WebSphere MQ and WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances problem determination - Middleware News

Section 1. Checking for resolutions to known problems:

Visit the WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances Product support portal for additional support content.

Section 2. Collecting information on this problem

The following information describes the basic documentation needed by IBM support to investigate questions or problems when using IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliances with WebSphere MQ

Step 1. Describe the problem and environment

1. Develop a clear description of the question or problem.
2. Create a simple use case which shows the question or problem.
3. List all the software, software version/release, with operating systems in the use case.

Step 2: Turn on tracing to recreate and capture documentation for IBM Support to review

1. Set the following trace and logging settings:
2. Access the DataPower SOA Appliance by using the WebGUI interface through your browser.
3. From the Control Panel in the WebGUI, select the Troubleshooting icon.
4. On the Troubleshooting Panel, under Logging, set the Log Level to "debug" by using the selection box. Click Set Log Level.
5. Select Debug Probe tab.
6. Look for the service you are using.
7. From the pull down select the service you configured for the simple use case.
8. Click on the "Add Probe" button.

Step 3: Recreate the problem.

1. Using the simple use case, with sample data, recreate the problem using 2 or 3 transactions.
2. Document the recreate steps.
3. Capture screen images.
4. Turn of traces.

Step 4: Collect these files:
• Error Report:
  1. From the Control Panel in the WebGUI, select the Troubleshooting icon.
  2. On the Troubleshooting Panel, under Reporting, click the Generate Error Report button.
  3. Once the Error Report is generated, right click on the View Error Report and select Save Target As ... to save the Error Report to a local file.
• Export of appliance configuration:
  1. Export your configuration to a file by opening the ADMINISTRATION menu from the left hand navigation list.
  2. Click Export Config to display the initial Export Configuration screen.
  3. Click the Create a backup of the entire system radio button and click Next.
  4. Enter a comment noting the problem and click Build Export button.
  5. The configuration of the entire system is backed up to a file named export.zip. An opportunity to download the zip is automatically presented on the next page.
  6. Click the Download button to down load the file to your workstation.
• Probe file -
  1. From the Control Panel in the WebGUI, select the Troubleshooting icon.
  2. Select Debug Probe tab.
  3. Look for the service you are using.
  4. From the pull down select the service you configured for the simple use case.
  5. Under Probe column, Click on the "Magnifying glass icon".
  6. Press the "Export Capture" button.
  7. The appliance will prompt you to download the file
• MQ server error logs and FDC file(s) if any

Section 3. Preparing to contact IBM Support

1. Obtain the version and release of WebSphere MQ and the operating system where WebSphere MQ is running
2. Obtain the serial number of the appliance which experienced the problem. This is need for IBM entitlement processing, before a PMR can be created. Use the WebGUI, select Status > System > Version Information, locate tag on the case of the appliance, or from the CLI use Show System
3. Locate the firmware version of the appliance. Using the WebGUI, select Status > System > Version Information or from the CLI use Show Version
4. Locate your IBM customer number from your records.
5. Determine the describe the business impact and severity of the problem based on the Severity Levels table found in the following technote: "WebSphere DataPower Extended Maintenance and Support Services".
6. Determine which telephone number IBM should use to contact you concerning this problem report.

Section 4. Contacting IBM Support and sending your MustGather information to IBM support

1. Refer to specifics in Contacting IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA Appliance Support.
2. After you have contacted IBM Support, a PMR number will be assigned. Create a zip file of the MustGather information:
   • A text file which contains: the questions and answers to any of the MustGather steps, elaboration on the problem, list of steps to recreate, notation on specific errors, and description external events noted at the time of the error.
   • WebSphere DataPower WebGui and WebSphere MQScreen Captures
   • An error report at the time of the error, from either the WebGui or CLI.
   • WebSphere DataPower export zip
   • WebSphere DataPower probe export
   • Sample message from simple use case
3. Rename the zip file and send to IBM as noted in Exchanging information with IBM WebSphere DataPower Technical Support for problem determination.
4. Do not send any proprietary or confidential information from your company.