Automating ICA 11.X configuration for IIS

Summary

For IBM Cognos Analytics 11 (ICA 11) use with Gateways and for Single Sign On support requires much more sophisticated use of IIS configuration than past releases. IBM has also been evolving the recommended configuration settings each few releases, requiring a review by ICA 11 Administrators with each update.

Fortunately IBM has started releasing a script to automate much of the work:

Automate the configuration of Microsoft’s Internet Information Service to support IBM Cognos Analytics

which in our experience works quite well, provided you know the tips and tricks

In more depth…

The IBM page for the configuration of IIS for Gateway/Single Sign On support

Configuring IIS in Cognos Analytics 11.0.4 and later versions

has been evolving such that the IIS configuration we used when 11.0.4/5 was fresh (Sept 2016) is considerably different as we updated to 11.0.9 (Feb 2018).

In 11.0.4/5 there were “sso” and a “cgi-bin” applications.  With 11.0.9, “cgi-bin” has dropped and the number url-rewrite entries and there details for the ‘bi’ directory have changed.

Some keys to success in using the script:

• Snapshot your current (working) configuration
• You still have to add any missing “mime types” manually
• If using SSO, you need to set the script variable “enable_SSO=True” – the default is “False”
• If already have IIS fully configured using an earlier “standard” or have partially completed the configuration, you should delete the existing configuration prior to running the script

Steps prior to running the script (in order):

• IIS

Remove the following IIS entries

• • ibmcognos\sso
  • ibmcognos\cgi-bin (if exists)
  • ibmcognos
  • application pool created for Cognos
• File system under <install location> for ICA 11. Delete “web.config” from the following locations
  • cgi-bin (location for  the ‘sso’ and ‘cgi-bin’ applications)
  • webcontent (location for  the ‘ibmcognos’ virtual directory/application)
  • webcontent\bi (location for  the ‘bi’ directory (rewrites)

Note that much of the IIS configuration settings are in the web.config files in the locations listed above, which allows manual editing – just remember to ‘bounce’ IIS to pick up the changes.