System Administration of PTC Windchill 11.0Overview

Course Code TRN-4830-T

Course Length 16 Hours

In this course, you will gain an understandingof how to perform routine Windchill systemadministration tasks, including how to manageWindchill services and optimize Windchillcomponents for performance. You willfocus on daily, weekly, and monthly systemmaintenance tasks required by the Windchillsystem administrators. You will also learnhow to implement file vaulting and contentreplication. Other topics that will be reviewedinclude managing the Windchill database,troubleshooting background queues, improvingworkflow performance, optimizing visualizationpublishing process, and setting up the clientenvironment.At the end of each module, you will completea set of review questions to reinforce criticaltopics from that module. At the end of thecourse, you will complete a course assessmentin PTC University Proficiency intended toevaluate your understanding of the course asa whole.This course has been developed usingWindchill 11.0 F000.

Course Objectives

• Understand Windchill architecture.• Start and stop Windchill components.• Manage Windchill configuration properties.• Implement file vaulting and content replication.• Tune Windchill components for performance.• Tune Windchill workflows for performance.• Manage background queues.• Manage visualization publishing system.• Manage Windchill database.• Manage system backups.• Manage Windchill system logs and alerts.

• Monitor daily, weekly, and monthlyadministration tasks.

• Configure browser and JAVA settings for clients.

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with the Windchill PDMLink 11.0 or Windchill ProjectLink 11.0 user interface.

• Familiarity with the Windows command prompt and the ability to form and execute basic SQLstatements.

Audience

• This course is intended for System Administrators and Application Developers. People in relatedroles will also benefit from taking this course.

Agenda

Module 1 Introduction to the Windchill System Environment

Module 2 Managing Windchill Services

Module 3 Managing Windchill Properties

Module 4 File Vaulting and Replication Overview

Module 5 Implementing File Vaults

Module 6 Implementing Content Replication

Module 7 Tuning Windchill Server

Module 8 Managing Background Queues

Module 9 Managing Your Visualization Publishing System

Module 10 Tuning Workflow Processes

Module 11 Windchill Backup and Recovery

Module 12 Managing Log Files and Alerts

Module 13 Daily System Monitoring Tasks

Module 14 Weekly System Monitoring Tasks

Module 15 Monthly System Monitoring Tasks

Module 16 Setting Up the Client Environment

Module 17 Miscellaneous System Enhancements

Course ContentModule 1. Introduction to the Windchill System Environment

i. Client Requirementsii. The Windchill Serveriii. The Windchill Databaseiv. Optional Serversv. Role of the System Administratorvi. Understanding Windchill Contextsvii. Windchill Product Characteristicsviii. Windchill Library Characteristicsix. Using Foldersx. Data Management Objectsxi. Iteration and Revision Controlsxii. Access Controlsxiii. Process Controlsxiv. Understanding the Windchill User Interfacexv. Using the Navigatorxvi. Navigating Products and Librariesxvii. Locating Informationxviii. Understanding Information Pagesxix. Accessing Help

Module 2. Managing Windchill Servicesi. Identifying Major Windchill Servicesii. Starting/Stopping Apache Web Serveriii. Starting/Stopping Windchill Directory Serveriv. Starting/Stopping Oraclev. Starting/Stopping SQL Servervi. Starting/Stopping Windchillvii. Running Apache as a Windows Serviceviii. Windchill Directory Server Control Panelix. Running Windchill Directory Server as a Servicex. Running Windchill as a Windows Servicexi. Automating Windchill Startupxii. Automating Windchill Shutdown

Module 3. Managing Windchill Propertiesi. System Administration Utilitiesii. The Windchill Commandiii. The Windchill Shell

iv. Windchill Configuration Properties Filesv. The site.xconf Filevi. The JMX Clientsvii. Using JConsole to Modify Property Valuesviii. The xconfmanager Utilityix. The xconfmanager - Optionsx. The xconfmanager - Examplexi. The xconfmanager - Validate Changesxii. Properties Managed by the Windchill Configuration Assistantxiii. Creating a Custom XCONF File

