White Paper about solutions to manage your IBM ECM environments (FileNet, Content Manager, Content Manager OnDemand, Datacap, ICC, ..) efficiently and reliably. Covers ECM application health monitoring, end user service quality monitoring, hot backup & granular recovery.

1. White Paper
Reliable and efficient operation of IBM ECM
solutions with IBM ECM System Monitor V5.1
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper
CENIT AG
Industriestraße 52-54
70565 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 7825-30
Fax:
+49 711 7825-4000
eMail: info@cenit.de
www.cenit.com

2. 1. Reliable and efficient operation of IBM ECM solutions
IBM ECM solutions such as IBM FileNet, IBM Case Manager, IBM Content Manager 8 or IBM Content Manager OnDemand
are used in mission-critical business processes. However in most organizations the ECM applications are still operated manually, which results in high efforts in IT Operations and Service Desk, often 24*7. Enterprise monitoring
tools are restricted to a basic monitoring of ECM components, but they do not provide any ECM specific functional
application health monitoring – they only provide a limited component perspective, often in silos.
Several IT Service Management studies show that more than 70% of application problems were not detected by
the application administrators, but by the end users. Identifying the root cause of a problem often takes hours,
especially in complex J2EE environments, and involves different groups in the IT organization. This results in more
downtime and operational costs than necessary - and certainly does not help to meet the end users' expectations
or SLAs.
A Forrester study shows the impact of cost reductions in IT Operations. Organizations with a comprehensive IT
Service Management can spend a far higher percentage of their IT budget for investments and innovations instead
of „burning” it to keep the status quo up and running.
The answer to address this challenge is „IBM Enterprise Content Management System Monitor“ (ECM System Monitor) –
a solution which allows customers to manage the IBM ECM components and their underlying infrastructure reliably
and efficiently by automating routine work in the daily operation. ECM System Monitor can be integrated seamlessly
into central enterprise monitoring solutions, giving IT Operations and Service Desk staff full insight into the ECM
health 24*7.
The benefits are manifold:
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Comprehensive, proactive monitoring of entire business services improves availability
and end user experience
Management of IBM ECM components and their infrastructure in one Single Point of Control
makes administrator’s lives easier
Better and cost efficient fulfillment of Service Level Agreements
Integration of IT Operations and Service Desk for central operation of IBM ECM 24*7
Automation of non-value-adding routine monitoring work of IBM ECM administrators
reduces operational costs
Better support of IT compliance and auditing requirements
Service Level Agreements related to the IBM ECM platform are delivered in a more reliable and efficient way. The
end users get a better experience of ECM and embrace new opportunities for enterprise-wide usage. Operational
costs are reduced; high costs due to productivity losses in the LOB are avoided.
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 2

3. 2. The Solution
Functionality
ECM System Monitor manages the various IBM ECM components and their underlying infrastructure as well as their
overall interoperability to guarantee the availability of the IT service ECM from an end user perspective. So ECM System
Monitor does not only monitor the various components, but also the entire document management process chain.
A typical example for a transactional monitoring of the ECM health is to check whether the user can logon to the application or not. This involves e.g. the components FileNet Application Engine and Content Engine, the middleware
components like WebSphere Application Server as well as the authentication and authorization components (LDAP/
ADS and FileNet P8 Global Configuration Database based on Oracle, DB2 or MSSQL). ECM System Monitor not only
checks if the components are running, but also if they are interacting properly, so that the end user’s transaction can
be completed. Moreover, the performance of the complete process and the single steps are monitored as well (required
time in milliseconds).
In addition to monitoring specific parameters on managed systems ECM System Monitor provides a Service Level Monitor
to correlate monitor events from one or multiple systems and determine a new severity from a Service Level perspective. This new Service Level event cannot only be assigned to a specific system, but also to virtual systems, e.g. “CE
Farm”. This is particular interesting to monitor the overall service level of clusters or farms.
ECM System Monitor does not only alert for current problems, but also allows identifying upcoming problems. Hence
the ECM administrator is able to proactively intervene, before the LOB experience any outage or degradation of their
mission-critical ECM applications. Event forwarding from ECM System Monitor to IT Service Management tools allows
IT Operations and Service Desk personnel to monitor the ECM systems 24*7 using their standard management console,
e.g. IBM Tivoli.
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 3

