PREPARE FOR MAXIMO 7.6.0 END OF SUPPORT (EOS)

 

WHEN WILL IBM MAXIMO 7.6.0.X NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED?

On September 8, 2020, IBM announced the end of support for Maximo 7.6.0.x, Industry Solutions, and Add-Ons. The official announcement letter was #920-136.

As of September 30, 2021, any fixes, patches, and telephone support will no longer be provided for Maximo 7.6.0.x

This announcement provides current clients 12 months prepare for and conduct an upgrade to at least Maximo 7.6.1.2.

 

CAN I STILL USE MAXIMO 7.6.0 IF IT’S NO LONGER SUPPORTED?

Yes, and we recommend you purchase “extended support,” while you are planning your path to upgrade.

TRM of course can assist you in the planning for the upgrade. TRM has performed 100’s of upgrades over the years for clients in many different situations.

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF UPGRADING TO MAXIMO 7.6.1.2?

Maximo 7.6.1.2 has several enhancements, one of which is the furtherance of Work Centers, an alternative user interface better suited for mobile users. Other features such as Inspections, Budget Monitoring and License Monitoring may be of interest to your business.

The need for an upgrade might also be the impetus for you to move your on-prem Maximo to be hosted by TRM in the cloud. TRM has programs to make this process less disruptive and financially beneficial to you.

 

CAN I UPGRADE TO MAS 8?

Yes. There are several paths you can take to move into Maximo Application Suite (MAS). Note that the licensing approach to MAS is different than that of traditional Maximo. App Points are now used to entitle your users to the various elements of MAS. TRM can assist you in developing a strategy to move from the licensing you have now to App Points.

What's New In Maximo's 7.6.1.2 Feature Pack

 

Maximo v7.6.1.2 was released by IBM on July 24, 2020 and brings new functionality to the user community of the world class asset management solution. IBM continues to take notes from their user community to enhance the solution to best fit the needs of their maintenance program, enabling them to continuously optimize and improve the reliability of their assets and decrease maintenance costs.

 

The updates in Maximo 7.6.1.2 are broken up into:

 

• Currency updates
• Technical Enhancements
• Functional Enhancements
• Push notifications

Here is the top new functionality in Maximo's 7.6.1.2 feature pack:

 

1. Multiple Attachments in Maximo 7.6.1.2

You can now attach multiple files simultaneously.

 

2. Update Drilldown Capability in Maximo 7.6.1.2

The Drilldown navigation has a refreshed look and feel and provides greater access to more related data and actions. You can now drilldown to PM’s, Job Plans, and Spare Parts, view details on related records, and Drag and Drop to move assets or locations.

 

3. New Inventory and Storeroom Updates in Maximo 7.6.1.2

Users can now create storeroom hierarchies, add items to multiple storerooms, and set a default reorder storeroom. There are also additional details which can now be specified when adding to storeroom.

 

Picking & Staging

In the Inventory Work Centers users have the new functionality of “Pick & Stage” This gives the options of:

• Open: Reservations waiting to be processes
• Picked: Removed from the shelf but not yet staged or issued
• Staged: Physically moved to staging area in anticipation of issue
• Issued: Removed from inventory, financial transaction written
• Review: History of what happened

Reconciliation Preview

Inventory Work Centers now give users the ability to reconcile physical counts under the “Reconcile” tab. This provides enables users to review reconcile before executing the reconcile process and is a visual indicator of proposed changes to easily identify problem areas needing further investigation.

 

Barcode Scanning

Barcode scanning is now available wherever the user is selecting bin or item. The camera opens in video mode and snaps the picture once it is in focus. An audible beep will sound indicating success.

 

Condition-Enabled Items

Lastly, updates to the Inventory Work Centers help users better manage Condition Enabled Items by supporting setting condition enables items, managing condition codes for the item or set, and using smart controls when saving to keep data accurate.