Module 4. File Vaulting and Replication Overviewi. File Vaultingii. File Storage Optionsiii. Local File Vaulting Architectureiv. Content Replicationv. Content Replication Architecturevi. Windchill File Serversvii. Centrally Vaulted Contentviii. Remotely and Centrally Vaulted Contentix. File Vaulting Strategiesx. Types of File Vaultsxi. Checking an Object into a Windchill Main Serverxii. Requesting Objects That Have Not Yet Been Replicatedxiii. Requesting Objects from File Servers That Are Not Preferredxiv. Server to Server Replicationxv. Content Synchronization and Replicationxvi. Local Replication for File Servers

Module 5. Implementing File Vaultsi. Planning External File Storageii. Multiple Vaults Configurationiii. Vaulting Rulesiv. Single Vault Configurationv. Implications of Forcing Contents into a Single Vaultvi. Single Vault vs. Multi Vault Configurationvii. Vaults with Automatic Folder Creationviii. The Central Cache Vaultix. Setting Up External Storagex. Specifying File Threshold Value for Vaults

xi. Managing Revaultingxii. Maintaining Vaultsxiii. Changing the Location of Files in Vaultsxiv. The Default System Target Vault

Module 6. Implementing Content Replicationi. Installing the File Server — Requirementsii. Enabling Remote File Server Supportiii. Generating the Security Keyiv. Using the File Server Management Utilityv. Registering the File Servervi. Configuring Replica Vaultsvii. Creating Replication Rulesviii. Creating Replication Schedulesix. Replication Performance and Scalabilityx. Replication and Visualization Servicexi. Setting the Preferred File Serverxii. User-Initiated Replication

Module 7. Tuning Windchill Serveri. Windchill Server Tuning Objectivesii. Monolithic Windchill Configurationiii. Multi-Tiered Windchill Configurationiv. Server Heap Sizev. Capturing Java Thread Dumps for Windchillvi. Setting Windchill Cache Sizes in wt.propertiesvii. Setting Windchill Cache Sizes in db.propertiesviii. Viewing Windchill Cache Statisticsix. Limiting Search Resultsx. Windchill Configuration Assistant (WCA)xi. Affected Filesxii. Running the Windchill Configuration Assistantxiii. Propagating Values from Intermediate Properties Filesxiv. Rolling Back Configuration Changesxv. Java Garbage Collection Tuningxvi. Number of Method Serversxvii. Cleaning Windchill System Cachexviii. Why Do Windchill Method Servers Stop Unexpectedly?xix. Using Anti-Virus Softwarexx. Server Cluster Configuration

xxi. Server Statusxxii. WAN Performance Optimizing Optionsxxiii. WAN Acceleration

Module 8. Managing Background Queuesi. Windchill Background Queuesii. Queue Manageriii. Queue Entry Statesiv. Out-of-the-Box Background Queuesv. Single Method Server Configurationvi. Configuring a Background Method Servervii. Configuring Multiple Background Serversviii. Distributing Background Queuesix. Tuning Background Queuesx. Performing Regular Queue Maintenance

Module 9. Managing Your Visualization Publishing Systemi. Windchill Visualization Services Architectureii. Sizing a Visualization Publishing Systemiii. Sizing CAD Worker Hardwareiv. Running CAD Workers on Virtual Platformsv. Minimum Recommended CAD Worker Hardwarevi. Calculating the Number of CAD Workersvii. Optimizing Your Visualization Publishing Systemviii. Worker Agent Administrationix. The WVS Job Monitorx. Viewing Job Detailsxi. WVS Job Scheduler Administrationxii. Publish and Thumbnail Controlxiii. Visualization Configuration Administrationxiv. Configuring Your Visualization Publishing Systemxv. Publisher Queues and Jobsxvi. Configuration Options for Publisher Jobsxvii. Configuring Additional Publisher Queuesxviii. Deleting a Queuexix. WVS Configuration Propertiesxx. Publish Job Types and Sourcesxxi. Setting Publish Job Priority

i. Workflow Queuesii. Pool Queuesiii. Monitoring Workflow Queue Entriesiv. Configuring Queue Poolingv. After Queue Poolingvi. Configuring Dedicated Workflow Queuesvii. Tagging Dedicated Workflow Queuesviii. After Dedicated Queues

