Troubleshooting Wonderware Information Server (WIS)

Tech Note 786

Troubleshooting Wonderware Information Server (WIS)
Part One: HTTP Error 500

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Topic#: 002567
Created: August 2011

Introduction
This troubleshooting guide is the first in a projected series.

HTTP Error 500 is a very common issue when you access the WIS 4.x Home Page.

In general, The HTTP Error 500 is a "server-side" error, meaning that the problem is not with your PC or your Internet connection.
Instead it is a problem with the web site's server. In WIS 4.x ‘s world, this could mean that something is wrong in COM+ settings, the
verification of SuiteVoyager Database connection, license verification, etc.

Application Versions
WIS 4.0 and later

Windows 2008 Server (R2)

Let's start by discussing HTTP Error 500 with real-world cases. Click the following links to read details about each case.

Wonderware SuiteVoyager Com+ Identity Password is Out of Date

Wonderware SuiteVoyager COM+ Object Cannot be Shutdown or Started

Wonderware License Manager is Not Installed

Computer Name is Changed After WIS 4.x Configured

Enable-Parent-Paths Option in IIS 6.0 or IIS 7.x is Unchecked

The web.config File Contains Extra ISAPI Lines

Wonderware SuiteVoyager COM+ Identity Password is Out of Date

By default, WIS 4.x Configurator sets the current logon user's credential in This user account of the Wonderware SuiteVoyager
COM+ (WSCOM+) Identity. When WIS 4.x starts to launch the WIS Home Page, the corresponding WIS ASP pages need to create a
number of instances of COM objects, such as CheckRole, wwNavigation, wwSecurity, etc. for obtaining contents of the Home Page.

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The following is an instance of HTTP Error 500 which is related to WSCOM+ Identity.

Because of security concerns, some companies' group policies require their users to change passwords periodically. However, changing
password in OS's User Manager does not apply the already-used password in the This user account of a COM+ Application. The
administrator of the Wonderware SuiteVoyager COM+ object needs to update the password manually (Figure 1 below).

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FiGuRe 1: ChanGe OBJect's THIS USER PasswoRd

Wonderware SuiteVoyager COM+ Object Cannot Be Shutdown or Started

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By design, WIS 4.x puts the Web Apps, Business Rules and Data Access COM components into a COM+ Application called Wonderware
SuiteVoyager. When the user visits WIS Home Page, there are a number of COM components under the Wonderware SuiteVoyager
context that are needed to create instances. If the Wonderware SuiteVoyager Application object cannot not be started, visiting the WIS
home page will throw an HTTP Error 500.

To verify this condition, right-click the Application and click Start or Shutdown (Figure 2 below). An exception is generated (Figure
3 below).

FiGuRe 2: StaRt oR Shutdown WondeRwaRe SuiteVoYaGeR COM+ Application

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FiGuRe 3: CataloG ERRoR MessaGe

Wonderware Tech Support has not discovered the root cause of this problem. However, the workaround is to reboot the WIS 4.x Server.

Wonderware License Manager Is Not Installed

The WIS License mechanism is managed by these Windows services:

ArchestrA License Server (aaLic) and

Wonderware License Manager (wwLic)

aaLic can be considered as a license provider. wwLic is a license consumer which controls WIS Portal access and provides information
for WIS License Manager.

Wonderware Tech Support has reviewed a number of cases with the HTTP Error 500 where the wwLic is not installed during WIS
Configuration.

Figure 4 (below) shows the WIS Services that should be installed by the Configurator.

FiGuRe 4: WIS SeRvices Installed BY the ConfiGuRatoR

One check point for this services installation issue is to verify the existence of the [C]:\Inetpub\Scripts directory. If this directory does
not exist, you can copy it and all its contained contents from your WIS 4.x installation disk at [CD Image\scripts].

Although Wonderware development is working on the root cause of this issue, one workaround provided by Wonderware Technical
Support is to download, extract and run the Service Installation utility.
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You can use this utility on the WIS Server machine to install the services mentioned in the Figure 4 (above) one service at-a-time
(Figuer 5 below). After installation, refresh the Services list (Figure 4) and you should see the three WIS services have been started.

FiGuRe 5: Install/Remove WIS SeRvices

Computer Name is Changed after WIS 4.x Configured

WIS 4.x needs to build up the SuiteVoyager database connection during its home page displaying process.

If the computer name on which the SuiteVoyager database is located is changed after WIS 4.x has been configured successfully, you will
see HTTP Error 500 when you try to access WIS 4.x Home page again.

The computer name is saved at the Registry location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wonderware\SuiteVoyager\AdminDB.

The value is ServerName, the WIS 4.x server machine.

Enable-Parent-Paths Option in IIS 6.0 or IIS 7.x is Unchecked

WIS implementation uses a large number of relative parent paths in the Include statements. The implementation requires that IIS 6.0 or
7.xs Parent-Paths option is enabled.

Because of security rule in some customers' environments, the Parent-Path is disabled on the [Wonderware] virtual directory. This is also
one of the root causes of HTTP error 500.

In fact, enabling Parent-Paths option at the Default Web Site root may create a security risk, since it could allow someone to access
files outside the root websites directory. However, in WIS 4.x, we enable the Parent-Paths option at the Wonderware level and set the
Execute Permission as Script only. Enabling this option at this level should not create a Security Risk.

Figures 6-11 (below) show how to enable Parent-Paths in IIS 6.0 and IIS 7.x.

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FiGuRe 6: EnaBlinG PaRent Paths in IIS 6.0 (1)

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FiGuRe 7: EnaBlinG PaRent -Paths in IIS 6.0 (2)

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FiGuRe 8: DouBle -Click ASP to Check the PaRent -Paths in IIS 7.0

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FiGuRe 9: Make SuRe That EnaBle PaRent Paths Value is TRue

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FiGuRe 10: DouBle -Click HandleR MappinGs to check the EXecution PeRmission

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FiGuRe 11: Click Edit FeatuRe PeRmissions and Make SuRe the DialoG is Set CoRRectlY

The web.config file Contains Extra ISAPI Lines

This issue has been known to occur after Microsoft Updates have been applied to the server/portal.

If you are experiencing this issue, you will see the HTTP Error 500.19 - Internal Server Error accompanied by the following error in the
SMC Logger:

Cannot add duplicate collection entry of type add with unique key attribute name set to xoml-ISAPI-2.0 Config File
c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Wonderwware\web.config

1. To resolve this issue, edit the web.config file (using Notepad) located at C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Wonderware\ and delete the
two ISAPI lines you see under <handlers accessPolicy="Read, Script"> .

2. Save your changes and close the editor.

References
Tech Note 790 Troubleshooting Wonderware Information Server (WIS) Part Two: Factory Alarms

Tech Note 794 Troubleshooting Wonderware Information Server (WIS) Part Three: Workarounds for Factory Alarms
Issues in Windows Server 2008

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E. Xu and A. Rantos

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