 

4. Updated Browser Support for Maximo 7.6.1.2

Maximo will now be supported in Microsoft Edge Chromium.

 

5. Data import from IBM Digital Twin Exchange in Maximo 7.6.1.2

This latest release of Maximo now supports an import capability allowing data from IBM’s Digital Twin Exchange to be brought into Maximo.

 

6. Cognos Entitlement in Maximo 7.6.1.2

Maximo users now have access to Cognos v11.0.13 which provides additional reporting and analytic capability.

 

7. Push Notifications in maximo 7.6.1.2

Users can subscribe to events within Maximo Asset Management and will receive an automatic push notification to their supported iOS or Android mobile device when an event or data change occurs. Use the new Push Notification Administration Application to configure this setting on your mobile device.

8. IoT Connectivity in Maximo 7.6.1.2

In Maximo 7.6.1.2, an IoT connector was added into the administration work center. This helps increase connectivity within IoT platforms. After configuration, this allows you to associate an IoT device with a specific asset or location. 

This product includes content to support

• IBM Watson IoT
• IBM Watson Asset Monitor
• AT&T Asset Management - Operations Center

And other IoT platforms can be added if needed.

9. Regulatory Compliance in Maximo 7.6.1.2

Maximo users can now add electronic signature keys to their profiles. When an electronic signature verification is required in an application, the user can enter their electronic signature key - if they don’t the record will not be saved. This is native to Maximo 7.6.1.2, and therefore can be used with more protocols such as SAML or OIDC.

10. Work Supervision and Work Execution Work Centers in Maximo 7.6.1.2

The following enhancements were made to Work Supervision and Work Execution Work Centers to streamline the work management process and improve efficiency for supervisors and technicians:

• More signature options within Work Centers
• Populating description field with IDs when no description is specified
• Inspection launch from “Details” page of work order
• Classification title added to “Details” page to classify work orders

 

Maximo Anywhere 7.6.4 Upgrade

 

At the Beginning of 2020, IBM Released the much awaited Maximo Anywhere 7.6.4. It was one of the most awaited version as it removed the dependencies of Maximo anywhere on MobileFirst server. After a year of it's release , I finally got a chance to work on upgrade of Maximo Anywhere 7631 to Maximo Anywhere 764. Here in this article I will discuss my observation, understanding and view points of this renewed Anywhere solution from IBM.

Please note, with this article I am only sharing my views about Maximo Anywhere 7.6.4 and your experience with it could be different.

Installation: I upgraded Maximo Anywhere 7631 to 764. Maximo Anywhere components were installed on Macbook(v BigSur) and Maximo was maintained in a Linux server.

IBM upgrade Documentations has very clear explanation of the upgrade steps and I didn't face much of an issue. Here below are the steps followed:

• Install and upgrade Maximo components. It was a smooth process where I didn't face much of an issue as my client's environment is free from any java customisation. So, upgrades are as simple as upgrading an OOB environment. The only thing that changed was to run includeanywheremodule.cmd or includeanywheremodule.sh from the <install_home>/maximo/deployment directory. Reference Document for this : https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/3225345
• Install Maximo Anywhere components on Macbook. Installation manager does not support Macbook BigSur thus I had to install Installation manager and Maximo Anywhere components using the Silent mode(Click here for Silent mode installation documentation.).
• Merge the the Client Specific customisation with Anywhere 764 code.
• Build and deploy the new apps. This version builds and deploys the apps directly into Maximo. Maximo Anywhere builds an app.zip file and deploys it into Maximo and the same is downloaded into the device when App connects to Maximo. Maximo's Anywhere Administration> APPNAME > Deployment Tab displays the deployment date. Successful deployment can be verified in the deployment tab. You can also manually deploy the zip files using the deployment tab.

What changed in the installation process?