4. An ECM specific Knowledge Base supports in the analysis of problems and events, helping staff without deep knowledge of ECM applications to better assess and fix problems. This knowledge base can be extended, so you can create
your own individual knowledge base, e.g. with application specific or organization specific instructions how to handle
events in your environment.
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 4

5. Predefined remote tasks allow starting / stopping of ECM systems or even entire environments without having the
support personnel to know the proper sequence and syntax for starting / stopping and without giving them full
administrative rights in ECM systems. After the restart ECM System Monitor automatically checks the health and
alerts you, if the restart was not successful. Statistical information or ad-hoc health information can also be retrieved from the monitored systems. All tasks are secured by user privileges and can be scheduled on demand.
The reporting engine allows analyzing historical events as well as statistic and performance data collected by ECM
System Monitor. The reports can be used to share information with LOB management, to identify quality improvements (Problem Management), to properly plan capacities (Capacity Management) and to meet IT compliance and
auditing requirements. Numeric events can also be explored into the future, answering questions such as „How will
my system behave in the next 24 hours?“ and identifying threats of degrading performance.
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 5

6. IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 6

7. Platform Coverage
ECM System Monitor supports the following applications out-of-the-box:
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IBM FileNet
- IBM FileNet Image Manager: Image Services, ISRA, Web Services, HPII/MRII, Content Services
- IBM FileNet Content Manager / IBM Content Foundation & FileNet Business Process Manager / IBM Case Foundation:
Content Platform Engine / Content Engine, Content Engine Bulk Import, Process Engine, Application Engine, Content
Search Services / Content Search Engine, Workplace, Workplace XT, Component Manager, Rendition Engine, Process
Analyzer / Case Analyzer
- BPM Add-ons: Business Process Framework, Business Activity Monitor
- Storage: SDS Integral and NLS (CSAR, ISAR, MSAR, OSAR, SSAR)
IBM Case Manager
IBM Content Navigator
IBM Content Manager 8
IBM Content Manager OnDemand / ODWEK
Information Lifecycle Governance
- IBM Content Collector (ICC)
- IBM eDiscovery Manager
- IBM Enterprise Records (IER)
IBM Datacap
Integration
- Content Federation Services (CFS)
- Information Integrator Content Edition (IICE)
- Information Integrator for Content (II4C)
IBM ECM Logfiles
IBM ECM Listeners - real-time monitoring of health parameters and statistical counters provided by the Listener API
IBM Content Manager 8 and IBM Content Manager OnDemand running on z/OS can also be monitored remotely from
a distributed system:
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Remote database monitoring for DB2 on z/OS using JDBC monitors
Event collection from z/OS monitoring tools, e.g. Tivoli OMEGAMON or BMC MainView
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 7

8. Examples for an IBM ECM specific health monitoring are:
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 8

9. Examples for an IBM ECM specific health monitoring are:
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 9

10. ECM System Monitor does not only monitor the various ECM components, but also their underlying infrastructure, so
that the administrator gets the whole picture of his entire ECM platform in one Single Point of Control. This is important,
as the failure of an infrastructure component may result in a failure of an ECM component.
So even if the responsibility for such an infrastructure component resides in a different administrator group in the IT
organization the ECM administrator must have knowledge of such events, as they have a negative impact on the availability of the ECM applications. Because it is the ECM administrator who will get blamed for the outage as the end users
only see the ECM front-end application, but not the complex environment behind it (actually they don't have to care
about IT complexity).
Out-of-the-box ECM System Monitor can manage the following components:
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Databases: IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle database server are monitored. This covers not only the database health status (e.g. tablespace capacity) and performance, but checks the database also from the ECM
perspective, i.e. can the IBM ECM application connect to the database. If the ECM administrator has the need for
custom SQL queries against the database which are not covered with ECM System Monitor standard monitors, predefined custom SQL query monitors are available for all supported databases. ECM System Monitor database
monitors can be configured for local or remote databases and can use either the corresponding database command
line tools or a JDBC connection to monitor the databases.
J2EE Application Servers: IBM WebSphere Application Server, JBoss, Oracle WebLogic and Tomcat are monitored
via JMX. This allows ECM System Monitor to collect all application server specific health information that this
server is providing through JMX.
Web Servers: Monitoring of Apache, IBM HTTP Server and MS Internet Information Server
LDAP Connection
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager: Capacity and Performance metrics from TSM Accounting, TSM Storage Pools (TSM
Volume Log), TSM Error Log
System Logfiles: UNIX Syslog, Linux Syslog, Windows Eventlog, AIX error log
VMWares and VMWare ESX Hosts
JMX: Monitoring of applications that support JMX or JSR 160
WMI: Monitoring of counters provided by Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
SNMP: Monitoring of SNMP Traps, e.g. provided by storage systems
Other applications can be added on demand. This includes custom built applications, which are using or which are connected to the ECM platform, as they are an integral part of the IT Service ECM.
Examples for an infrastructure specific health monitoring are:
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 10

