Configuring Cognos 8.4 with Apache 2.2 Module Gateway

Most Cognos systems are set up to run the standard Cognos CGI gateway but Cognos also comes with Apache module which can give more  performance through the Apache web server.

Unfortunately the instructions provided by IBM to set up this module are not enough to configure apache module instead of the standard cgi.

First Install Apache 2.2

We need to make  a few additions to the Apache configuration file `httpd.conf`.

open `httpd.conf`. in wordpad (you can open it start->programs->apache)

at the end of the file,  go the new line and  enter the following command to load the Cognos Apache 2.2 module

LoadModule cognos_module "C:/Program Files/cognos/c8/cgi-bin/mod2_2_cognos.dll"

Then  add the following settings for virtual directories and security.

# Set some directory aliases and security settings

ScriptAlias /cognos8/cgi-bin "C:/Program Files /Cognos/c8/cgi-bin"

Alias /cognos8 "C:/Program Files (x86)/Cognos/c8/webcontent"

<Directory "C:/Program Files (x86)/Cognos/c8/webcontent">

   Options Indexes MultiViews

                AllowOverride None
                Options None
                Order allow,deny
                Allow from all
</Directory>

<Directory "C:/Program Files/Cognos/c8/cgi-bin">
                AllowOverride None
                Options None
                Order allow,deny
                Allow from all
</Directory>

Alias /Documentation "C:/Program Files/Cognos/c8/documentation"

<Directory "C:/Program Files (x86)/Cognos/c8/documentation">    
                Options Indexes MultiViews
                AllowOverride None
                Options None
                Order allow,deny
                Allow from all
</Directory>
 

(Optional Settings start)

Continuing with the same file, add settings for gateway diagnostics and the user directory like so...

# Enable the gateway diagnostics
 <Location /cognos8/cgi-bin/mod2_2_cognos.dll>
                SetHandler cognos-handler
                Order allow,deny
                Allow from all
</Location>

# Configure the user directory
 <IfModule mod2_2_cognos.c>
                CGIBinDir "C:/Program Files (x86)/Cognos/c8/cgi-bin"
 </IfModule>

(Optional Settings end)

• Now save the file ….
• restart Apache.
• open Cognos Configuration
• Click Enivronment in the leftpane

      in the right pane, change the  end of the `Gateway URI` from ...

     ....cgi-bin/cognos.cgi  to....  ....cgi-bin/mod2_2_cognos.dll

Restart the cognos services.. and use the following kind of URL to start cognos HOME page

http://servername/cognos8/cgi-bin/mod2_2_cognos.dll

Enjoy with this Technique