Universal Control Manager for Windows

Introduction

This Universal Control (UCTL) Manager information is specific to the Windows operating system.

UCTL Manager for Windows is a console application that can be run either from:

  • Command prompt
  • Universal Configuration Manager

Command Prompt

UCTL Manager runs as a command line program. It provides a command line interface to remote computers running the UCTL Server. On the command line, you must specify the control request that you want the UCTL Manager to execute.

Universal Configuration Manager

The Universal Configuration Manager provides a single interface from which active components can be listed and selected for termination. A list of active components can be obtained from any machine that is running Universal Broker.

Control Requests

UCTL Manager for Windows supports all three Universal Control control requests:

  1. Start (START_CMD option)
  2. Stop (STOP_CMD option)
  3. Refresh (REFRESH_CMD option)

One of these control request options must be specified on the command line (or in a command file) for each execution of Universal Control Manager.

Configuration

Configuration consists of:

  • Setting default options and preferences for all executions of UCTL Manager.
  • Setting options and preferences for a single execution of UCTL Manager.

Configuration Sources

Configuration options are read from the following sources:

  1. Command line
  2. Command file
  3. Environment variables
  4. Configuration file

The order of precedence is the same as the list above; command line being the highest, and configuration file being the lowest. That is, options specified via a command line override options specified via a command file, and so on. The UCTL Manager configuration file is provided to the manager by the local Universal Broker with which it registers.

Detailed information on these methods of configuration can be found in Configuration Management.

Configuration File

The configuration file, uctl.conf, provides the simplest method of specifying configuration options whose values will not change with each command invocation. These default values are used if the options are not read from one or more other sources.

Although configuration files can be edited with any text editor (for example, Notepad), the Universal Configuration Manager application, accessible via the Control Panel, is the recommended way to set configuration options. The Universal Configuration Manager provides a graphical interface and context-sensitive help, and helps protect the integrity of the configuration file by validating all changes to configuration option values.

Some options only can be specified in the configuration file; they have no corresponding command line equivalent. Other options cannot be specified in the configuration file; they must be specified via one or more other sources for a single execution of UCTL Manager.

Note

For any changes made directly to the UCTL Manager configuration file to become active, a Universal Broker refresh is required, or the Universal Broker service must be restarted. Changes made by the Universal Configuration Manager do not require any additional action for the options to become active.

Configuration Options Categories

The following table categorizes configuration options used to execute Universal Control Manager for Windows into logical areas of application. Each Category name is a link to a table of options in that category. Each Option Name in those tables is a link to detailed information about that option.

Category

Description

Certificates

X.509 certificate related options.

Command

Control command to execute.

Events

Options used to define event generation.

Installation

Options that specify installation requirements, such as directory locations.

Messages

Universal Control message options.

Miscellaneous

Options use to display command help and program versions.

Network

Options used to control the process of network data.

Options

Alternative methods to specify command options.

Remote

Network address of the remote system.

User

User account the Control command executes with on the remote system.

The Universal Control Manager command options for each of the categories listed above are summarized in the following tables.

Certificate Category Options

Option Name

Description

CA_CERTIFICATES

Location of the PEM-formatted trusted CA X.509 certificates.

CERTIFICATE

Location of Manager's PEM-formatted X.509 certificate.

CERTIFICATE_EXPIRATION_NOTICE

Number of days prior to certificate expiration to begin issuing informational messages about the expiration.

CERTIFICATE_REVOCATION_LIST

Location of Manager's PEM-formatted CRL.

PRIVATE_KEY

Location of Manager's PEM-formatted RSA private key.

PRIVATE_KEY_PWD

Password for the Manager's PRIVATE_KEY.

VERIFY_HOST_NAME

Specification that the Universal Broker's X.509 certificate host name field must be verified.

VERIFY_SERIAL_NUMBER

Specification that the Universal Broker's X.509 certificate serial number field must be verified.

Command Category Options

Option Name

Description

COMMAND_ID

Identity of the started component.

REFRESH_CMD

Instruction to a Broker to refresh configuration data.

START_CMD

Instruction to a Universal Broker to start a component.

STOP_CMD

Instruction to stop a component being executed by a Broker.

Events Category Options

Option Name

Description

ACTIVITY_MONITORING

Specification for whether or not product activity monitoring events are generated.

EVENT_GENERATION

Events to be generated as persistent events.

Installation Category Options

Option Name

Description

INSTALLATION_DIRECTORY

Directory in which Universal Control Server is installed.

Messages Category Options

Option Name

Description

MESSAGE_LANGUAGE

Language of messages written.

MESSAGE_LEVEL

Level of messages written.

MSG_SUPPRESSION_LIST

List of message IDs representing Universal messages to be suppressed.

NLS_DIRECTORY

Location of UMC and UTT files

Miscellaneous Category Options

Option Name

Description

HELP

Write command option help.

VERSION

Write program version.

Network Category Options

Option Name

Description

CODE_PAGE

Code page used to translate text data to and from the network.

CTL_SSL_CIPHER_LIST

SSL/TLS cipher list for the control session.

MIN_SSL_PROTOCOL

Minimum SSL/TLS protocol level that will be negotiated and used for communications channels.

NETWORK_DELAY

Maximum number of seconds considered acceptable to wait for data communications.

Options Category Options

Option Name

Description

COMMAND_FILE_ENCRYPTED

Encrypted command file.

COMMAND_FILE_PLAIN

Plain text command file.

ENCRYPTION_KEY

Encryption key used to decrypt an encrypted command file specified by option COMMAND_FILE_ENCRYPTED.

Remote Category Options

Option Name

Description

HOSTNAME_RETRY_COUNT

Number of host connection attempts before ending with an error.

OUTBOUND_IP

Host or IP address to use for all outgoing IP connections.

REMOTE_HOST

TCP/IP host name of the remote Broker.

REMOTE_PORT

TCP/IP port number of the remote Broker.

User Category Options

Option Name

Description

USER_ID

User ID or account with which to execute the Control command.

USER_PASSWORD

Password associated with USER_ID.

Command Line Syntax

The following figure illustrates the command options syntax — using the command line, long form of the configuration options — of Universal Control Manager for Windows.

uctl
{ -start compname [-cmdid id] | -stop compID [-userid user [-pwd password] ] |
-refresh [compname] }
-host hostaddress
[-file filename | -encryptedfile filename [-key key] ] *
[-port port]
[-cmdid id]
[-hostname_retry_count count]
[-outboundip host]
[-lang language]
[-level {trace|audit|info|warn|error}]
[-msg_suppression_list list ]
[-ca_certs filename [-verify_host_name {yes|no|hostname}]
[-verify_serial_number number] ]
[-cert filename -private_key filename [-private_key_pwd password] ]
[-days number]
[-crl filename]
[-codepage codepage]
[-ctl_ssl_cipher_list cipherlist]
[-min_ssl_protocol option]
[-delay seconds]

uctl
{ -help | -version }


* The command file (-file or -encryptedfile) can contain some or all required and/or optional configuration options, including a control request and -host. If a command file is specified on the command line, and it contains the required control request and -host options, those options do not have to be specified additionally on the command line.