Host Integrator Session Monitor Reference

The Host Integrator Session Monitor is a debugging tool that allows you to view host sessions connecting from Host Integrator Servers in real time. When you view a session with the Session Monitor, you can see every aspect of the interaction between the client application and the host. In addition to viewing host screens in a session, you can also record a snapshot of the images and play them back, which is especially useful for finding errors.

Notes:

Quick Start

To view a session on a Host Integrator Server, you need to perform the following tasks:
  1. Specify the AADS server under which the session is running and connect to it.
  2. Specify the Host Integrator Server under which the session is running and connect to it.
  3. List the active sessions and session pools on the Host Integrator Server.
  4. Select and view the session.

Using Session Monitor

Configuring Directory Server Information (AADS)

To begin, you must specify the name of one or more AADS servers on which the Host Integrator Servers containing the sessions you want to view are running.

To add a directory server to the Session Monitor's configuration

  1. On the Configure menu, select Add Directory Server.
  2. In the Add Directory Server dialog box, enter the name of the AADS server you want to add.
  3. Click OK.

Repeat these steps for each directory server you want to add to your Session Monitor configuration. Once added, the directory server appears in the list of directory servers. To remove a directory server, select Remove Directory Server from the Configure menu, then select the server you want to remove from the list.

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Connecting to Verastream Host Integrator Servers

After you add one or more directory servers to the Session Monitor configuration, the Host Integrator Servers running beneath each directory server appear in the VHI Server list at the bottom of the Session Monitor main screen.

To connect to a Host Integrator Server

  1. Connect to the AADS server on which the Host Integrator Server is running by selecting it from the Directory Server list and then clicking Connect.
  2. Once a connection is made to the directory server, the list of Host Integrator Servers running beneath it becomes available.

  3. Select the Host Integrator Server to which you want to connect.
  4. Click the Connect button to the right of the server name.
  5. Note: If a Host Integrator Server becomes active after you start the Session Monitor, it will not automatically be visible. To refresh the list of available servers, disconnect and reconnect to the directory server under which the newly available server is running.

Once you connect to a Host Integrator Server, you can view all active sessions and session pools. Do so by selecting Active Sessions or Session Pools on the left portion of the screen.

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Listing Active Sessions and Session Pools

After you connect to a Host Integrator Server, you can list the active sessions and session pools running on that server.

To list the active sessions or session pools

  1. Connect to the Host Integrator Server containing the session or session pool you want to list.
  2. To list the active sessions, select Active Sessions on the left portion of the screen.
  3. To list the active session pools, select Session Pools on the left portion of the screen.
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Interpreting Session Statistics

The Session Monitor displays the following statistics about active sessions on the currently selected Host Integrator Server:


ID
The ID is the session ID, which is an incremental number assigned at run-time by the server to the session. The ID is the same as that listed under "Session ID" in Host Integrator log files.

Client IP

Specifies the IP address of the machine connected to the server. If the session is suspended, this field will be blank.


User ID
Specifies the user ID of the person connected to the server. If the session is suspended, this field will be blank.


Session Pool

Specifies the session pool used by this session.


Model

Specifies the name of the model used by this session.


Host

Specifies the name of the host this session is connected to.


Session Time

Indicates the amount of time, in seconds, that this session has been connected.


Suspended

Indicates whether the session is currently suspended. When the session is suspended, the Client IP and User ID columns for this session are blank.

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Viewing Sessions

After you connect to a Host Integrator Server, you can view active sessions on that server.

To view a session or session pool

  1. Connect to the Host Integrator Server that contains the session you want to view.
  2. List the active sessions or session pools by selecting Active Sessions or Session Pool on the left portion of the screen.
  3. Click the session you want to view in the active session listing of the Session Monitor.

A session view window opens, displaying the session you selected. The current state of the session is represented, including the cursor position. The session window displays a real time view of the state of the session. All entity navigations and attribute updates are visible.

In addition to viewing the session, the Session Monitor also allows you to record the session's screens. This makes finding errors easier, especially for sessions in which the host interaction is rapid.

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Recording and Playing Back Session Snapshots

The Session Monitor allows you to record a session and play it back to aid you in troubleshooting errors. Any change to the host screen causes the Session Monitor to record the current screen as a record. By default, the number of records (screens) that the Session Monitor will record is 200. The maximum number of screens you can record is 2000.