11. Integration
ECM System Monitor can run independently. However ECM System Monitor can integrate into IT Service Management
tools by forwarding events to and by receiving events from them. This enables IT Operations and Service Desk staff to
get ECM related event information within their event consoles, whether it is IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus, HP
Operations Manager or any other console.
In general ITSM tools can be fed with ECM System Monitor events as follows:
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ECM System Monitor logfile, which would be analyzed by the ITSM tool‘s logfile adapter
Via commands, e.g. BMC’s MSEND or CA’s cawto
Via predefined SNMP MIB shipped with ECM System Monitor
Other applications can be added on demand. This includes custom built applications, which are using or which are connected to the ECM platform, as they are an integral part of the IT Service ECM.
Examples for an infrastructure specific health monitoring are:
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IBM Tivoli: Collection of ECM System Monitor events via the JDBC / ODBC Connector of IBM Tivoli Monitoring‘s
Universal Agent. Events can also be sent directly via EEIF to IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus.
HP Operations Manager: ECM System Monitor provides an event forwarding via HP‘s Java API.
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 11

12. Architecture
ECM System Monitor has a client / server architecture, which is designed to minimize the workload on the managed
systems. Server and client both consist of two components – a monitoring component (client and server) and an infrastructure component (client and server).
The execution of predefined remote tasks is handled by the ECM System Monitor Infrastructure Agent, which is installed on the managed system. The communication between ECM System Monitor Infrastructure Agent and ECM System
Monitor Infrastructure Server is TCP/IP based and secured by certificates and SSL encryption. All remote tasks are
initiated and authorized by the ECM System Monitor Infrastructure Server.
The collection of events is handled by the ECM System Monitor Monitoring Agent. The communication between Monitoring
Server and Agent is also TCP/IP based and encrypted. The processing of events is handled by the ECM System Monitor
Monitoring Server. Events are stored in the Event Database, where they can also be kept for historical analysis. The
user authentication can be handled ECM System Monitor internally or ECM System Monitor can be connected to LDAP
systems, like Microsoft Active Directory Services, Microsoft ADAM, Tivoli Directory Server, Sun Directory Server or Novell
eDirectory.
For a detailed list of platforms supported by the ECM System Monitor Management Server and Management Agents
please see the ECM System Monitor Hardware and Software Guide.
The ECM System Monitor Server can also be deployed in a virtualized environment, e.g. run on VMWare ESX Hosts, IBM
AIX LPAR or SUN Solaris Zones. The Management Server can also be set up as High Availability solution, e.g. with a
backup server in an ECM DR environment.
For the Event Database ECM System Monitor supports IBM DB2, MS SQL Server and Oracle.
3. Benefits
Monitoring IBM ECM environments with ECM System Monitor provides the following benefits:
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Comprehensive monitoring of ECM business services
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Proactive monitoring of IBM ECM components and their underlying infrastructure in one Single Point of Control
IBM ECM specific Knowledge Base to support and expedite problem analysis
Monitoring and knowledge base can be extended to manage 3rd party and custom-built applications connected
with the IBM ECM platform
Stabilization of the IBM ECM platform
Higher availability of IBM ECM based IT services due to error prevention and reduced problem resolution
efforts improves service quality for LOB
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Better and cost efficient fulfillment of Service Level Agreements
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Reduction of trouble tickets in the Service Desk
Integration of IT Operations and Service Desk due to event forwarding to IT Service Management
Tools allows central operation of IBM ECM 24*7
Automation of non-value-adding routine work in the daily administration and monitoring improves
the productivity of IBM ECM administrators and reduces operational costs
Integration of IBM ECM as managed application into an enterprise-wide IT Service Management allows
usage of established IT Service Management processes
Better support of IT compliance and auditing requirements
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Thanks to ECM System Monitor the ECM application specialists can focus their attention on the further development
and optimization of the IBM ECM platform instead of wasting their time with non-value-adding routine work in the daily
administration and monitoring. All the same they – and IT Operations and Service Desk – can be sure that they will be
alerted immediately in case of a current or an upcoming error or event.
With that ECM System Monitor helps to deliver Service Level Agreements defined for the ECM platform in a more reliable and efficient way. The end users get a better experience of ECM and embrace new opportunities for an enterprise-wide
usage. Operational costs are reduced; high costs due to productivity losses in the LOB are avoided.
As part of the IBM ECM portfolio ECM System Monitor provides unsurpassed integration and currency with the IBM ECM
solutions.
4. Add-on solutions enhancing ECM System Monitor
CENIT provides a comprehensive portfolio to enhance the value of ECM System Monitor – based on IBM ECM application aware soft-ware solutions and many years of experience in operating IBM ECM platforms for our customers.
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End-to-End Performance Monitoring: ServiceTracer to monitor response times of typical ECM use cases from an end
user perspective – 24x7, cross locations and frontends, in daily operation as well as for application testing and failover testing, with integration into ECM System Monitor
End User Monitoring and Analytics: Nexthink to monitor and analyze end user infrastructure – better support of end
users, identification of abnormal system behavior and security issues, better planning in transformation projects
Configuration & Change Management: CENIT ValuePack for ECM System Monitor for automated inventory of IBM
ECM systems – automated documentation of system configuration and changes for simpler troubleshooting and
better change management
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 13