There is an added/optional step to install the Maximo Anywhere App container( just a naming convention and has no relation to containerisation). This extra step is required only if you have to build Native Android and iOS apps. Scenarios where you might need to do build Native apps:

• Change app logos
• Use chrome debug tools to debug the apps
• Push Notification
• Add new custom or LAFIX related cordova plugins
• Your organisation is using MDM to distribute the apps
• Your organisation does not want users to see the Connect page. This is something new in this version where if enabled users can see which environment they are connecting the app. This page appears only once after installation. If you want to change the url then you need to reinstall the app.

I faced a number of issues while building native iOS app , out of which a lot was due to provisioning profile issues. Also, IBM's native app build had a couple of bugs. I resolved one of the bugs and the other was resolved by the IBM dev Team. Following tech notes were created for those issue:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6339723

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6447772

Changes for Maximo Anywhere Developers:

• Customisation and Configuration: No Changes in the Anywhere Customisation and configuration. Previous experience and knowledge of Maximo Anywhere Configuration and Customisation still hold true.
• Mobile First Server and Studio: The biggest change is that there is no Mobilefirst studio anymore therefore unit testing is a bit tricky. I use Android virtual devices to build and test the changes.
• App Distribution : App distribution was handled by Application Center in Maximo Anywhere 7.6.3.1. We used Google Firebase Console to distribute apps to QA and other team members for Maximo Anywhere 7.6.4. Google's Firebase's app distribution is free(Firebase Documentation) .

Overall view points:

• Most important change is the compute footprint is lesser as there is no Mobilefirst server. Theoretically ( yet to go live), the same configurations of Maximo JVM should be able to handle the load of Maximo Anywhere users. Clients can save the amount resources spent on provisioning and maintaining Mobilefirst servers.
• Apps have better performance.
• Building App zip is very fast. It is taking less than 30 seconds to build the app zip files and deploys into Maximo.
• Maximo App Container build process too does not take more than 1.5 minutes.
• Developer needs higher configuration devices to run a vm or local maximo installation and android virtual devices.
• Developers need to learn bit more about debugging from Chrome debug tools, ADB, Android Virtual Devices and Xcode ,if required.
• App Functionalities is not changed at all.

End of Support Announcement (EOS) for Maximo 7.6.0

 

Abstract

End of Support (EOS) Announced for Maximo Asset Management 7.6.0.x, Industry Solutions & Add-ons

Content

On 8 September 2020, end of support for all IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.6.0.x and compatible versions of products, including industry solutions and add-ons, was announced via IBM Announcement Letter # 920-136.

 

Effective 30 September 2021, fixes, patches, and telephone support are no longer provided for Maximo 7.6.x and its corresponding components and add-ons of the same version. Customers have 12 months of notification from the time of the announcement to the effective end of support date. It is encouraged that you plan to upgrade to IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.6.1.2.

Information on upgrading to Maximo 7.6.1 can be found on the Maximo Upgrade Resources page.
 

Details on EOS versions:

