NW AS Java 7.00 SP17 - Fixed SSL handshake delay

With Netweaver AS JAva 7.00 SP17 SAP has fixed the 200ms dealy when handshaking SSL connections. This should improve SSL logon performance.See note 1227052 on the list of corrections contained in SP17

Netweaver Administrator - Quick Links

Now that SAP has bundled all the WebAS Java 7.1 admin tasks into one with the Netweaver Administrator, you can access the individual functions without going throught all the menus using quick links.
Have a look at this SAP help page for more info and for the quick links.

JSPM : Deploying patches with JSPM stack in a single step

SAP has implemented a new option in the JSPM where you can select the SP Stack you want to implement plus additional patches on top of that in a single update...have a look at SAP Note 1080821.

IDoc Support in the Java Application Server 7.1

Another new addition in NW 7.1 is that the Java Application Server is equipped with the IDOC library/XML processor which enables it to process IDOC's.
Read more about it here.

Patching components without restarting Java AS

Since JSPM 7.10 SP2 you can deploy SCA's without having to restart the Java server.
Have a peak at SAP Note 1125926.

Replacement of Visual Administrator by SAP NetWeaver Administrator

Another change that I found in Netweaver 7.1 is that the J2EE Visual Administrator is replaced by the Netweaver Administrator.All relevant functions of the VA are available in the SAP NetWeaver Administrator under the heading Administration Assistent. The VA is no longer delivered as of SAP NetWeaver 7.1.
See information here.

Java Dispatcher replaced by ICM in NW 7.1

As of Netweaver 7.1 the J2EE dispatcher is replaced by the ICM (Internet Connection Manager) See this SAP Help Document.

Screenshots from using the Web Diagtool

In my previous post I mentioned the new Web Diagtool from SAP that is provided in Note 1045019 to troubleshoot SAP authentication (and other) issues. Today I had first hand experience in using it....very easy and helpful I must say!
You can deploy the EAR file attached to the note, start the app and then login to URL provided in the note.
The start page looks like this :
After selecting the module you want to trace press START. When finished tracing press STOP and a new window will popup with a summary of the traces done, see below :


From the above summary screen you can either download the traces to a zip file or view all traces, see below screen shot :

Diagnostics tool for troubleshooting J2EE authentication

SAP has released a diagnostic tool some time ago to collect traces and troubleshoot authentication on the J2EE. I have used it and it works quite well, especially if you have problems configuring SSO on the J2EE and need to send traces to SAP. See Note 957666.
But recently SAP released a Web based Diagtool, which is a app which runs on the J2EE and collects traces. See Note 1045019 which contains the EAR file you need to deploy.

Secure Cookies?

Looking at SAP Note 1020365 which list the fixes contained in WebAS Java SP14 I noticed the following interesting new option :
" New property "SystemCookiesHTTPSProtection" is added in HTTP Provider service - support for "Secure" cookie attribute for system cookies (JSESSIONID and saplb). By default, this property is switched off. If it is switched on, then during creation of jsessionid and sap_lb cookies, new "Secure" attribute will be added."

Would be interesting to test it.....

RFC load balancing procedure 'Weighted Round Robin'

With Basis 7.00 Support Pack 15 SAP will release a new Weighted Round Robin load balancing procedure for RFC connections to your ABAP backend systems. This will ensure that load is distributed to ABAP servers based on their performance and not on a purely round robin method.. But you don't have to wait for Support Pack 15. You can also implement it as an advanced correction. See Note 1112104

Single-Sign-On : New Wizard

SAP recently released a new (web dynpro based) wizard to help you in stetting up Single-Sign-On (SSO2) in your WebAS Java system. You can download the wizard and it documentation from SAP Note 1083421.

Enable Debug Mode in J2EE Server Node

Sometimes a developer asks you to make a J2EE server node debug able. To do this, launch the J2EE Config Tool (usr/sap//instance/j2ee/configtool) . Then click on server instance node and in the right pane navigate to the Servers Debug tab. There you must select the Debuggable tick box as well as the Enable Debug Mode tick below it.See the screen shot below.

Check if the integrated J2EE is running from SAPGUI

If you run a dual stack system (ABAP + Java) and want to check if the integrated J2EE is running (without logging onto the O/S or using web browser) you

can do it in SAPGUI.

Execute transaction SMICM, Menu GoTo -> HTTP Server -> Display Data

In the next screen look for the line 'J2EE Server operational = TRUE', this means it’s running, if not it will be FALSE.