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Backup & Recovery (FileNet only): CYA SmartRecovery for granular Hot Backup & Recovery of documents and meta
data in the FileNet Content Engine – without taking FileNet offline, improving recovery times and avoiding reprocessing efforts for business users
These add-on solutions enrich ECM System Monitor. The administrators get a 360° view on their ECM applications –
not only on the ECM backend in the data center, but also on their end users’ experience.
5. The Implementation Approach
CENIT offers a turnkey implementation, which is tailored to the customer's ECM environment and needs and can include
other systems working with the ECM platform, e.g. input & output management systems or custom-built applications.
This CENIT implementation is designed to meet customer's specific requirements of monitoring the entire ECM based business services and covers the following activities:
Analysis and Conception
- CENIT Best Practices
- Customer specific requirements beyond Best Practices, e.g. monitoring of 3rd party applications
or homegrown applications
■ Installation of Management Servers and Management Agents in ECM production and
non-production environments
- Application Health Monitoring with ECM System Monitor
- Automated inventory with CENIT ValuePack for ECM System Monitor
- Performance Monitoring with ServiceTracer (optional)
- Backup & Recovery with CYA SmartRecovery (optional)
■ Configuration
- ECM System Monitor
Monitoring & Logfile Management
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Remote Tasks
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Management Console
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Knowledge Base
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Reporting
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Event forwarding to IT Service Management Tools
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- CENIT ValuePack for ECM System Monitor (optional)
Automated inventory of hardware and software configuration
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Reporting
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- ServiceTracer (optional)
Response time monitoring for typical ECM use cases
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Reporting
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Event forwarding to ECM System Monitor
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- CYA SmartRecovery (optional)
Configuration of ObjectStores
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Configuration of Capture and Catalog
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Integration into IBM Tivoli Storage Manager or others (optional)
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■ Roll-Out into ECM production and non-production environments
■ Administrator Training for ECM administrators
■ Project Management and Documentation
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After approx. 4 weeks of productive usage of ECM System Monitor we do a review of the events detected and adjust
the thresholds and logfile filtering accordingly, so that you get as many events as necessary but as few as possible.
IBM ECM System Monitor 5.1 White Paper 14

15. The efforts for the implementation mainly depend on the
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Number of ECM environments and servers to be monitored
Customer requirements going beyond Best Practices, e.g. monitoring of custom applications
Training requirements, e.g. multiple sessions of the Administrator
Training or extended Logfile Adapter training
With that CENIT provides a tailored solution and enables the customer's ECM administrators to run their application
management efficiently and reliably. The end user experience is improved and the costs of running the ECM platform
are contained.
6. Contact
For further information about ECM System Monitor please contact
CENIT AG
Roland Merkt
Senior Vice President Systems Management
Phone: +49 711 7825 3285
Email: r.merkt@cenit.de
Videos of an ECM System Monitor presentation and live demo can be found in our YouTube channel at
■ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suEGr9X6J7c&feature=c4-overview&list=UUuy4t-TQYeUjHfij2DBSbAw
■ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSkRtICbMDI&feature=c4-overview&list=UUuy4t-TQYeUjHfij2DBSbAw
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