Monthly Server Healthcheck Section Overview

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Nogalis offers monthly server healthchecks that informs clients of any current or potential problems in Lawson for both PROD and TEST servers. The healthcheck covers error logs, smoke tests, patches, LID functionality, portal check, database integrity, and many other sections (26 total) which will be briefly outlined here.

You can visit https://nogalis.com/docr/demo_hc to view a demo healthcheck for yourself.

  1. Summary

    This is arguably the most important section of the monthly healthcheck. If there is one section to read, it should probably be this one as it brings to attention the most pressing needs of all the other sections. There is also a handy letter grade assigned each month so you can quickly keep track of the overall health of your server!
  2. Recommendations

    This section has all the combined recommendations from the other sections of the healthcheck. It is divided into three levels of urgency so the client can decide what to focus in on.

  3. System Layout

    System hardware and OS information.

  4. Component Versions

    Lawson components version information. If server versions start to fall significantly behind latest versions, recommendations are made.

  5. Application Versions

    Lawson application version information

  6. Programs with Errors

    Any .err files found in the Lawson directory are pointed out in this section. As with any section, further investigation into any issue can be requested by sending an email to the Key Contact.

  7. Custom Programs

    List of custom Z/Y/X programs

  8. CPU Performance

    Tested while idle and under duress. Just a very rough idea of the CPU performance.

  9. Disks Report

    Report on the free space available of the different drives on the server. We make sure to point out in the Summary and Recommendations sections when a drive is getting dangerously low on free space.

  10. Purge Recommendations

    The disks report is followed by purge recommendations where we point out certain things that could be deleted to free up some space.

  11. Java

    Java settings information/recommendations and a screenshot of the jconsole.

  12. licsta

    Summary table of current licenses (viewable in LID)

  13. Error Logs

    Every month we grab these 6 important logs to analyze them for current errors. These errors are pointed out in this section so that the client can determine if they are worth investigating or not.

  14. Smoke Tests and Component Testing

    Various smoke tests with LID, Lawson portal, and various URL tests

  15. Recurring Job Listing

    Simple table listing of recurring jobs. One of the sneaky benefits of having all this information in one healthcheck page is that it allows for a quick search for any terms using the DOCR search bar on the left panel.

  16. Waiting Jobs

    List of waiting jobs

  17. Database/Table Review and Sizing

    This section displays the 10 tables with the largest number of rows for each of PROD/LOGAN/GEN. A quick overview of this section might lead to decisions to purge certain tables for example.

  18. Database Integrity Check

    Summary of database integrity check performed through LID. Any errors here are pointed out in Summary/Recommendations.

  19. Printers

    List of printers and their commands

  20. Work Directory Review

    Overview of Lawson work folder

  21. Print Directory Review

    The Lawson print directory list by user. This information could possibly be used to purge old users/records.

  22. Security Analysis

    Security analysis performed using LSFIQ
    (1-click Lawson security audit and reporting tool: see https://www.nogalis.com/nogalis-products/lawson-security-with-lsfiq/ for more info.)

  23. Patches Installed Report

    List of latest patches installed on this server.

  24. Source Versions Report

    The source versions report is in a zipped file available to download in the Related Files section.

  25. Related Files

    Any related files related to the healthcheck are in this section where they are available to view or download.

  26. Key Contacts

    If you have any questions about the healthchecks or would like to request an investigation into some error discovered by the healthcheck, please contact anyone in the Key Contacts section with your questions.

What does deljobhst really do?

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Often our Lawson print queues get cluttered and out of hand.  Lawson’s deljobhst command is a really great tool for cleaning up your batch jobs.  It can clear the clutter from your user’s print managers, as well as free up some space on your server.  Run this command in LID.

For each of these commands, you must provide a “ToDate” in MMDDYY format.  So, if you give it an end date of 033119, for instance, you would delete all the selected job history up to March 31, 2019.

You also have the option of providing a user’s account so that you just perform the delete for a specific user.  There is also a from date option that allows you to manage job history for a specific date range.

