Odd Aloha EDC Issue

[alohaakamai3]

One of our restaurants recently had some virus issues and their server had to be rebuilt with XP SP3. They are using a slightly older version of Aloha 5.2.5.118 - it's actually upgraded slightly from the 5.2 version they had before (and yes, I am aware it's not currently PCI complaint).

Anyway, they have VISANET processing over the Internet with EDC and also have a back up modem installed.

Though I can tell from the speed of authorization that the Internet processing is working, the VISANET does not show up on EDC's main screen. Just the back up modem.

That, in and of itself, really doesn't concern me too much, but I am wondering if it might somehow be related to the this next issue.

The issue they've been having since the rebuild is that every few days, they get an error message when trying to settle batch saying a duplicate batch has been found. Sometimes manually incrementing the batch in VISANET fixes it, and if you disable the SSL (Internet processing for visa net), it will always batch successfully.

It's almost like the Internet batch is failing, and then when it goes to use the modem, it's seeing the failed batch and stopping the process. If I increment it manually and just switch over to modem only, it's fine.

The problem was recently made a little more annoying when apparently, somehow some of these cards are getting thru on these failed batches, and it's been double charging customers, or triple charging them, depending on how many times someone has tried to settle.

I am wondering if somehow the VISANET not showing up in EDC on the main screen and this issue are related?

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

(FYI- the system is free of viruses, but I do have a few virus scanners running- but I've disabled them temporarily to see what that does)

 

[SwampGas]

The problem you are seeing is addressed in EDC 6.4.10, which was released on February 13, 2009.

We had this exact same issue with our franchise locations getting the BATCH FULL message and there is no batch limitations. Our franchise sites use SSL over internet through Visanet to BAMS for processing.


Until you upgrade EDC, what you can do when you get the BATCH FULL error is to stop and then start the EDCSvr service. This will clear the memory and start working again until you receive the error again.

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[posrescue]

The problem is probably Internet Explorer on the fileserver. If it is on IE7 you can go back down to IE6 or make sure SSL 2 is flagged in internet options / advanced.

Check the debout.edc from the date and time of one of the failed batches...

 

[SwampGas]

Radiant has changed the SSL library that EDC uses to a different third party SSL library that seems to work much better with the recent changes to Visanet.

The issue has to do with EDC sending out a request and not getting an answer, then when a second request is sent out, two responses come back and this is where a memory issue occurs in SSL and EDC reports BATCH FULL. Buy stopping and starting the service, the memory is cleared again, and EDC resumes.

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[POSITRick]

alohaakamai3,

I had the same problem with EDC. What was happening was that the cust would settle the batch and the VISANET processor sent back an acknowlegment that ALOHA (Ver. 5.2.34) didn't understand so it failed the batch. The customer would settle it again, and again, getting the duplicate batch error, but actually recharging the customers each time. I came in and mistakenly manually incremented the batch number, recharging the customers once again. From what I could gather, the CC processors have changed their ack strings and older versions of Aloha using internet processing (non PCI compliant) don't understand. The only solution I found was to have the cust upgrade to a later version of Aloha EDC.

 

[alohaakamai3]

Thanks for all the helpful information. Generally speaking, because I have been supporting Aloha for so long, when I run to problems I can't fix, they seem to be really odd ones that no one has heard. Glad to see this was not the case here.

All of your answers seem to make sense and are probably all accurate.

As it pertains to my problem however, only two things have really changed prior to it working with no issues.

This unit was re-loaded only as a result of virus issues. Therefore, the hardware is exactly the same. The only changes I can think of were a slightly newer version (but not by much), and the addition of service pack 3.

Also, this customer users optinet for giftcards (for those of you unfamiliar with it, it's a 3rd party GC program). I didn't mention this in the first post because I didn't want to complicate things, but that is also not working (and had also been working fine prior to this mess).

In light of this information, I am leaning towards POSRESCUE's explanation. That is likely has something to do with the SSL. I will try first checking SSL2, then consider downgrading to IE6, or removing SP3 altogether (I suspect sp3 is, in some form another, the change Aloha didn't like like- whether due to IE7 or otherwise).

Two quick questions:

1- Is XP Pro going to fight me on a downgrade to IE6. What's the best way to go about this?

