Apache Tomcat Plugin v201.5.2 - Release Notes

Apache Tomcat Plugin v201.5.2 - Release Notes

About Apache Tomcat Plugin

Apache Tomcat Plugin provides protection and proactively monitors the Apache Tomcat environment’s configuration data, services, and application data files.

What's new

  1. support for Apache Tomcat 10.x.x
  2. Fix for [EN-6441]: Ilegal caracter in file filter pattern.

    Supported Versions and Platforms

    1. Apache Tomcat 10.x.x
    2. Apache Tomcat 9.x.x
    3. Apache Tomcat 8.x.x

    Supported Installations

    1. Apache Tomcat 10.x.x., 9.x.x and 8.x.x (Single and Multiple Instances)
      1. apache-tomcat-[version].exe 64 bit
      2. apache-tomcat-[version]-windows-x64.zip 64-bit

    Apache Tomcat Plug-in Configuration

    Exclude Apache Tomcat instances from protection

    • [Optional] Exclude Apache Tomcat instances from protection (list of Apache Tomcat instances, separated by semicolon)- this configuration is optional and should be used only for excluding Apache Tomcat instance(s) from protection. To exclude a Apache Tomcat (or multiple) instance(s) simply enumerate the Apache Tomcat instance name(s) in Edit box (e.g. configuration: <ApacheTomcatServiceName>) and their services, configuration and application data files will be excluded from protection.

    Monitoring

    For Apache Tomcat Plugin, monitoring consists of the following:

    • Service Availability Monitoring
    • Application Monitoring
    • Application Health Monitoring

    Service Availability Monitoring

    Neverfail Engine monitors services specified by the plug-ins to ensure application availability. In the event that a specified service stops or fails, Neverfail Engine can take up to three pre-configured actions to remedy the issue.

    When the plug-in is installed, all protected services will be set to manual unless otherwise stated.

    For each protected Apache Tomcat instance:
    1. <ApacheTomcatServiceName>

    Application Monitoring

    Tasks - The following 'Tasks' are installed by Apache Tomcat Plugin:

    • Periodic
      • Protected Services Discovery
      • File Filter Discovery
      • Registry Filter Discovery

    To configure/modify Periodic 'Tasks', follow the steps below:

    1. Using the Neverfail Advanced Management Client, click on Application -> Tasks .
    2. Select the desired 'Task'.
    3. Click on the Edit button at the top of the 'Tasks' pane.
    4. Configure/modify the 'Interval' field.

    Note: 'Interval' is the only field available for configuration/modification and is measured in seconds.

    1. Click OK to save the changes.

    Note: This dialog is also used to Enable/Disable the selected 'Task'.

    Application and Performance Monitoring 

    Rules – The following 'Rules' are installed by Apache Tomcat Plugin:

    • Application availability
      • Apache Tomcat Health check: verifies website availability for every protected Apache Tomcat instance. The rule is triggered when one of the websites cannot be reached.
    • Login check
      • Tomcat Login: checks the Apache Tomcat login for the configured URL, username and password. The rule is triggered when the login fails.
      • This rule is disabled by default and needs user’s configuration
      • There are as many Tomcat Login rules as the Apache Tomcat instances detected on the server*.
      • If two or more instances of Apache Tomcat have the same login credentials, the same rule can be used for those instances, enumerating the URLs of the instances separated by semicolon. 

    Note: * the number of Tomcat Login rules is limited to 10.

    Install/Uninstall the Plugin

    Recommended/Automated - Install Plugin Via Continuity Engine Management Service (EMS)

    Procedure:

    1. Install the latest GA version of Continuity Engine Management Service.
    2. Login to EMS WebUI then install Continuity Engine on the target Security Expert servers

    Manual - Install Plugin Via the Advanced Management Client

    Apache Tomcat Plugin can be installed either via the CE deployment process or by using Application -> Plugins in the Advanced Management Client using the procedure below. Neverfail recommends that for initial deployments of plugin, installation should be performed using Engine Management Service.

    Procedure:

    1. Unzip the Apache Tomcat Plugin to the desired location.
    2. Launch the Advanced Management Client.
    3. Navigate to Application -> Plugins .
    4. Click on the Install 
    5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the location of the <plugin name>.dll 
    6. Click OK to complete the installation.
    7. Repeat this process for each individual plugin.
    To remove/uninstall the plugin, follow the steps below:
    1. Launch the Advanced Management Client.
    2. Navigate to Application -> Plugins .
    3. Select the desired plugin to be removed/uninstalled.
    4. Click on the Uninstall button in the 'Plugins' pane.
    5. When the plugin is uninstalled, the files are not removed. This is by design for future functionality and therefore the following workaround is provided:
      1. Copy the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> folder to a different location (e.g. C:\temp).
      2. Delete the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> 
      3. To reinstall the plugin, when prompted for the location of the plugin files, navigate to the new folder location (e.g. C:\temp).
    Note: As an alternative, reinstallation can be accomplished by using the downloaded files from the original download location after removing the plugin.

    Applies To

    Apache Tomcat Plugin