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Changing the JRE

By default Reflection X Advantage installs and uses a private Java Runtime Environment (JRE). This installed JRE is correctly configured to fully support all Reflection X Advantage features. It is also possible to configure Reflection X Advantage running on Windows to use a different JRE. The information that follows is provided for administrators who want to configure Reflection X Advantage to use a separately installed JRE.

NOTE:

  • Micro Focus will supply updated Java installation packages as needed to provide customers with Java security updates. These packages can be downloaded and applied independently of updates to the main Reflection X Advantage package. If you update the JRE using a Micro Focus Java package, your JRE will be correctly configured automatically. The information below is not required for these installations; it is provided for users who want to update their JRE without using the Micro Focus installer.

  • If you want to use the private JRE installed by the Micro Focus Java package, you must select the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) feature in the installation feature tree. In addition to running the associated Java installer, this feature modifies settings in the Windows registry that configure Reflection X Advantage to use the private JRE.

JRE Search

Reflection X Advantage running on Windows uses the following search order to locate a JRE on your system.

  • The private JRE installed with Reflection X Advantage when you include the feature "Java Runtime Environment (JRE)."

  • The path specified in an environment variable called RXA_JRE_HOME. See instructions below for configuring this variable.

  • A system JRE that has already been installed on your system using the Oracle installer. (Note that the default JRE installed from a browser does not include unlimited strength cryptography files and is for a "client" environment, not a "server" environment. Refer to the procedures that follow to configure a JRE that resolves these problems.)

If no JRE is available, the Reflection X Advantage applications will not run and the Reflection X Advantage application log files will include a message saying that the application failed to start because the JVM is not available. (This message also appears as a warning in the Windows Event log.)

The Reflection X Advantage application logs provide information about which JRE is used. Search for "JVM_EXE." For example:

INFO - [ INFO]: JVM_EXE is: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Micro Focus\JDK\Java7\jre\bin\java.exe

JRE Error and Warning Messages in the Log Files

If a JRE is found, Reflection X Advantage will check to see if the JRE meets all the conditions of the private JRE.

If you run in domain mode, the JRE must be configured for unlimited strength cryptography.

  • A fatal error is written to the rxs.log when you attempt to start the Reflection X Service using a JRE that is not configured for unlimited strength cryptography. To resolve this, see instructions below to apply Oracle's Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files to your JRE.

Warnings are written to the application log files if:

  • The running JRE is older than the version shipping with this build of Reflection X Advantage.

  • The running JRE is for a "client" environment, not a "server" environment. To resolve this, see the instructions below for installing a Java Development Kit (JDK) from the Oracle site.

  • You run X Manager using a JRE that is not configured for unlimited strength cryptography. Neither export-controlled crypto algorithms nor FIPS mode will be available. To resolve this, see instructions below to apply Oracle's Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files to your JRE.

Installing and Configuring a JRE

Use the following procedures to configure Reflection X Advantage running on Windows to use a non-default JRE.

The default JRE installed from a browser is for a "client" environment, not a "server" environment. Reflection X Advantage requires the server JRE for full functionality. You can download and install this from the Oracle website.

Step 1: Install a Java JDK from the Oracle site

  1. Go to the Java SE Downloads page.

    Download and install the JRE using either the JDK download (which installs the server JRE) or the Server JRE download.

    Download the most recent update of the major version Java that was included with Reflection X Advantage. For version 16.1, download the most recent Java 8 update.

  2. After installing the JRE, run the following command to confirm that the JRE version reported is the version you downloaded:

    /<java-path>/bin/java -version

    For example:

    # /jdk/jdk1.8.0_ nn /jre/bin/java -version

    java version "1.8.0_ nn "

    Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_ nn -b01)

The next procedure configures an environment variable that directs Reflection X Advantage applications to use the correct JRE.

Step 2: Configure the RXA_JRE_HOME variable

  1. Open Windows System Properties (Start > Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings).

  2. From the Advanced tab click Environment Variables.

  3. Under System variables, click New, define a new variable as follows, then click OK.

    Variable name

    RXA_JRE_HOME

    Variable value

    The location of the Java JRE. Point to the JRE located in the JDK installation. This is the JRE configured for a server environment. For example:

    C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_ <nn> \jre

  4. Click OK to close the open dialog boxes.

The next procedure applies the Java Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files. This step is recommended for all installations. It is required to run the Reflection X Advantage domain services. It is also required if you enable FIPS Mode.

Step 3: Apply the Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files to your JRE

NOTE:Each time you upgrade your JRE, you need to apply the unlimited strength policy files to the new JRE.

  1. Go to the Java SE Downloads page.

  2. Download the Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files.

  3. Unzip the downloaded file and locate the following two policy files.

    local_policy.jar

    US_export_policy.jar

  4. Copy the policy files to <java home>\jre\lib\security, replacing the existing files in your JRE folder. For example:

    C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_ <nn> \jre\lib\security

Uninstall the default JRE

If you're setting up an alternate JRE and have already installed the default JRE with Reflection, you must uninstall the default JRE. To do this, use the following procedure:

To uninstall the default Micro Focus JRE

  1. To open the Programs and Features control panel go to Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features. (On older Windows systems, this Control Panel is called Add or Remove Programs.)

  2. Select the entry with your Reflection product name — not the Java entry — and click Change.

  3. On the Feature Selection tab, click the icon to the left of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and select Feature will be Unavailable.

  4. Click Continue.