Intermittent "Cannot find server or DNS Error"

Hi all,
We are having problems with a new server build & I was wondering if anyone else has come across this problem & could help…

OS: Windows 2000, SP 2
WEBI: 2.7.1
IIS v5
Internet Explorer 5.5
Repository & all other Db: Oracle 9i

We can log into the WEBI server. However, when trying to view reports we will get HTTP 404 Page not found errors. This also happens when trying to create webi reports, or on clicking the log-out button. Basically, whatever we click on within WEBI, there is a chance that we will get a http 404 error. Clicking on the back button in the browser will sometimes help.

From having searched on here, this looks like it could be OS related, however, my understanding was that Win 2K, SP2 was supported with 2.7.1 & it was only SP3 that caused problems. What I did think of was that this could be related to any security patches that have been installed on the new server. Does anyone know if there are any specific individual security patches for Win2K that could cause this error?

Can anyone think of anything else we can check? This is happening on such an intermittent basis, it’s very difficult to try and narrow down where the problem lies :hb:

Thanks in advance,

Ann.


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

I remember seeing this issue years ago at a previous job. In our case, it was related to the options settings for viewing and editing documents. We found that using “Optimized for my browser” was causing the problem. After changing it to “Standard HTML” it worked fine. This was a workaround for a bug in that version of Webi.

You might want to consider upgrading to 6.1b.


MichaelWelter :vatican_city: (BOB member since 2002-08-08)

Hi Michael,
Thanks for this. We should be on standard HTML for viewing, however, I’ll check this & make sure. Unfortunately, upgrading to 6.1b is not an option at the moment - we’re in the middle of migrating datacentres, so changing webi versions as well would probably cause all sorts of havoc.

Ann.


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

Ok, we’ve done a bit more digging. From the event viewer, whenever we get the ‘cannot find server error’, there is the following error in the event viewer:
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event ID: 7031
Description:
The IIS Admin Service service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s). The following corrective action will be taken in 1 milliseconds: Run the configured recovery program.

So we’re now looking at how IIS has been configured - there isn’t anything in BusinessObject’s technical documentation relating to IIS 5 on Win2K. Beyond having anonymous access turned on (we’re using BO authentication, not NT), is there anything specific that needs doing to IIS?

In the meanwhile, we’re rebuilding a server with Win2K SP4 & Webi SP8, in the hope that something will have been fixed between all the different versions… fingers crossed :!:

Any & all help appreciated,

Ann.


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

Ann,

BO configures IIS automatically during the install, so I wouldn’t suggest changing anything. Keep in mind that IIS is a Microsoft product and comes with a wealth of features including the traditional Microsoft reliability. :roll_eyes: On of the advantages of version 6.x is that you don’t need IIS. You can use Apache/Tomcat and avoid IIS.

As for your new box, I would suggest using SP3, as SP4 isn’t supported for Webi 2.x. Is your current box SP4? That may be a source of the problem.


MichaelWelter :vatican_city: (BOB member since 2002-08-08)

Hi Michael,
Thanks. The current box is SP2 with assorted hotfixes, and unfortunately, I don’t control the servers that BusinessObjects goes onto - that’s the remit of a different team & I have to work with what they give me, which is either SP2 + hotfixes or SP4… I did want to flatten a box & just use Windows SP2, but apparently taking the hotfixes off will cause untold security problems, so I’m not allowed to do that.
According to the PAR, BusinessObjects 5.1.8 is supported with SP4, so I’ll just have to see if this fixes the problem, otherwise it’s back to banging my head against the wall for inspiration :hb: I’ll keep you posted on how this goes.
Thanks again,

Ann.


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

Even in 2.7.x Apache is supported. I’m running 2.7.3 and being aligned with PAR requirements, I’m fully satisfied of Apache.


alex :it: (BOB member since 2002-08-23)

Update. We’ve given up on W2k SP2 & 2.7.1, and have moved to W2k SP4 & 2.7.4, which is a supported configuration.

With a plain install of W2k SP4, 2.7.4 is fine. However, with our ‘official’ server build, that includes numerous W2k SP4 hotfixes, we’re getting problems with the gatekeeper dying, from the look of the error messages, some of the java classes haven’t installed correctly.
We’re currently planning on taking off the hotfixes, de-installing WEBI, re-installing WEBI & then putting the hotfixes back one at a time, to see if either it all falls apart again, or if this way round of installing works…

BO’s position on hotfixes is that they only test against the Windows SP, not against the hotfixes, so to remove the hotfixes. Our server teams are adamant that from a security perspective we cannot not have the hotfixes.
Does anyone else on Windows 2K keep current with the hotfixes that Microsoft release? Or do folks only apply the most critical? Any other thoughts that folks may have on this would be most welcome, as it feels like we’ve been crawling through treacle for the last few months trying to get this thing to work…

Cheers,

Ann.


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

Ann, in my experience, only the most critical, and relevant, hotfixes were applied. Our NT team made that decision by examining each hotfix and determining if it is needed in our environment.


MichaelWelter :vatican_city: (BOB member since 2002-08-08)

Did anyone figure this case out? We may be having similar problems, and I’m debating going to Webi 2.74 today (from 2.73).

  • if there is a better workaround, maybe deleting gatekeeper.ior and resetting the cluster?, i am open …

Thanks!
Brent


bdouglas :switzerland: (BOB member since 2002-08-29)

Brent, eventually, after many different people had a look (including an external consultant), it looked like the install files were faulty - we managed to get a clean install from a different copy of 2.7.4.
What o/s are you running?

Ann.


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

Hi Ann,

We’re running Windows 2000 with a newly loaded SP4. That has been on for about a month, but we just started having problems last week - after another Hotfix was loaded.

This is Webi 2.73, and it had been running ok. We now get DNS errors at the login, navigating the site, etc. It’s been pretty bad. If we turn on our CISCO, on top of 2 clusters, these errors generate Login boxes - I think that is the CISCO trying to re-route these sessions after the error.

Reinstall? Bite the bullet and to 2.74? Buy a lawnmower and quit??

Thanks for the help,

Brent


bdouglas :switzerland: (BOB member since 2002-08-29)

Hi Brent,
I have the feeling that Win 2K, SP 4 isn’t a supported config for Webi 2.7.3, so it’s probably worth going to Webi 2.7.4 just to get the approved support from BO.

Has your network been changed recently, or the dns name for the server?
This could cause the multiple login boxes.
Can you log directly onto one of your servers? Does that cause problems as well?

Ann.

p.s. the buying a lawnmower option & quiting sounds good, but only if it’s one of those little tractor type lawnmowers!


Rummers :uk: (BOB member since 2002-09-02)

It seems to work better from the server, eg bypassing the CISCO and using a different DNS name. I don’t think that anything has officially changed, but in our environment that is very hard to nail down.

We’re going to try re-creating our Gatekeeper.ior file this morning, and if that doesn’t just “Wow” us, I’m leaning towards the 2.74 upgrade. It’s just a little hard to pull that off in our environment, but next week is closing - we’re getting nervous around here.

It would have to be a walk behind - I like that kind of work ; )

Thanks again,

B.


bdouglas :switzerland: (BOB member since 2002-08-29)