or third-party integration
      5. Event Correlation
      6. Event Suppression policy
      7. Event Consolidation or Service Event
      8. Message (e-mail reader or IM reader) policy
      9. Scheduling policy
      10. Web service policy
      11. Custom policy
    2. Develop Tivoli Netcool/Impact policies.
      1. Start with Policy Creation Wizard if desired.
      2. data types: user defined variables, arrays, context
      3. control structures: if statements, while statements
      4. functions: action, parser, user defined
      5. logging: policy context and checkpoints
    3. Unit test functions or functional blocks
  4. Given the tasks required, configure Tivoli Netcool/Impact services so that policies are automatically executed.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine which services/methods are necessary to automate policy execution.
    2. Determine triggers/filters to automate policy execution within service with consideration given to avoid conflicts between policies.
    3. Obtain required data to enable Impact Service.
      1. Email Server information (if an EmailReader Service is necessary)
      2. EventListener service information (if an EventListener service is necessary)
      3. ObjectServer connectivity information (if an EventReader service is necessary)
      4. Instant Messaging Jabber server information (If a JabberReader service is necessary)
      5. Java Messaging Bus information (if JMSMessageListener service is necessary)
    4. Determine frequency to execute policies.
    5. Configure new or existing services.
    6. For Event Reader service, create event mapping filters with special attention given to avoid conflicts between policies, and to achieve efficient processing.
  5. Given that an operator view is required, create and configure an operator view so that an operator view is available.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Select ‘New Operator View' from the Operator View tab.
    2. In the Operator View configuration panel, define the operator view, as necessary, using the following tabs:
      1. Name & Layout
      2. Action Panel
      3. Information Groups
    3. Save the operator view by selecting the ‘Floppy Disk' icon.
    4. If a bespoke Operator View is required modify the operator view files as follows:
      1. Edit the operator view definition policy
      2. Edit the operator view html file
    5. Review the operator view, from a Web browser.
  6. Given the system requirements and a functioning Tivoli Netcool/Impact system with deployed policies and services, plan, set up, implement and ,review Tivoli Netcool/Impact systems test with relevant stakeholders so that properly configured test systems and data are verified.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review technical architecture and requirements.
    2. Map requirements into system test cases.
    3. Create system test plan.
    4. Get stakeholder approval for system test plan.
    5. Set up test systems required.
    6. Set up test data as required.
    7. Execute system test.
    8. Document test results.
    9. Review test results with all stakeholders and developers.
  7. Given the complete project requirements, identify the appropriate parties and available mechanisms to formulate and document a policy exception plan so that a document that defines the project specific policy exception plan is created.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review the requirements.
    2. Identify the available exception notification capabilities.
    3. Identify the parties who must be notified.
    4. Formulate and publish a plan for policy exceptions.
    5. Define a standard, programmatic mechanism for handling policy exceptions.
    6. Produce a document that defines how to handle exceptions within policies.
  8. Given connectivity, customer requirements, and data source definitions, configure integrations so that functioning Tivoli Netcool/Impact integrations are available.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine which networking capabilities are needed.
    2. Select from the available documented capabilities:
      1. ITM
      2. TEC
      3. WebTop
      4. WebSphere
      5. IPL to XML function
    3. Follow documented procedure to set up the appropriate integration.
    4. Verify the integration works.
  9. Given a working Tivoli Netcool/Impact system, command-line access, credentials, and a scripting requirement, use command-line tools to administer Tivoli Netcool/Impact so that a working scripted solution using command-line tools is available.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review the scripting requirement.
    2. Determine the command-line tools available to assist in creating the solution.
    3. Create script or run appropriate commands.
    4. Use WebSphere Administration tools to test the service if required.
    5. Verify the scripted solution works.

Section 5:Administration

  1. Given that IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact (Tivoli Netcool/Impact ) planning requirements have been met, proper installation and configuration of the Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server has occured, a Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server is running and accessable, and project members have been determined, configure Tivoli Netcool/Impact projects so that functional requirements are met.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Determine project members from Global Repository based on functional requirements.
    2. Log in to Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    3. Select Project tab.
    4. Enter name of Project and select New button.
    5. Select members from the Global Repository for data sources, data types, policies, services, and operator views.
    6. Select OK and save Project.
  2. Given detailed functional requirements related to user access and roles, configure users and roles in IBM Tivoli Integrated Portal (TIP) so that users have appropriate access to Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Interview stakeholders on desired users, groups and roles.
    2. Determine users, groups requiring access to Tivoli Netcool/Impact.
    3. Set up Tivoli Integrated Portal with appropriate role(s).
    4. Create Tivoli Netcool/Impact users, groups in TIP.
    5. Assign roles to users and groups in TIP to match requirements.
  3. Given the technical architecture and requirements for moving Tivoli Netcool/Impact objects from the data model between clusters so that the import/export utility is used and objects are moved to other servers/clusters as needed.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review technical requirements.
    2. Export selected objects from a Tivoli Netcool/Impact data model.
    3. Import selected objects to another Tivoli Netcool/Impact server.
    4. Test imported objects.
    5. Document objects movement.

Section 6:Troubleshooting and Performance Tuning

  1. Given an installed IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact (Tivoli Netcool/Impact) system based on technical architecture specifications, review the deployment documentation and check various outputs of systems so that a properly installed Impact system is verified.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review technical architecture and requirements.
    2. Review installation logs for errors.
    3. Review system logs for errors.
    4. Review Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server logs for errors.
  2. Given an operating Tivoli Netcool/Impact Server and performance requirements, analyze reports, identify potential bottlenecks, and create recommendations for those bottlenecks so that a document describing performance bottlenecks is created recommending appropriate actions to mitigate the issues.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Enable the appropriate events.
    2. Review the events and identify problem areas.
    3. Map problem performance areas to specific policies or services.
    4. Review the policy code or service configuration.
    5. Identify external system bottlenecks.
    6. Document the potential bottlenecks and provide to policy developers or system administrators for review and recommendations.
    7. Consolidate and publish the recommendations.
  3. Given that a functional Tivoli Netcool/Impact installation is running, logging standards and Tivoli Netcool/Impact services are configured, utilize Tivoli Netcool/Impact and system tools so that performance issues may be assessed.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Utilize server logs: netcool.log, (Server)_(Service).log, (Server)_Policylogger.log, (Server)_Policylogger_PolicyName.log .
    2. Utilize operating system tools: netstat, uptime, iostat, sar, vmstat, top.
    3. Utilize self-monitoring service.
      1. Determine when to utilize.
      2. Enable using GUI (Netcool/Impact Self-Monitoring Service), or CLI (Netcool/Impact Clustered mode), (Netcool/Impact Service)_selfmonitoring.props, Types: Memory Status, Event Queue Size, Data Source Status, Cluster Status.
    4. Utilize self-monitoring outputs.
      1. Determine when to utilize.
      2. Enable using Netcool/Impact Policy Logger service.
      3. Review self-monitoring events in ObjectServer.
      4. Review cluster status events in the ObjectServer.
  4. Given known bugs or issues, test system ,and review logs so that bugs and issues are isolated within the system.
    With emphasis on performing the following tasks:
    1. Review bug tracking list or known issues.
    2. Increase logging level in the Policy Logger service.
    3. Turn on Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus debugging.
    4. Replicate the bug.
    5. Review Policy logs, Event Reader logs and Server logs to determine where bug(s) exist in policy.
    6. Review Event Reader configuration if applicable.
    7. Check the Mapping Table to see if there are any filter conflicts.

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