We recommend setting up some of these commands on a schedule to keep your Lawson server happy & healthy.

Here is a summary of the command:

The -w option will delete all waiting jobs, so jobs in recovery and jobs with Invalid Parameters.  After you run this, there will not be any jobs listed in the waiting queue for the specified user (or all users) up to the specified run date.

The -c option deletes all completed jobs.  This is a great way to clean up user’s job schedule print manager lists.  This action removes the data from the QUEUEDJOB table.  It does not remove print files.

The -r option removes all the print files associated with batch jobs, that were created up to the specified to date.  This will help keep your server from getting too cluttered.  Make sure you back up your print directory, especially if you have a retention policy at your organization.  If you run the command so that it deletes ALL print files (so delete everything up to today), it will delete your entire print directory.  Don’t panic!  It’ll be created the next time a user runs a batch job.

Infor Supports EKZ Renewables with Expansion

Infor recently announced that Zurich based wind parks company EKZ Renewables AG has deployed Infor d/EPM to help support the company’s continuous growth. Infor d/EPM is a sophisticated business intelligence solution that will assist EKZ with optimizing reporting, planning and forecasting of their wind power projects with their goal to generate green electricity certificates as well as meet their corresponding return on invested capital. Christian Hürlimann, managing director of EKZ Renewables AG, expressed his excitement to implement Infor d/EPM as it will provide his employees with helpful tabular and graphical evaluations of their activities, which can help them derive practical recommendations for next steps. “With the introduction of our strategic performance management solution Infor d/EPM, we support the planning, reporting and analysis of the wind park portfolio of EKZ Renewables AG. This shows how versatile Infor software can be”, said Jörg Jung, managing director central and east Europe at Infor.

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Designer Series – JSON Converter Node

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The JSON Converter node can be used to build a JSON object from CSV or XML, or to convert a JSON object to XML or CSV.

Under the input tab on the Properties, the input could be output from some other node, a variable, or a text string.

The output from the converter node can be used to saved to a file, in a data iterator, or in other reader nodes in your flow.

IPA Node Error – There is not one Actor for this identity

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I was doing some work in Landmark and ran across an issue where my LPA node wouldn’t start in the grid.  I looked at the logs and saw the error “There is not one Actor for this identity: <IDENTITY>”.  Issues like this often present themselves when trying to log into Rich Client also.  In this case, it came back with a “logon failure” message.  When you come across issues like this, and you can’t get into Rich Client, the next step is to check the database.  For an error referring to actors and identities, the first table to look at would be IDENTITYACTOR in the Landmark GEN database.  In this case, I discovered that the record for the IDENTITY mentioned in the error had a DELETEFLAG that was populated with the UNIQUEID (meaning that it had been deleted).  I updated the record and set the DELETEFLAG = 0, rebooted my server, and the LPA node started right up.

Infor Launches Next Generation of CloudSuite CRM

Infor recently launched the next generation of CloudSuite CRM – Infor CloudSuiteTM CRM. This cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) application is part of the Infor Customer Experience suite of solutions, and includes sales, customer service, marketing analytics and reporting tools. Infor CloudSuite CRM allows companies to manage the full customer life cycle in one environment – this helps them to capitalize on future sales opportunities and deliver exceptional services. The newest release of Infor CloudSuite CRM is built on Infor’s highly-extensible, framework, Infor Mongoose, offering a scalable product in an easy-touse interface where users can tailor the solution to meet their specific needs. “Infor CloudSuite CRM remains a key solution in Infor’s strategy and continues to receive significant R&D investment,” said Jason Rushforth, vice president and general manager, Infor Customer Experience. Sales teams can maximize customer interaction with access to better prospect and customer data. Additionally, Real-time access to operational and sales data gives a complete view of customer interactions that enables the sales team and other departments to make informed decisions throughout the sales process and beyond.

