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Series 7 Version 2 & Netscape compatability 2

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macrus

Technical User
Aug 7, 2002
24
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AU
We're currently using Netscape Directory Server for our security storage and this works fine with Series 7 Version 0. I've read somewhere on this forum that Netscape is no longer supported by Cognos in Series 7 Version 2. Can anyone confirm this and also what is the impact for people like us?

Any assistance or experience in using 7.2 with Netscape Directory Server would be great.[ponder]

thanks,
Macrus
 
Macrus,

This is not the case. Cognos Series 7 MR2 (A.K.A v7.1 -- gotta love the boyz/gals in Ottaway) continues to support Netscape Directory Server as the source for the LDAP security store. In fact, I just recently installed NDS as part of a new MR2 install....

Best Regards,

Pedro Cardoso
A.K.A CanadianTechie
[pc2]
 
Thanks for that Pedro,
I seem to be getting mixed messages from Cognos Support here in Oz. The Cognos website states (by omission) that NDS is no longer supported in MR2 see the link here:


They have replied confirming this suspicion (although your setup seems to contradict this) and stated that as we have an IBM Windows 2K server we should use Sun ONE Directory Server as provided by Cognos on the "Supplementary Software" CD.

If as you state we can still use NDS, then we'd prefer to continue to do so at our site for fear of the 'unknown':-D
 
Macrus,

I can tell you with all certainty that NDS is supported in MR2. It's included on the CD media and referred to in all the documentation -- I was in a Cognos education source earlier this week in Toronto, where we installed and configured NDS in a Series 7 MR2 environment -- so rest assured, you can continue using it in your environment.

The omission on the support site is curious however -- I've forwarded the link to one of my Cognos contacts for clarification -- I believe they just omitted in on their site in error. I will let you know the outcome, as I am curious now...



Pedro Cardoso
A.K.A CanadianTechie
[pc2]
 
I think the versioning that Cognos is using is going to cause problems like this. As I understand it (I haven't yet gone down the Series 7 path yet) is that MR2 is 7.0 and does support NDS. 7.1 is VERSION 2 and does not support NDS as per page 90 of the Installation guide ebi_inst.pdf. Upgrading to Sun ONE Directory Server is supposed to be easy but I think I might bite the bullet and go for Windows 2000 Active Directory. My thinking on this is that further down the track support for Sun ONE might disappear but W2K AD should continue. Any ideas on this anyone.

Also I think I saw somewhere that 7.1 (Version 2) is the last release that will support NT. Still looking where I saw this as it has major impacts as all of our users are on NT.

John
 
Yes,
It definitely is Series 7 VERSION 2 that we're upgrading to and NDS is NOT on the media provided. This leads me to think that perhaps Pedro is talking about a different 'version' than me.
We've decided to use Sun ONE and hope that it will be supported by Cognos and then we'll change again if support disappears.

That's right, we are gluttons for punishment and love nothing more than a 'Cognos upgrade'!!!

I'm still interested to hear if Pedro confirms that the Cognos website has ommitted to include NDS in its list of supported Directory Server software.
Thanks again guys. :-D
 
Guys,

There is considerable confusion generated by the Cognos decision to call the version that 'consolidated' revision changes to all of their BI products as Series 7. Note that this is not a version name. It's as if they consider it a fresh release of a successor product to the older Impromptu. Thus MR1 and MR2 to 7.0 are totally different from version 2 of Series 7. This is totally screwing up the works when you talk with other users about 'versions'.

I think the consensus from above is that Series 7 MR2 is the last product to ship with and support NDS. I haven't received Series 7 Version 2, but this is my understanding. macrus' comments above seem to verify this. Correct me if I've got it wrong.

Regards,

Dave Griffin


The Decision Support Group
Reporting Consulting with Cognos BI Tools
"Magic with Data"
[pc2]
Want good answers? Read FAQ20-2863 first!
 
I'd agree with Dave's consensus. MR2 supports NDS but Version 2 does NOT.
Pedro is going to let us know if he finds information to the contrary.

thanks for all the posts gents [2thumbsup]
Marcus
 
I've had some experience with upgrading from 7.0 MR2 to 7.1 version 2 which included migrating from NDS to Sun One directory server. My findings are that NDS and SunDS are quitte competible and migrating directory content didn't cause any problems.
 
Ok, here's the scoop everyone. (Thanks to James Waite, a very knowledgable Cognos Instructor out of the Toronto office -- thanks guy!)

Netscape Directory Server "no longer exists as a product name" as it was acquired by Sun and is now referred to as "Sun One Directory Server" -- functionally, and visually it is virtually identical to NDS v4.2 and compatible. Cognos no longer "supports" NDS so from a support point of view they may not be willing to assist in "trouble shooting" and suport calls -- however if you have it installed, it will work in both 7.0 MR2 and 7.1 version 2 (yes great naming convention guys)...

One "important gothcha" -- if you are running NDS 4.2 and you choose to UPGRADE to Sun One DS, DO NOT SELECT THE DEFAULT INSTALLATION OPTIONS -- go into custom installation and there will be an option to preserve directory compatibility -- SELECT THIS -- if you don't, or just take the default install options, it will DESTROY YOUR EXISTING data stores....Not nice...

Hope this helps clear up the confusion folks!

Pedro Cardoso
A.K.A CanadianTechie
[pc2]
 
I don't know about you guys but it sure gives me a nice warm feeling inside to have so much expertise at hand to answer these sorts of questions. It's one thing to have the doco saying things but there is nothing like having real world experiences to draw on.

Great work guys.

John
 
As a side note, writing from the Support department at Cognos, we still assist clients that are using NDS 4.2 with Series 7 Version 2. You are correct in stating that NDS 4.2 and IPlanet 5.1 are virtually the same beast, but there have been a few enhancements (namely in ways of performance) made to the IPlanet flavor of the LDAP repository.
This being said, NDS 6.01 does work with our products as well.

Scott
 
Scott,

Thanks for the clarification sir! Having now implemented iPlanet 5.1, I will echo your comments, that the product has indeed "matured" compared to version 4.2 under the NDS moniker..

Nice to know that members from the Cognos support team frequent this forum... :)

Pedro Cardoso
A.K.A CanadianTechie
[pc2]
 
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