5724-U18	IBM Maximo Asset Management	7.6.0.x
	IBM Maximo Asset Management Scheduler	7.6.0.x, 7.6.1.x, 7.6.2.x, 7.6.3.x, 7.6.4.x, 7.6.5.x
	IBM Maximo Asset Management Scheduler Plus	7.6.4.x, 7.6.5.x, 7.6.6.x
	IBM Maximo Linear Asset Manager	7.6.0.x
	IBM Maximo Asset Management for Managed Service Providers	7.6.0.x, 7.6.1.x, 7.6.2.x, 7.6.3.x
	IBM Maximo Asset Management for Internal Service Providers	7.6.0.x, 7.6.1.x, 7.6.2.x, 7.6.3.x
	IBM Maximo Health, Safety and Environment Manager	7.6.0.x
5725-U87	IBM Maximo for Aviation	7.6.0.x, 7.6.1.x, 7.6.2.x, 7.6.3.x, 7.6.4.x, 7.6.5.x, 7.6.6.x
5724-U19	IBM Maximo for Nuclear Power	7.6.0.x
5724-U20	IBM Maximo for Oil and Gas	7.6.0.x
5724-U21	IBM Maximo for Transportation	7.6.1.x
5724-U23	IBM Maximo for Life Sciences	7.6.0.x
5724-U22	IBM Maximo for Utilities	7.6.0.x
5724-U28	IBM Maximo Asset Configuration Manager	7.6.0.x, 7.6.1.x, 7.6.2.x, 7.6.3.x, 7.6.4.x, 7.6.5.x, 7.6.6.x
5724-U33	IBM Maximo Calibration	7.6.0.x
5724-U36	IBM Maximo Spatial Asset Management	7.6.0.x
5724-T00	IBM Maximo Enterprise Adapter Oracle	7.6.0.x
5724-T00	IBM Maximo Enterprise Adapter SAP	7.6.0.x
5737-A43	IBM Maximo Asset Health Insights	7.6.0.x
5737-I74	IBM Maximo Asset Performance Management On-Premises (IBM Maximo APM - Asset Health Insights On-Premises)	7.6.0.x
	IBM Maximo Asset Performance Management On-Premises (IBM Maximo APM - Predictive Maintenance Insights On-Premises)	7.6.0.x

---

Related Information

Resources are available for upgrade assistance
To further enhance your upgrade experience and planning, we are recommending managed transitions through IBM Global Business Services (GBS) or through your trusted IBM Business Partner that have been trained on the Maximo 7.6 upgrade process. IBM encourages you to contact our Global Business Services organization to receive further information about product upgrade options

Maximo Hosting options are available to streamline the upgrade process
Once you have upgraded, alternatives are available that provide an excellent way to eliminate capital hardware expenditures and the burden on your local IT infrastructure. Maximo Hosting Services provide flexibility and scalability, help maximize long-term ROI, and can enhance performance, availability and security.

Extended Maintenance is available if you are unable to upgrade at this time
Please note that if you are current on IBM Subscription and Support are on the latest version, 7.6.0.10, and are unable to upgrade before 20 September 2021, you do have the option to purchase an annual Extended Service Contract. To be eligible, clients must show that they are preparing an IBM Maximo upgrade roadmap. Extended service is priced at a premium and only available for two years. For additional details, please visit the IBM Extended Support page.

Related information

For a full list of products see the official announcement here:

Maximo 7.6.0.x EOS Announcement

How to Add change Status on Custom Application

 tatus Maintenance on Custom Application

In order to maintain status in our custom Application, these are the Following requirements:

• Objects

• domain

•  Relationship

•  Field Class

•  Custom Mbo classes

• Status Handler class

•  Beans

Objects:

• Create one persistent and one non-persistent object to maintain status other than your custom Application Object.

•  Create status,statusdate,memo fields in three objects(persistent ,non-persistent and main object(custom application object) with the same syntax.

Domain:

• Create a synonym domain from the db2 database.

1. Create an entry on max domain table according to the max domain id and domain id
2. Create an entry on synonym domain table based on domain id entry on max domain table.
3. Add the domain to your Main object status field.
Relationship:

•  Create a relationship between synonym domain and our Main object using where clause according to the domain id

Example:

• Domain id='ZSTATUS' and value=:status and :&DOMAINFILTER&_STATUS Set the main object id in persistent status object and Create a relationship between Main object and persistent status Object using where clause.

•  Create a relationship between Main object and Non-persistent object without any where clause

• Field Class: Create a field class which extends Synonym domain or else use existing field class which is given by Maximo to the non-persistent field (status) of non-persistent object

Domains: SYNONYMS

 

Domains: SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS domains are special, reserved domains in the system. You cannot officially add or delete synonym domains. You can add new synonym values that are presented to the user.
These work similar fashion like ALN domains. However, they let you add more values to be shown to user which corresponds to the built in internal values.  Creating Synonym domains and adding internal values are not possible via UI. However, database queries can be made to insert those.

