How to Configure Agents on z/OS Systems

Installation and Upgrade Guides › Web Agent Installation Guide for Apache-based servers › Install and COnfigure Apache-based Agents on z/OS Systems › How to Configure Agents on z/OS Systems

How to Configure Agents on z/OS Systems

Configure the SiteMinder agent after installation. Configuration requires several separate procedures which are described using the following process:

Gather the Information that the Configuration Program Requires on z/OS

Gather the following information about the environment before running the configuration program for the agent:

Register Host

Indicates whether you want to register a trusted host. This registration creates a trusted host object in the Policy Server and an SmHost.conf file on the web server. The agent uses this information to make an initial connection to CA SiteMinder® Policy Servers when it starts. Register each agent instance as a trusted host only once.

Default: Yes

Options: Yes, No

Admin User Name

Specifies the name of a CA SiteMinder® user with Administrative privileges that is already defined in the Policy Server. This CA SiteMinder® user account requires privileges to register trusted hosts.

Admin Password

Specifies a password for the Admin User Name that is already defined in the Policy Server.

Confirm Admin Password

Repeats the password entered in the Admin Password field. This value verifies the password for the Admin User Name already defined in the Policy Server.

Trusted Host Object Name

Specifies a unique name for the trusted host you are registering. This trusted host object is stored on the Policy Server.

Host Configuration Object

Specifies the name of a Host Configuration Object that is already defined in the Policy Server. After the agent initially connects to a Policy Server (using the SmHost.conf file settings), subsequent connections use the settings from the Host Configuration Object.

Policy Server IP Address

Specifies the Internet Protocol address of the Policy Servers to which the agent attempts to connect upon startup. If your Policy Server is behind a firewall, specify a port number also.

If a hardware load balancer is configured to expose Policy Servers in your environment through a single Virtual IP Address (VIP), enter the VIP.

Example: (IPV4) 192.168.1.105

Example: (IPV4 with the port number) 192.168.1.105:44443

Example: (IPV6) 2001:DB8::/32

Example: (IPV6) [2001:DB8::/32]:44443

FIPS Mode Setting

Specifies one of the following algorithms:

FIPS Compatibility/AES Compatibility: Uses algorithms existing in previous versions of CA SiteMinder® to encrypt sensitive data and is compatible with previous versions of CA SiteMinder®. If your organization does not require the use of FIPS-compliant algorithms, use this option.
FIPS Migration/AES Migration: Allows a transition from FIPS-compatibility mode to FIPS-only mode. In FIPS-migration mode, CA SiteMinder® environment continues to use existing CA SiteMinder® encryption algorithms as you reencrypt existing sensitive data using FIPS-compliant algorithms.
FIPS Only/AES Only: Uses only FIPS-compliant algorithms to encrypt sensitive data in the CA SiteMinder® environment. This setting does not interoperate with, nor is backwards-compatible with, previous versions of CA SiteMinder®.
Default: FIPS Compatibility/AES Compatibility

Note: FIPS is a US government computer security standard that accredits cryptographic modules which meet the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

Important! Use a compatible FIPS/AES mode (or a combination of compatible modes) for both the CA SiteMinder® agent and the Policy Server.

Name

Specifies the name of the SmHost.conf file which contains the settings the Web Agent uses to make initial connections to a Policy Server.

Default: SmHost.conf

Location

Specifies the directory where the SmHost.conf file is stored.

Default: web_agent_home\config

Enable Shared Secret Rollover

Select this check box to change the shared secret that the CA SiteMinder® Policy Server uses to encrypt communications to the Web Agents.

Select Servers

Indicates the web server instances that the configuration program finds on the computer. Select the check boxes of the instances you want to configure. Clear the check boxes of those instances from which you want to remove CA SiteMinder® protection.

IBM HTTP Server for z/OS Path

Specifies the path of the IBM HTTP Server httpd.conf configuration file.

Default: The home directory of the account that is used to run the configuration wizard.

Agent Configuration Object Name

Specifies the name of an agent configuration object (ACO) already defined on the Policy Server.

Default: AgentObj

Advanced Authentication Scheme Dialog

Specifies the advanced authentication scheme for the web server instances you selected previously.

Run the CA SiteMinder® Agent Configuration Program on z/OS

After gathering the information for your agent configuration, run the agent configuration program. This program creates an agent runtime instance for the web servers running on your computer.

This configuration program is wizard or console based, depending on the option you select. Running the configuration program in the wizard or console mode once creates a properties file. Use the properties file to run unattended configurations on other z/OS systems in the future.

Note: Verify that you have executable permissions. To add executable permissions to the installation media, run the following command:

chmod +x installation_media

installation_media: Specifies the CA SiteMinder® agent installer executable.