2- Should I be looking to see VISANET in the EDC interface (due to the fact that it's not showing up now) and consider that a step in the direction? Or is this just a aesthetic and thus shouldn't be a primary concern when fixing the problem?

Thanks!

 

[alohaakamai3]

FYI-forgot to add to POSITRICK's comments, that's almost exactly what happened. The weird thing is that is appear it was only AMEX that double charged.

 

[SwampGas]

With the batch full error, and EDC 6.4.10; I personally worked with the developer of EDC on this for a couple of months straight. Several things we do with EDC requires me to be in touch with this person quite often, so the answers I posted were directly what he told me.

The company that I am a Director for, is one of the largest Aloha customers Radiant has. We are also located less than two miles from the Radiant Aloha office and seeing Radiant staff in my office and vice versa is fairly common. Half my helpdesk staff are also former Aloha helpdesk employees, and some of my former employees are now Radiant employees.

All I can say is that your error is exactly what the RFC we created was addressed in 6.4.10.


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[SwampGas]

Overall, I do hope your solution is as simple as downgrading IE. If it is, then it will save people not on maintenance the cost of an upgrade.

Only downside of EDC 6.4.xx and higher is that the alt-x functionality has been removed for PCI compliancy.

Regards,
-Chris



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[alohaakamai3]

Chris-

Thanks for your replies. I lurk in the forums more than I respond anymore since we have a great deal of knowledgeable people on here answering questions-my responses rarely seem necessary any more (whereas in the past, I was taking a stab at questions all the time). To that end, I still check in from time to time, and you are definitely one of the more knowledgeable people we've had on here (and that's saying a lot), and you also appear to have the added advantage of being more on the "inside", more than many of the dealers even. So I don't doubt what you're saying is entirely accurate.

One point- possibly minor, not sure- I am not getting a batch full error. I am getting a "duplicate batch error". I have seen the batch full error with older versions of Aloha and using CES. This error is different (at least the way it reports in EDC). But possibly you are using these errors interchangeably for reason that is beyond my the scope of my present understanding?

The only two issues I personally have regarding an upgrade are as follows. For one thing, it was working fine before the virus issue, with all the same hardware and "close" to the same software. And secondly,that after telling my client they needed an upgrade (who's first response would no doubt be "well, then why did it work fine before?"), there is also a chance that it might not resolve this issue. In either case, I would end up with egg on my face (the second scenario to much greater degree), so I am stuck having to exhaust all possibilities prior to such a recommendation.

I've presently unchecked the SSL 3.0 and checked 2.0 for now. And I may in the next few days attempt the downgrade to IE6 even before waiting around to see if the first change resolves it. And if all else fails, my final step will be to roll back service pack 3. (and MAYBE even go back to version of 5.2.xx they were using before, though I can't remember what exactly which it was- but I do have the bin files, and doubt that's the issue, but who knows).

The reason Posrecues suggestion struck a chord with me is that the addition of IE7 (probably from sp3) *is* in fact is one of the few things that had changed in rebuild.

I welcome more suggestions and appreciate the help greatly. I will definitely be updating the forum with my progress for the benefit of everyone else, now and in the future.

 

[SwampGas]

I understand.

The BATCH FULL message was also happening. We were also getting the DUPLICATE BATCH error constantly. And EDC 6.4.10 resolved everything. Duplicate batch also had something to do with EDC not being certified or tested to settle through BAMS, but authorizing was fine. If we passed through a third party link, fees are higher but it worked better. I'll post the exact details.

I do remember using a modem worked better.

I have my notes on all of this and will post everything about the causes, temporary solutions, and all later today either here or on my site.

All of our corporate locations are connected together via a private frame relay network, so our processing is done with IP only to a router we have in our datacenter that is a VPN connection directly to BAMS, so until our franchise sites moved to Aloha and used SSL, we discovered the problems. -Franchise sites are totally independent and are not connected to our WAN.


Anyway, I like this forum site. I found it while I was bored one night watching a deployment of a new app I had written being sent and installed remotely to all sites, I was hoping to start some type of networking, and possibly find a new candidate to work in my office, but ended up having fun posting info. I do have insight and access to things that not even resellers see (unless they've been bought by Radiant recently), though I cannot talk about some things, there is alot of information I have access to that may be useful.

If anyone goes to Radian't corporate event in California, let me know. We should meet.

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