Note: The host application model contains a setting called "Maximum Number of Consecutive Session View Partial Updates Allowed" which specifies the maximum number of partial screen updates that will be accepted by a Host Integrator Server from a character mode host. Partial updates are commonly sent via a datastream of characters on character mode hosts unlike block mode hosts, which often transmit one screen's worth of data at a time. Setting a maximum number of partial screen updates optimizes performance between the Session Monitor and Host Integrator Server.


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Configuring the Auto Refresh Feature

By default, the Session Monitor only refreshes the list of sessions or session pools when you click Refresh on the Session Monitor main screen. To turn on the Auto Refresh feature, which automatically refreshes the session list every 20 seconds, select Auto Refresh on the Configure menu.

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Error Messages

The numbered list below includes all the error messages that can appear as you're using the Session Monitor and a brief explanation.

[2820] Timed out while waiting for data.

The operation failed. The remote object failed to send a response within a specified timeout period.

[2822] Server services not running.

The server you are trying to connect to is not currently running or is shutting down.

[2826] Timed out while handshaking.

The connection failed because the remote object did not send a handshake reply within specified time-out period.

[2828] Connection to the server cannot be established.

A connection to the remote service cannot be made. Please verify that the services are running on the machine you are connecting to.

[2830] Requested session is not currently running.

The service you are connecting to is no longer running. Its likely that it was removed because it timed out while waiting for client connection.

[2844] Requested session is shutting down.

The service you are connecting to is shutting down. It is possible that the service was removed because it timed out while waiting for a connection.

[2860] Socket Error - Socket connection refused.

A connection to the remote service cannot be made. Verify that the services are running on the machine you are connecting to.

[2868] Socket Error - Invalid host name.

Verify that the name of the host or server you are connecting to is correct.

[2870] Parsing Error - Bad grammar.

Contact Technical Support.

[2956] You are not currently viewing the session.

A communication error occurred between the Administrative WebStation and the server. Log out from the Administrative WebStation and then log back in.

[3040] Authentication failure for specified userid and password; [name].

The operating system does not recognize the user ID or password. Verify the user ID and password and try again.

[3041] Authorization failure for security profile [name].

The user ID is not a member of an operating system group associated with the specified security profile. Please add the user to the appropriate operating system group.

[3043] SSL connection failed, certificates do not match.

Directory Services is a component of Host Integrator Authentication Authorization and Directory Services (AADS). When Directory Services is installed, a security certificate is issued, which makes it possible to secure the communication between Host Integrator Servers, the Session Monitor, and Directory Services. When this certificate is issued during installation, the fingerprint for the certificate is displayed. You must copy this number and save it for future reference. You need this number whenever you add a directory server to an Administrative WebStation configuration in the Set Directory Server dialog box.

Note: You may see this message if you have upgraded Host Integrator from a previous version. AADS connection names reflect settings from the earlier version of Session Monitor. To remedy this problem, delete all AADS connection names and then add the names again.

If the fingerprint that is displayed when you connect to a server, it means that the directory server has been reinstalled. Although this can be an indication of a security breach, in most cases it means that the administrator responsible for the server had to reinstall directory services. Contact that administrator for the correct fingerprint.

If you are unable to determine the cause of mismatched fingerprints, you can resolve this problem by reinstalling the AADS server. Be aware, however, that if you reinstall an AADS server, you will have to reinstall every Host Integrator Server that is registered to it.

Note: You can also view the fingerprint by opening the cert.fingerprint file on the machine where AADS is installed. Cert.fingerprint is installed in the <installed directory>/etc/aads directory.

[3120] Directory services [name] connection failed.

The server could not establish a connection to AADS for registration. If this error occurs on startup, the server will immediately shut down. Check to see if AADS is running.

[3127] Session already being viewed.

A given session can only be viewed by one window at a time.

[3154] Connected session timed out waiting for client activity.

Verify the inactivity timeout configured on the server or contact your system administrator.

[3182] Security violation.

An unauthorized connection to the server was attempted. You will get this error if you configured security profiles and turned on security for your server just now. You must first log out and log back in to get a new security token that is authorized to configured this server. If the problem persists even after you logout and log back in, contact Technical Support.


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Technical Support Information

If you have questions or are experiencing problems with Verastream Host Integrator, please select the link below.
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