Adding a new SYNONYM domain

Synonym domains cannot be created in DB. They need to be created in DB only.

The following query will create synonym domain with domainid as TESTSYNONYM, type as UPPER and length as 10.

insert into maxdomain
(domainid, description, domaintype, maxtype, length, scale, maxdomainid, internal)
values ('TESTSYNONYM', 'Testing Synonyms', 'SYNONYM', 'UPPER', 10, 0, nextval for MAXDOMAINSEQ, 1)

This can now be viewed in Maximo. However, since it does not have any internal values yet. Maximo wont let you add any values in it.

Adding a new internal values in a SYNONYM domain

Again internal values can only be added using db query. The following query will add an internal value of ABC and value of ABC.

insert into synonymdomain ( domainid, maxvalue, value, description, defaults,siteid, orgid, synonymdomainid, valueid)
values
('TESTSYNONYM', 'ABC', 'ABC', 'Testing', 1,null, null, nextval for SYNONYMDOMAINSEQ, 'ABC|A');

Now new values can be added in this domain using Maximo

Adding value in SYNONYM domain

This can be done using Maximo UI.

Open the domain and click New Row. Enter values and done.

When build Maximo anywhere 7.6.3, build fails with the error "The specified Maximo address is not reacheable"

 

Troubleshooting

Problem

Problem :  When trying to build Maximo Anywhere 7.6.3 with SSL configured Maximo 7.6.1 environment,  build failed with error  "C:\IBM\Anywhere\MaximoAnywhere\anywhere-apps-builder.xml:101: The specified Maximo address is not reacheable."
 

Symptom

build failed with error  "C:\IBM\Anywhere\MaximoAnywhere\anywhere-apps-builder.xml:101: The specified Maximo address is not reacheable."

Cause

Maximo SSL Certificate is not imported correctly.

Environment

one Machine : SSL Configured in our Maximo 7.6.1 environment. ( URL : https://max76demo.au.ibm.com:443/maximo)

another Machine :  Maximo Anywhere Build Server

Resolving The Problem

In order to build Maximo Anywhere with SSL configured Maximo Asset Management,  you need to do some configuration.

1 . Change build.properties , OSLCGenericAdapter.xml , authentificationConfig.xml , worklight..properties  etc with Maximo SSL host and Port.

ex. In build.properties,

adapter.name=maximo
adapter.connection.protocol=https
adapter.connection.domain=max76demo.au.ibm.com
adapter.connection.port=443
adapter.connection.context=maximo

2. Downloading your certificate from a browser and importing it in to the Worklight keystore. Please follow the steps

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/a9ba1efe-b731-4317-9724-a181d6155e3a/entry/maximo_anywhere_and_ssl_securing_your_data?lang=en

3. After that,  Try to build

You  will get error

c:\IBM\Anywhere\MaximoAnywhere\build.xml:382: The following error occurred while executing this line:
c:\IBM\Anywhere\MaximoAnywhere\anywhere-system-verification.xml:313: The following error occurred while executing this line:
c:\IBM\Anywhere\MaximoAnywhere\anywhere-apps-builder.xml:101: The specified Maximo address is not reacheable.
    at org.apache.tools.ant.ProjectHelper.addLocationToBuildException(ProjectHelper.java:551)
    at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Ant.execute(Ant.java:444)

~

4. In order to fix this issue,  you need to import  Maximo SSL Certificate downloaded in step 2 to  Java Keystore.

If client is using Java 8.  Certificate should be added to keystore (c:\java\jdk180_131\jre\lib\security\cacerts)

ex)
keytool -import -storepass "changeit" -keystore c:\java\jdk180_131\jre\lib\security\cacerts -alias anywhere.cer -file C:\IBM\Anywhere\MaximoAnywhere\server\conf\any.cer -noprompt

Then build again.   The problem will be fixed.