How to Create the DCA-Collaboration Server Connection

The DCA-CCS connection allows communication between the DCA and CCS for agent reporting and tracking. The connection establishes an Agent Reporting and Management (ARM) service that:

Note that in the event of a failed connection, the DCA will continue to function otherwise  correctly. However, any session integration made possible by the ARM will be unavailable.

Creating the DCA-CCS connection consists of the following steps:

Step 1. Define the DCA connection on CCS

Step 2. Transfer the authentication/configuration files

Step 3. Configure the connection for SSL (optional)

Step 4. Enable the connection on the DCA

Step 5. Test the connection

Step 1: Defining the DCA Connection on CCS

The first step in creating the DCA-CCS connection is to define the connection on Collaboration Server. To define the connection on Collaboration Server:

  1. Open the CCS Administration desktop.

  2. From the Administration desktop menu, select Server Setup > Connections > Create. The Connect Wizard screen opens.

  3. Select Dynamic Content Adapter. Click Next.

  4. In the DCA Connection Name field, specify a name for the connection. The name must:

  5. In Description, if desired, enter a description for the connection to be used in the Collaboration Administration desktop.

  6. In DCA Host Name, enter the DCA server's unique host name (for example, myDCA.mydomain.com) or its static IP address.

  7. Registry Port on DCA specifies the port the DCA uses to register a connection instance with CCS. You MUST use the default, 1099.

  8. In CCS Password, create a password the DCA will use to authenticate itself to Collaboration.

  9. In Verify CCS Password, re-enter the password.

  10. In Registry Port on CCS, specify the port CCS should use to register a connection instance with the DCA. Cisco recommends that you use the default, 1099.

  11. In Connection Port on CCS, specify the port CCS should use to connect to and communicate with the DCA. If left blank, CCS will search for and use the first available port.

  12. In CCS Password, create a password the DCA will use to authenticate itself to Collaboration . If left blank, no password will be used.

  13. In Verify CCS Password, re-enter the password.

  14. Check the Disable Automatic Connect check box. This ensures that Collaboration Server operates in RMI "server" mode, while the other applications (i.e., the DCA) operate in RMI "client" mode.

  15. Click Finish.

  16. Restart the Web server on CCS.

Step 2: Transferring the Authentication/Configuration Files

When you define the CCS-DCA connection in the CCS Admin Tool, two files used to authenticate the connection are automatically created on your CCS server. These files must be copied to your DCA server.

To copy the authentication files:

  1. On your Collaboration server, navigate to: <CCSrootdirectory>\Servlet\Properties\dca\<connectionname>\.

  2. In the <connectioname> directory, locate these two files:  <connectionname>.properties and  messageadapter.properties.

  3. Transfer the files to your DCA server, and place them here: DCA\WebApp\WEB-INF\Cisco\properties.

  4. Note: The target directory on your DCA server will already contain a file named messageadapter.properties. Overwrite the existing file with the new one.

Step 3: Configuring the Connection for SSL

Optionally, you may want to configure the CCS-DCA connection for SSL. This ensures that data sent from the DCA to CCS are encrypted. Configuring the connection for SSL requires first generating keystore and truststore files for your connection using the JDK Keytool utility that ships with the DCA.

To Configure the DCA-CCS Connection for SSL:

  1. Using the JDK Keytool utility, generate a keystore and truststore for your DCA-CCS connection. When you generate the keystore, you will also create a certificate that you will export to the truststore.

  2. After generating the files, transfer the keystore file to any location on your Collaboration Server. Move the truststore file to a desired location on your DCA server.

  3. On your Collaboration Server, in the <connectionname>.properties file, uncomment the lines pertaining to SSL and keystore. Provide the values as requested. Do not uncomment the lines pertaining to truststore.

  4. After editing, the SSL section of your <connectionname>.properties file on Collaboration Server should look something like this:

    # Uncomment this property to enable SSL

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.SocketType = SSL

    # Location of key store (absolute path)

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyStore = c:\cisco_cs\mykeystore.keystore

    # Type of key store

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyStoreType = JKS

    # Key store password

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyStorePassword = mykeystore_password

    # Key password

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyPassword=

    # Location of trust store (absolute path)

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.TrustStore=

    # Type of trust store

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.TrustStoreType=JKS

    # Trust store password

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.TrustStorePassword=>

  5. Restart the Web server on CCS.

  6. On your DCA server, in the <connectionname>.properties file, uncomment the lines pertaining to SSL, key password, and truststore. Provide the values as requested. Do not uncomment the lines pertaining to keystore.

  7. After editing, the SSL section of the <connectionname>.properties file on the DCA should look something like this:

    # Uncomment this property to enable SSL

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.SocketType = SSL

    # Location of key store (absolute path)

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyStore=

    # Type of key store

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyStoreType=JKS

    # Key store password

    # DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyStorePassword=

    # Key password

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.KeyPassword = mykey_password

    # Location of trust store (absolute path)

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.TrustStore = c:\dca\mytruststore.truststore

    # Type of trust store

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.TrustStoreType = JKS

    # Trust store password

      DCA_Conn_1.rmi.TrustStorePassword = mytruststore_password

Step 4: Enabling the DCA-CCS Connection on the DCA Server

After creating the DCA-CCS connection and copying the authentication files to the DCA, you must enable the connection on the DCA server.

To enable the DCA-CCS connection:

  1. In the DCA Admin Tool, select Configuration > ProxyProperties.

  2. Set the enableDCACCSConnection property to True.

  3. Click Submit.

  4. Restart the DCA.

Step 5: Testing the DCA-Collaboration Connection

After creating the DCA-CCS connection, you may want to test to verify that it is active.

To test the DCA-Collaboration connection:

  1. Open the Collaboration Administration desktop.

  2. From the Administration desktop menu, select Server Setup > Connections > Monitor. The Connection Monitor screen opens, displaying the status of all Collaboration connections.

See Also

For related information, see:

How to Deploy the DCA

About DCA-Collaboration Server Integration

How to Deploy the DCA Behind a Firewall

About DCA-CCS Integration Troubleshooting