Admin Console could not start: Admin Server Manager unavailable

[the Shepherd]

Hi everyone

We're currently experiencing a rather annoying problem with the FileMaker Server 11 admin console.

It works just fine locally on the server.

When trying to connect remotely (from Windows 7 clients with all kinds of browsers) via http://xxx.yyy.zzz.aaa:16000 the Java Applet starts and then throws the following error:

"Admin Console could not start: Admin Server Manager unavailable"

To be sure that the problem has nothing to do with the server itself, we set up a completely new Windows Server 2008 R2 in our virtualization environment and clean-installed FileMaker Server 11 Advanced.

We did NOT update any JREs and left them exactly as FileMaker Inc. delivers them.

We've had biiig trouble with more modern JREs, before... even after applying Update 3 for FM 11, before.

So we now leave them as they are despite the security issues implicated. We believe that FM Inc. doesn't give us much choice here.

Has anyone experienced the same issue with the admin console?

Does anyone know how to deal with this?

Tx for any help or hints.

[Hammerton]

I am getting this on my mac server (osx 7) lion server. Can't get it locally or remotely. Any solutions out there?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Check that the correct ports are opened on both the server and on the remote workstation. See http://thefmkb.com/6427 for more details.

Steven

[Hammerton]

Check that the correct ports are opened on both the server and on the remote workstation. See http://thefmkb.com/6427 for more details.

Steven

Thanks Steven. 16004, 16006, 16008, 16010, and 16014 are not open. I use a one-machine system so some of these may not be needed. Can you tell me what processes in the activity monitor are required for the admin console to work?

[dmw3]

We have the same issue. Updated to latest version 11.04 and still no Admin Server Manager.

OSX Server 10.6.8 Databases are able to be reached remotely but we cannot add or change database permissions.

Hammerton, did you get this resolved?

Is there a command line version of the Admin Console? This problem has halted our deployment of more databases with FileMaker.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Why are you adding or changing permissions? I don't understand what you're trying to do here.

Steven

[dmw3]

Steven, the permissions i refer to are those enabling ODBC or client or web connections. Is there a way to use the Admin server from the command line if we cannot get the java console to work?

the Admin server console was working but now does not, even with all updates applied.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Yes the CLI works for many items, but I don't think you can enable web publishing from it. There is an entire CLI reference guide that ships with the product, IIRC. Maybe check it.

Steven

[dmw3]

What is the process that I would be looking for to see if the Admin Console was working?

The Help pdf makes no sense in what it is saying:

"If Admin Console is unable to connect to FileMaker Server, it is possible that the Admin Server process has stopped or FileMaker Server has only partially started. To check whether the Admin Server process has stopped, try using the fmsadmin LIST FILES command (see LIST command). If LIST FILES works, the Admin Server process has stopped and you can use the fmsadmin RESTART ADMINSERVER command to restart it. "

Why if you type in the List command should you not see files listed if the Admin Console is working?

I have deleted the Java cache and restarted, updated the server to 10.6.8 and Filemaker Advanced Server to 11.04, how have others resolved this problem? I have tried turning the Firewall off so it is not blocking ports, strange thing is it was working when we first installed Filemaker Advanced server some three months ago.

We are only running Filemaker server on one server and do not have another equal server to use, please help!

[RodSierra]

There was a recent java update I believe 10.6, as Java updates have adversely effected the admin console in the past, perhaps this could be the culprit. We have not updated any of our OSX servers yet to this Java update, as we normally wait to see if there are any issues. Perhaps others that have updated can confirm this is not the issue.

[dmw3]

In trying to sort this out, this is the output from the java console:

Java Web Start 1.6.0_29

Using JRE version 1.6.0_29-b11-402-10M3527 Java HotSpot 64-Bit Server VM

User home directory = /Users/admin

----------------------------------------------------

c: clear console window

f: finalize objects on finalization queue

g: garbage collect

h: display this help message

m: print memory usage

o: trigger logging

p: reload proxy configuration

q: hide console

r: reload policy configuration

s: dump system and deployment properties

t: dump thread list

v: dump thread stack

0-5: set trace level to <n>

----------------------------------------------------

Could not launch from cache. Will try online mode. [some of required resources are not cached.]

Using standard JNLP Launcher

Show stack traces: log

Arg = keep-alive-interval=60

Arg = log-level=WARNING

Arg = carrier-stream-provider=com.ulcjava.base.shared.TrivialCarrierStreamProvider

Arg = url-string=https://localhost:16001/adminconsole.ulc

Arg = launchtype=normal

Arg = server-language=en

Arg = server-timezone=Australia/Hobart

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - using allCertsTrustManager

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - Installing custom trust manager

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - Register HttpURLConnection

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - finished installing custom trust manager

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - installing File Service

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - installing Browser Service

AdminConsoleJnlpLauncher - createSessionStateListener()

Even clearing the Java cache files we still get the error - Admin Console could not start: Admin Server manager unavailable.

Running the command "fmsadmin restart adminserver" seems to do nothing after the prompt comes back asking if you really want to do this.

Somebody who is running this on a OSX 10.6.8 server please let me know what processes are running, we only have two FileMaker processes running.

[dmw3]

Ok an update on this.

We are able to use the Admin Console on a remote computer after changing a proxy setting and deleting the certificate that Filemaker installed.

This then allowed us to reinstall the certificate which resolved the issue on the remote, but the same procedure on the server did not resolve the issue, might be related to a certificate or something else.

Any thoughts anyone?

[dmare]

Hi dmw3, 

 

I know it's been a while, but would be appreciated if you could advise whether you were able to resolve this in the end.  We're facing the exact same issue here.