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Sega Entertainment Selects Infor ERP Solution to Modernize its Operating Environment

Infor Japan K.K., the Japanese subsidiary of Infor, recently announced that Sega Entertainment Co., Ltd. has selected to work with Infor LN in their effort to meet new business demands and efficiencies. The ERP solution for manufacturing companies will have the aid of Infor partner Hitachi, Ltd. with implementation of the project. A long standing entertainment business group, Sega Entertainment has been in recent years implementing new initiatives to further create enjoyable experiences for their consumers with new technologies. Having established the need to modernize their systems Sega Entertainment plans to leverage Infor LN to launch a new mission-critical platform for account management, sales and logistics, and warehouse management. Full implementation is expected by the summer of 2020.

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IP Designer Series – JSON Builder Node

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The JSON Builder node can be used to build a JSON object, which you can use later in your flow for reading or sending out to a server using a web call.

Under the input tab on the Properties, the input could be output from some other node, a variable, or a text string.

The output of a JSON builder can be used to send a JSON web call, or it can be read similarly to the JSON parser output.

What Is Your ERP System Lacking?

If your organization doesn’t yet have an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implemented, you are way behind in the competition. Taking advantage of data management with erp systems is crucial in today’s competitive landscape. Not all ERP systems are the same, so it takes a great deal of research to find the one best for your business. If you already have an ERP system in place, you might want to consider if it’s the right fit or if it’s still not at full potential. Lexie Lu at socpoub.com shares the common areas where ERP systems fail, and how you can focus on these to improve your business processes and data processing.

  • Flexible Databases – While you don’t want to make all information accessible, you can set up tiers where department heads have more access to data than other employees, for example.
  • Manufacturing Execution System (MES) – For businesses with a manufacturing floor, adding MES functionality to your software systems helps with everything from overtime scheduling to quarterly productivity goals.
  • Visualization Tools – One way of breaking down complex data is with data visualization tools, which takes complex data, analyzes it and creates visual representations, making it easier to understand.
  • Security – Securing your system is vital and one of the reasons many companies turn to cloud-based solutions.
  • Remote Accessibility – Having a cloud ERP system can be accessible for any and all remote workers, business travelers, and on-the-go sales people in your company.
  • Vendor and Client Access – Vendors and clients alike should have easy access to profile information, past purchases/activities and general data provided by your ERP system.
  • Automated Workflow – You can add different software modules to your ERP that automate workflow for sales and marketing.
  • HR and Payroll Management – Adding HR and payroll management software to your ERP not only frees up HR but also makes life easier on your accounting department.

In a perfect world there would be an ERP system that crosses off everything on your checklist, but that doesn’t (yet) exist). However, the best ERP systems out there do have quite a few exclusive benefits. Thanks to third party add-ons (make sure they are compatible and fully integrated with your ERP system) you can customize your ERP system to your liking.

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Top Business Advantages Of Mobile CRM Apps

The rise of mobile device has not only changed the way we communicate and do things as consumers, but also the way we do business as companies. In this day and age, most interaction businesses have with customers – whether it’s a point of sale or speaking to a representative – is done on a mobile device.  Mobile apps are more popular than ever for both the business and consumer, and mobile customer relationship management (CRM) applications are on the rise. With mobile CRM apps, employees can interact with colleagues and clients on the go, as well as access data and other information at the palm of their hands. MobileAppDaily provides more benefits a mobile CRM solution can have for any business:

  • Customer Expectations – Customers expect any business they interact with to have an online presence to make interaction easier.
  • Services On-the-Go – With such easy access to your company information, you save your company and customer’s time.
  • Stay With The Customer – Instant communication helps build brand trust with new customers and turns them into returning customers.
  • A Connected Workforce – Traveling employees and those who work remotely can be more productive with a mobile CRM application.
  • Combine The CRM With Marketing Automation – Mobile CRM applications help your employees stay in sync no matter where they are.

Consider a Mobile CRM application for your business for its convenience, connectivity, and popularity with the current digital lifestyle we all have.

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