IBM iSeries Access 5.7 and Windows 2003 Citrix 1

[Pronost]

Im running IBM iSeries Access 5.7 SP-SI26600 on Windows 2003 with Citrx PS-4.0

The troubleshooting is done localy on the console and not through a citrix ICA Session.

If i start up a client session of the iSeries application to a AS/400 server for a user who has his Windows HOME FOLDER pointing to a server that is located on the local LAN, EVERYTHING works fine. Takes 6sec to load up the program.

-If i change that same users Home Folder to point to a server that is located accross the WAN "3mbit link up and down" then to load up the same application takes well over a minute.
-Now if i just right click on his home drive and say disconnect and try the IBM iSeries client connection again it lods up fine. If i reconenct the drive manually then again it's slow to load up.

Ive searches up and down the net and came accross nothing even close to explain this. It IBM Client does't do anything in that folder so why does it care if its there or not.

I run the iSeries Access for Windows Diagnostics "DtTrace.dtl and this is what came up for a working session and failing session. Im only including the section from the logs that seemed relevand and it had the bigest time delay in the time stamps between events.

Its clearly vissable that at this event or the next event is when it messes up but im not sure what it means.The client is not setup for any SSL and it just uses TCP-23.

1:17:45.36 PM Emulator 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbemlic:cwbEM_GetSSLConfigInfo Exit rc=1
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Entry

Log Info from Failing Connection:
*****************************************************
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 1
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_SetWindowHandle Exit rc=0
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_IsSecureSockets Entry
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : Use Count Inc'd to 2
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 1
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_IsSecureSockets Exit rc=0
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_DeleteSystem Entry
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : Use Count Inc'd to 2
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 1
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 0
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 SysObj 1 : destructed!
1:17:45.36 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_DeleteSystem Exit rc=0
1:17:45.36 PM Emulator 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbemlic:cwbEM_GetSSLConfigInfo Exit rc=1
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Entry
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 NL cp=1252
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Exit rc=0
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 cwbNL_GetCodePage Entry
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 NL cp=437
1:17:54.52 PM NLS 32-bit P=268 T=4A0 cwbNL_GetCodePage Exit rc=0
1:18:05.74 PM NLS 32-bit P=B24 T=1B8 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Entry
1:18:05.74 PM NLS 32-bit P=B24 T=1B8 NL cp=1252
1:18:05.74 PM NLS 32-bit P=B24 T=1B8 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Exit rc=0
1:18:05.74 PM NLS 32-bit P=B24 T=1B8 cwbNL_GetCodePage Entry
1:18:05.74 PM NLS 32-bit P=B24 T=1B8 NL cp=437
1:18:05.74 PM NLS 32-bit P=B24 T=1B8 cwbNL_GetCodePage Exit rc=0
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Entry
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 NL cp=1252
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Exit rc=0
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 cwbNL_GetCodePage Entry
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 NL cp=437
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 cwbNL_GetCodePage Exit rc=0
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 cwbNL_GetLangPath Entry
1:18:07.40 PM NLS 32-bit P=3D8 T=334 cwbNL_GetLangPath Exit rc=0
1:18:55.35 PM Emulator 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbemlic:cwbEM_GetSecurityAndLicense Entry
1:18:55.35 PM Emulator 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbemlic:sys=geac.anchordanly.com hwnd=0x1F0180 sslInd=0 userIDSource=2
1:18:55.35 PM Emulator 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbemlic:version 2 secLicInfo
1:18:55.35 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_CreateSystem Entry
1:18:55.35 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 sysobj create() Entry
1:18:55.35 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_IsSystemConfigured Entry
1:18:55.35 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 cwbCO_IsSystemConfigured Exit rc=0
1:18:55.36 PM Configuration 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 isAllowed f=Allow Add Con rc=0
1:18:55.36 PM Security 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 : sec::setPromptMode=If_Necessary
1:18:55.36 PM Security 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 2: sec::setSystemName=geac.anchordanly.com
1:18:55.36 PM Comm-SPI 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 scfg:fill - filling system object for sys=GEAC.ANCHORDANLY.COM
1:18:55.36 PM Security 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 2: sec::setHostCCSID=0
1:18:55.36 PM Security 32-bit P=7BC T=EF8 2: sec::setHostVRM=0x0
******************************************************

