Automic 12.3 AWI (configuring analytics backend/datastore)

[Genarro Montano]

Hello all,

Currently in our environment we are running a 12.3 version of Automic with two separate environments, one Dev and One Prod. Our Idea is to move our AWI to its own vm host rather than be installed on each machine. In doing so, we are having some issues in connecting our analytics backend and datastore to AWI. We have Analytics backend and Datastore installed locally to each separate environment. So 1 instance for Dev, and 1 instance for Prod. Our issue is when we log into our AWI now with its configuration to communicate with both environments, we only see one data source in our dashboards. For example, if in plugin.properties we have our dev datastore, we see it displayed in both AWI clients. Our solution was to add the two connection points in the .properties file but still the issue exists with both connections added. (dev datastore and prod datastore). My question is how do we configure our plugin.properties file to bind dev data to dev awi instance and same for prod while only using one instance of AWI? 

My only other idea is to have each installed locally to both environments (dev AWI with seperate plugin.properties installed on dev AE and same for prod), then have AWI installed externally that just communicates with the two Automation Engines. But to me this seems like extra steps in installation as we would then in reality have 3 instances of AWI running, 2 of which are local and taking up resources.

[Tatjana Radic]

Hi @Genarro Montano , unfortunately, Analytics was not designed to allow multiple instances on AWI. You will need to install two AWI's - one that points to Dev analytics and one that would point to Prod.

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Product Manager - Automation
CA Technologies, A Broadcom Company
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[Genarro Montano]

HI @Tatjana Radic,

Thank you for your response and taking some time to answer my questions.

I guess I am still alittle unclear then on the purpose of allowing the AWI to host multiple connections to various environments. If the backend cannot support multiple connections, then how would I go about configuring a central AWI location that can connect to my various environments?

If I created one that points to Dev and one that points to Prod, then I am providing my end users with two urls, one for prod and one for dev. My hope is to only maintain one url endpoint that allows users to login to either the dev environment or the production environment. This can be done if I am exclude the analytics portion(which is currently what we have). I can login to dev, see the dev data from process assembly and view the various clients associated with dev. The same is true for Prod. 

My question is how would I create this configuration of one url?
Is it simply impossible and I would need to install two instances of AWI on this host separate from the two Automation Engines? My understanding from the documentation is that I can install AWI and configure it to manage all connections to all environments.

[Jared Kessans]

We have the same situation with multiple urls for the different system.  I would think a possible solution for the one url is to provide a landing page that they could then select which environment they are attempting to access.

[Genarro Montano]

We could try something like that, thank you @Jared Kessans,
But my team and I feel like there should be an easier way of managing multiple connections to various environments. We have been running automic since v11 and with that thick client it was one installation, then multiple configurations to be able to talk to either dev or prod and with the upgrade I guess to me it doesnt make sense to lose that functionality. So I feel like there is some configuration setting that I am missing from the AWI installation.

I am quoting directly from the installation documentation "The file uc4config.xml (...\AWI\config) allows you to define one or more AE systems in which AWI users can log into." 

If the above statement can be made in the installation document then I would assume that when following these settings you should maintain full use of the client regardless of which AE system you are connecting to. Am I misunderstanding the documentation?

[Tatjana Radic]

Hi @Genarro Montano it seems we have a little misunderstanding here.

You can have one URL with one AWI which can be configured to point to different connections which your user can choose upon logging in.​
For this to work, you need to correctly configure automationEngine.index property in the configuration.properties file, as well as uc4config.xml file (please check Documentation)

The file uc4config.xml (...\AWI\config) allows you to define one or more AE systems in which AWI users can log into. Whether users can select an Automation Engine connection or are restricted to only the first connection that is defined here, depends on the settings of the automationEngine.index property of the configuration.properties file.​

Your users will then need only one URL, and the login screen should have a dropdown menu in Connection and it should look similar to this:

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Product Manager - Automation
CA Technologies, A Broadcom Company
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[Genarro Montano]

Hi @Tatjana Radic,

Yes I understand this, this is where I am lost. I have this currently configured to allow my users the dropdown choice between prod and dev. To seperate AE systems to login to. The issue and where this doesnt make sense is now in this senario we have one url. we have one tomcat instance and two connections to two seperate environments. which according to documentation is supported fine. We have that working. The issue is now if I were to select either one of the two from the dropdown and login, they are sharing the same datastore. This is where this doesnt make sense. If I am providing an AWI with the ability to choose between two separate environments, then it would stand to reason that the AWI should be fully functional regardless of environment. By fully functional I mean if I select dev from the dropdown I should be seeing Dev dashboards. Same for prod, if i select Prod I should see Prod dashboards.​

Where my confusion begins is if according to the product, which we have just pointed out is true, if you can connect one instance of AWI to multiple AE environments then why would you lose functionality within the client? 
In this instance the functionality i am talking about is the ability to view and interact with the two separate environments analytics/dashboards.
So I feel as though this can't be a correct statement and I am missing some configuration somewhere and I am wondering where that configuration exists?

[Keld Mollnitz]

Hi @Tatjana Radic,
Is it possible to install the analytics on two ​separate nodes for fail over purposes so that the AWI can access both installations?

/Keld.

[Tatjana Radic]

Hi @Keld Mollnitz, you can install analytics on two separate nodes, but there is no automatic failover. The Analytics UI plugin simply accesses the Analytics backend endpoint configured in its plugin properties (https://docs.automic.com/documentation/webhelp/english/AA/12.3/DOCU/12.3/Automic%20Automation%20Guides/help.htm#Analytics/ANOP_Install/Aaas_setup_analytics_eccplugin.htm)​.

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Product Manager - Automation
CA Technologies, A Broadcom Company
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[Keld Mollnitz]

Hi @Tatjana Radic,
so this means the AWI is only able to connect to a single Analytics instance and if I want it to connect to the other Analytics instance, I need to reconfigure the plugin properties file.
Thanks :-)

/Keld.