Module 11. Windchill Backup and Recoveryi. Windchill Backup Architectureii. Windchill Data Repositoriesiii. Types of Backupiv. Performing a Cold Backupv. Recovering from a Cold Backupvi. Performing a Hot Backupvii. Recovering from a Hot Backupviii. Oracle Backup and Recovery Using Enterprise Managerix. Oracle Archive Log Modex. Oracle Flash Recovery Areaxi. Oracle Suggested Backup Strategyxii. Suspending Background Queuesxiii. Read Only Mode for Vaultsxiv. Generating Vault Backup Informationxv. The WContentVerify Toolxvi. Mirroring the Local Cache Vaultxvii. Rebuilding Replica Vaultsxviii. Backing up the Windchill Directory Serverxix. Backing Up LDAP Data Using the Backup Commandxx. Restoring Windchill Directory Serverxxi. Backing Up LDAP Directory Data Using Control Panelxxii. Restoring LDAP Directory Data Using Control Panelxxiii. Exporting LDAP Dataxxiv. Importing LDAP Data

Module 12. Managing Log Files and Alertsi. Windchill Logging Mechanismii. Windchill Log Propertiesiii. Setting Windchill Log Levelsiv. Populating JMX-Administrators

Module 10. Tuning Workflow Processes

v. Viewing Windchill Log Filesvi. Managing Log Files Using JConsolevii. System Error Reportingviii. Using the Persisted Log Events Pageix. The Log Event Details Pagex. The Log File Viewer Pagexi. Administration Actions After Receiving Error Reportsxii. System Configuration Collectorxiii. Performance Advisor for PTC Windchillxiv. Indexing Administrationxv. SQL Server Log File Viewerxvi. Setting up SQL Server Alert Notificationsxvii. Oracle Alertsxviii. Setting Up a Mail Server for Oracle Alertsxix. Setting Up Direct Oracle Alert Notificationsxx. Setting Metric Thresholds for Oracle Alertsxxi. Managing Directory Server Logsxxii. Managing Web Server Logs

Module 13. Daily System Monitoring Tasksi. Daily System Monitoring Tasks Checklistii. Perform and Verify Scheduled System Backupsiii. The Server Status Pageiv. PTC System Monitorv. System Monitoring Using JMX Clientsvi. Monitoring CPU and Memory Usage by Windchill Processesvii. System Components Availabilityviii. Monitoring Queues Using Queue Managerix. Monitoring Queues Using JMX Clientsx. Monitoring Queues Using Queue Analyzerxi. Queue and Workflow Health Check Scriptxii. Monitor File Vaultsxiii. Monitoring Vaults Using the System Configuration Collectorxiv. Review Application Server Logsxv. Review Database Logsxvi. Check Database Schema Statisticsxvii. Monitor Network Healthxviii. Review PTC Technical Support Subscription E-mails

i. Weekly System Monitoring Tasks Checklistii. Monitor Disk Space Usageiii. Identifying BLOBS That Have Not Been Vaultediv. Remove Unreferenced Files from File Vaultsv. The RemoveUnreferencedFiles Toolvi. Automated Cleanup of Replica Vaultsvii. Generating Unreferenced Files Reportviii. Defragment Windows Disksix. Check Performance Using Monitoring Toolsx. Perform Database Maintenance

Module 15. Monthly System Monitoring Tasksi. Monthly System Monitoring Tasks Checklistii. Execute Performance Benchmarksiii. Windchill File Server Testiv. Perform Database Diagnosticsv. Resolve Disconnected Principalsvi. Cleaning up Data for Deleted Usersvii. Evaluate System Settings Using Windchill Configuration Assistantviii. Generate Throughput and Security Audit Reportsix. Perform Workgroup Manager Maintenance Tasksx. Review Windchill and Creo Settingsxi. Purge Obsolete or Unused Dataxii. Apply Maintenance Patches and Updatesxiii. Clone Production Server to Test Serverxiv. Yearly Administrative Tasks

Module 16. Setting Up the Client Environmenti. Setting Up Your Browserii. Browser’s ActiveX Settingsiii. Pop-Up Blocker Interferenceiv. Browser Locale Settingsv. Memory Allocation for Appletsvi. Installing Creo Viewvii. Installing Desktop Integrationviii. Setting Your Preferred File Server Siteix. Product Structure Explorer Preferencesx. Configuring the Windchill Home Page

Module 14. Weekly System Monitoring Tasks

i. Browser Supportii. Database Supportiii. Java Supportiv. Platform Supportv. Web Server and Servlet Engine Supportvi. Windchill Software Matrices

Module 17. Miscellaneous System Enhancements