Follow these steps:

Log in as a root user.
Exit all applications that are running.
Open a shell and navigate to the following directory:
```
web_agent_home/install_config_info
```
web_agent_home

Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

Default (z/OS installations): /opt/ca/webagent
Do one of the following steps:
For GUI-based configuration, run the following command:
```
ca-wa-config.sh
```
For Console-based configuration run the following command:
```
ca-wa-config.sh -i console
```
Follow the prompts shown in the configuration program. Provide the requested values from your agent configuration worksheet.
The agent runtime instance is created for your web servers.

(Optional) Run the Unattended or Silent Installation and Configuration Programs for CA SiteMinder® Agents on z/OS

The unattended or silent installation option can help you automate the installation and configuration process. This method saves time if you have a large CA SiteMinder® environment that uses many agents with identical settings.

For example, suppose the Agents in your environment use the same web server version, installation directory, Agent Configuration Object and Policy Servers. Use the installation wizard or console-based installation program for your first installation. Afterwards, you could create your own script to run the installation program with the .properties file the wizard or console-based installation program created.

Follow these steps:

Run the following wizards on your first web server (in the order shown):
1. The CA SiteMinder® agent Installation wizard.
2. The CA SiteMinder® agent configuration wizard.
Locate the following file on your first web server:
```
web_agent_home/install_config_info/ca-wa-installer.properties
```
Note: If the path contains spaces, surround it with quotes.

web_agent_home

Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

Default (z/OS installations): /opt/ca/webagent
Perform each of the following steps on the subsequent web server:
Note: To automate this process, create your own customized script to execute these files on your systems. Use any scripting language that you want.
1. Create a temporary directory on the subsequent web server.
2. Copy the following files from the web server where you ran the wizards (from Steps 1 and 2) to the temporary directory on your subsequent web server:
  - The CA SiteMinder® Agent Installation executable file.
  - The ca-wa-installer properties file.
3. Open a Command Prompt window with root privileges in the temporary directory.
4. Run the following command:
```
java -jar installation_media -f ca-installer.properties -i silent
```
  installation_media
  
  Specifies the CA SiteMinder® Agent installer executable.
  
  The CA SiteMinder® agent is installed and configured on the web server silently.
5. (Optional) Delete the temporary directory from your web server.
Repeat Step 3 for each additional web server in your CA SiteMinder® environment that uses the configuration that the settings in your ca-wa-installer.properties file specify.

Source the Agent Environment Script on z/OS Operating Environments

The agent installation program creates a following environment script:

web_agent_home/ca_wa_env.sh

web_agent_home

Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

Default (z/OS installations): /user_home_dir/CA/webagent

The environment script can be sourced in following ways.

If you are working with USS console, execute the following command:

source ca_wa_env.sh

If you are working on MVS console, execute following command:

web_agent_home/ca_wa_env.sh

For most Apache-based web servers, source this script after doing any of the following tasks:

Running the agent configuration program.
Starting the web server. ( eg apachectl start for IHS 8.5.5)

Note: If you perform all the previous tasks in the same shell, only source the script once.

Enable a Web Agent

Configure your agent parameters and then enable the agent to protect the resources on the web server.

Note: No resources are protected until you define policies in the CA SiteMinder® Policy Server.

Follow these steps:

Open the WebAgent.conf file with a text editor.
Change the value of the EnableWebAgent parameter to yes.
Save and close the WebAgent.conf file.
Restart the web server (the web server itself, not the computer on which it runs).

The Web Agent is enabled.

Recommended Libraries for Program control on z/OS

The authorized program facility or APF allows the installation to identify system or user programs that can use sensitive system functions.The maintain system security and integrity contains program controls that allows all programs that are running in the address space.These program controls have been loaded from a library that is controlled by a security product

APF authorization and program controlling the libraries are outside SiteMinder's purview. It depends on your infrastructure. It is recommended that you set APF authorization and program control for the following set of files to be used:

Use Extattr +p binary.so to program control a binary.

Use Extattr +a binary.so to apf authorize a binary.

Note: Verify the properties that are set through ls –E

List of Sample Commands

btchi423.so
btjpn423.so
btkor423.so
btlat423.so
btrow423.so
libHttpPlugin.so
libbtunicode.so
libfipsmode.so
libmod_sm22.so
libsmagentapi.so
libsmagentconmgrcomponent.so
libsmagentframeworkcomponent.so
libsmagentfunccomponent.so
libsmcommonutil.so
libsmconapi.so
libsmerrlog.so
libsmeventlog.so
libsmgda.so
libsmhttpagentcomponent.so