About the Siebel Software Configuration Wizard

As we followed the installation process in the previous chapter, we noticed that at the end of the installation of the Siebel Gateway Name Server, Siebel Server, or the Siebel Web Server Extension, the Siebel Software Configuration Wizard was launched automatically.

The purpose of the Siebel Software Configuration Wizard is to provide a safe environment with validation of critical configuration parameter values for administrators. It is mainly used during the initial installation process for a Siebel CRM server environment. The utility can also be used for modifying or removing existing configurations as well as adding configurations at a later time.

When the installer invoked the utility automatically at the end of the installation process, we cancelled the execution and decided to invoke it later. This enabled us to concentrate on the installation of the Siebel Server components and complete the system preparation, for example by using EVT.

We can invoke the Software Configuration Wizard on Microsoft Windows-based operating systems by using the shortcuts that the installer has placed in a Windows start menu folder. The following screenshot shows the Siebel Enterprise Server Configuration start menu:

The menu contains shortcuts to invoke the Siebel Software Configuration Wizard for the Siebel server software components installed on this machine.

If we compare the properties of the start menu shortcuts, we find a single executable named ssincfgw.exe being invoked with different arguments.

For example, the shortcut labelled "Siebel Enterprise Configuration" contains the following command:

C:\SIA82\gtwysrvr\BIN\ssincfgw.exe -args LANG=ENU MODEL_FILE=C:\SIA82\gtwysrvr\admin\enterprise_console_sia.scm

Clicking this shortcut will launch the executable. The LANG=ENU argument switches the user interface language to American English. The MODEL_FILE argument provides a path to a text file that is preconfigured by Oracle. This text file contains instructions on what parameters need to be collected and what actions are to be carried out by the Software Configuration Wizard. The term "sia" in the name of the model file refers to Siebel Industry Applications, a set of industry-specific applications that are delivered as a single software package.

The ssincfgw.exe file is of a similar origin as the InstallShield setup executables and because of that it supports graphical user interface (GUI) mode, console mode, and unattended mode. Using unattended mode to automate Siebel server software configuration will be discussed later in this chapter.

If the need arises, we can launch the Software Configuration Wizard in console mode by appending the –is:javaconsole –console command to the shortcut. A command similar to the following, issued at the Windows command shell, will start the Software Configuration Wizard in console mode:

C:\SIA82\gtwysrvr\BIN\ssincfgw.exe -args LANG=ENU MODEL_FILE=C:\SIA82\gtwysrvr\admin\enterprise_console_sia.scm –is:javaconsole -console

The following screenshot shows the Siebel Software Configuration Wizard in console mode:

However, the more common scenario is to use the utility in GUI mode and enter the parameters from the planning document in the dialogs displayed by the Software Configuration Wizard. Having the planning document that we described in the example in Chapter 2 at hand is of paramount importance to successfully completing the configuration of the Siebel Server components.

The Siebel Software Configuration Wizard works in two phases. In the first phase, parameter values are solicited from the administrator. In the second phase, the utility invokes system commands and other utilities such as registering system services in Microsoft Windows.