IV93425: 401 UNAUTHORIZED LOGIN ERROR WHEN F5 LOAD BALANCING "ALWAYS SEND COOKIE" ENABLED

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Maximo Anywhere only works if the "Always Send Cookie" is
  disabled and fails if enabled.
  From Anywhere login user receives 401 unauthorized error. From
  browser same user can login to Maximo, but not from Anywhere.
  The user has both Site and Labor access but are still getting
  401 error.
  PERFORMANCE ISSUE: No
  STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
  Issue is occurs when a Maximo user attempts to login from
  either a device (tested on Android) or
  the Mobile browser simulator.
  Maximo Anywhere 7.6.1 is configured to point to an LDAP Maximo
  7.5.x
  system behind and F5 Load Balancer over port 80.
  
  The Worklight.properties is configured with:
  si.auth.type=basic
  The web.xml is configured with security-constraint section:
  
  <auth-method>BASIC</auth-method>
  and Security role section of web.xml has useAppServerSecurity
  set to 1:
  
  The configuration has been done as per the article:
  Maximo Anywhere and LDAP
  https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/a9ba1efe-b731
  -4317-9724-a181d6155e3a/entry/
  maximo_anywhere_and_ldap?lang=en
  
  CURRENT ERRONEOUS RESULT:
  Maximo Anywhere login user receives 401 unauthorized error.
  What we have observed was that the using the browser, on Maximo
  Anywhere only works if the F5
  configuration "Always Send Cookie" is disabled.
  EXPECTED RESULT:
  Successful login to Maximo Anywhere when using F5 Load Balancer
  ADDITIONAL INFO:
  F5 is configured for Round-Robin Load Balancing and we are
  using sticky session.
  ENVIRONMENT:
  IBM Maximo Anywhere 7.6.1.0 Build 20160907_132639-0500 DB Build
  V7610-10
  Tivoli's process automation engine 7.5.0.8-IFIX20160316-1458
  Build 20150401-2000 DB Build V7508-33
  HFDB Build HF7508-11
  TPAE OSLC Object Structure 7.6.1.0 Build 20160907_132614-0500
  DB Build V7610-15
  IBM TPAE Integration Framework 7.5.1.3 Build 20150403-1800 DB
  Build V7513-027510-03
  Oracle Adapter 7.5.0.0 Build 20110805-1549 DB Build V7500-04
  Maximo Everyplace 7.5.0.0 Build 20110307-0030 DB Build V7100-01
  App Server  Weblogic Application Server 10.3.6.0
  Server OS  Linux 3.0.101-80-default
  Server DB  Oracle 11.2.0.4.0
  

Local fix

• Disable the F5  "Always Send Cookie" configuration
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * All Users                                                    *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * Maximo anywhere wasn't properly handling set-cookie headers  *
  * in responses from the Maximo server causing cookies to get   *
  * lost for future requests.                                    *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• Fixed in Maximo Anywhere platform.  To receive
  this fix, upgrade to the latest iFix for 7.6.1 or 7.6.2 or the
  next release after 7.6.2.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  ANYWHERE APPS

• Fixed component ID

  5725M39MA

Applicable component levels

• R752 PSY

     UP

• R760 PSY

     UP

• R761 PSY

     UP

• R762 PSY

     UP