Installation Changes in Reflection for the Web 12.3

  • 7022344
  • 21-Jun-2016
  • 25-Mar-2018

Environment

Reflection for the Web (All Editions) version 12.3

Situation

Beginning in version 12.3, Reflection for the Web is a separate web application that requires Host Access Management and Security Server to create, configure, and manage web-based terminal emulation sessions. This technical note describes the changes in the installation process.

Resolution

Installing Reflection for the Web version 12.3

Reflection for the Web 12.3 is installed independently of Host Access Management and Security Server. The installation process is different from previous versions. Here are the highlights.

Automated Installation

  • The automated installer provides the option to either use an existing (compatible) installation of Management and Security Server or to install "clean" installations of both Reflection for the Web 12.3 and Management and Security Server 12.3.
  • The versions of Reflection for the Web and Management and Security Server must be compatible. Note the upgrade options for Management and Security Server:

If you are upgrading from Management and Security Server version 12.2, the Reflection for the Web 12.3 automated installer can upgrade MSS to version 12.3.

If you are upgrading from Reflection for the Web 2014 or earlier, you must first upgrade to Management and Security Server 12.2. Then, the Reflection for the Web 12.3 automated installer can upgrade to Management and Security Server version 12.3.

For assistance, see KB 7022345.

Manual Installation

  • Reflection for the Web can be installed manually by placing a war file in the default directory.

For detailed steps, see the Reflection for the Web Installation Guide: https://www.attachmate.com/documentation/rweb-12-3/rweb-installguide/

  • Reflection for the Web should be installed on either a different host or in a different servlet runner than Management and Security Server.
  • Note: The multi-component manual installation file is no longer an option.

Installation path

Note the new default installation path.

On Windows: C:\Program Files\Micro Focus\MSS\server\web\webapps\rweb-client

On Linux or UNIX: /usr/local/microfocus/mss/server/web/webapps/rweb-client

Variations

  • If you use IIS integration, IIS must be installed on the same machine where Reflection for the Web 12.3 is installed.

The User Experience

As a result of installing the separate web applications, the end user experience should not be significantly different.

Users can expect the same behavior when

  • Browsing to the MSS login page. The usual login panel is followed by the links list.
  • Opening a framed Reflection for the Web session from the links list. The session displays in its own frame.
  • Opening an embedded Reflection for the Web session from the links list. The session displays in a separate page.

Users may notice this slight difference in behavior:

  • Depending on the server configuration, users may need to accept a separate certificate prompt to allow the Reflection for the Web applet to run.

Administrators should be aware that:

  • Most preference files, macros, etc., are associated with Reflection for the Web and continue to be stored under a “reflectionweb” folder.
  • Custom templates for embedded sessions should continue to work without modification.
  • Custom templates for the login page will need an additional applet tag for the MSS applet to distinguish it from the Reflection for the Web applets. For details, see KB 7022339.
  • Static HTML pages continue to work, but will likely require edits because of the change in codebase. For details about Upgrading Custom Static Sessions, see https://www.attachmate.com/documentation/rweb-12-3/rweb-installguide/data/b1lffm1y.html.

Resources

Reflection for the Web Installation Guide: https://www.attachmate.com/documentation/rweb-12-3/rweb-installguide/

Host Access Management and Security Server Installation Guide: https://www.attachmate.com/documentation/mss-12-3/mss-installguide/

Reflection for the Web Technical Resources page: https://support.microfocus.com/product/?prod=RWEB

Additional Information

Legacy KB ID

This document was originally published as Attachmate Technical Note 2866.