Log Info from Working Connection:
******************************************************
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_SetWindowHandle Exit rc=0
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_IsSecureSockets Entry
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 SysObj 1 : Use Count Inc'd to 2
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 1
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_IsSecureSockets Exit rc=0
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_DeleteSystem Entry
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 SysObj 1 : Use Count Inc'd to 2
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 1
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 SysObj 1 : Use Count Dec'd to 0
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 SysObj 1 : destructed!
1:57:24.82 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_DeleteSystem Exit rc=0
1:57:24.82 PM Emulator 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbemlic:cwbEM_GetSSLConfigInfo Exit rc=1
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Entry
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 NL cp=1252
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 cwbNL_GetANSICodePage Exit rc=0
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 cwbNL_GetCodePage Entry
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 NL cp=437
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 cwbNL_GetCodePage Exit rc=0
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 cwbNL_GetLangPath Entry
1:57:25.25 PM NLS 32-bit P=170C T=1710 cwbNL_GetLangPath Exit rc=0
1:57:25.54 PM Emulator 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbemlic:cwbEM_GetSecurityAndLicense Entry
1:57:25.54 PM Emulator 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbemlic:sys=geac.anchordanly.com hwnd=0xA035C sslInd=0 userIDSource=2
1:57:25.54 PM Emulator 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbemlic:version 2 secLicInfo
1:57:25.54 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_CreateSystem Entry
1:57:25.54 PM Comm-System 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 sysobj create() Entry
1:57:25.54 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_IsSystemConfigured Entry
1:57:25.54 PM Comm-API 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 cwbCO_IsSystemConfigured Exit rc=0
1:57:25.54 PM Configuration 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 isAllowed f=Allow Add Con rc=0
1:57:25.54 PM Security 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 : sec::setPromptMode=If_Necessary
1:57:25.54 PM Security 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 2: sec::setSystemName=geac.anchordanly.com
1:57:25.54 PM Comm-SPI 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 scfg:fill - filling system object for sys=GEAC.ANCHORDANLY.COM
1:57:25.54 PM Security 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 2: sec::setHostCCSID=0
1:57:25.54 PM Security 32-bit P=16FC T=1700 2: sec::setHostVRM=0x0

Any help is much appreciated.
If you require more information please let me know and ill get it to you as soon as possible.

Tks J.

 

[JonDownes]

Hi Pronost,

Did you ever get to the bottom of this.
I've just encountered the same problem.
The iSeries Access PC5250 emulator takes an age to start up whenever the user has their HOME DRIVE mapped (in our case, to H:\).
But when I disconnect this mapping, the emulator starts fine (i.e. mcuh quicker).

Incidentally, this problem has only just started occurring, apparently since we changed the file-server which is being mapped to H:\)

Hope someone can help

JonDownes (jtsdownes@hotmail.com)

 

[EricHuntington]

There is a hidden "working directory" for the client defined in the User's Windows profile, or the User portion of the registry:

HKCU\Software\IBM\Personal Communications\CurrentVersion\Preferences
"Profile Directory"="x:\CLIENTACCESS" (it seems to like uppercase "CLIENTACCESS").

What we typically do for our Presentation Server farms is to implement "hidden home" folders for each user at all sites where they may log onto a Citrix published application. This is not their normal visible "home" directory where typically their "My Documents" is redirected, but a separate folder for their use, for technical uses, that is uually hidden from them using Active Directory Group Policies.

The key is to have such a folder on the same LAN as the Citrix server. The user's actual Home directory can also be used, so long as it is at the same site as the Citrix server. If the location is across a WAN, then this symptom occurs.

Then it is a matter of telling Client Access to use the chosen location, accomplished by modifying the user's registry above. This can be modified manually, or better yet, centrally pushed out using either ScriptLogic's Desktop Authority, a simple login script importing a registry file, or with a custom Group Policy administrative template.


// Eric

eric@stepneymarsh.com
Stepney Marsh Systems

 

[EricHuntington]

OK, there's another piece missing. The fix above only worked for a piece of it. The main problem is that CA/400 makes use of the user's %homedrive% environment variable, and uses that no matter what is coded.

Looking at the "Hidden Home" folders described above, we set those as the users' actual "home drive", as set in either the user object in Active Directory (AD) user object or via Group Policy Object (GPO). From a system perspective, the Home drive is the user's "system" suggested-hidden drive, which is on a server local to the Citrix server's local area network (LAN). %homedrive% gets set to this upon logon to Windows.

From the user's perspective, their Home drive (My documents, whatever visible) is actually not a system Home directory, but merely mapped as such with the logon script.

eric@stepneymarsh.com
Stepney Marsh Systems