Error "Could not connect to the server", when attempting to run Support Automation from Service Desk (SDM) or Unified Self Service (USS)

Products

• SUPPORT AUTOMATION- SERVER
• CA Service Desk Manager - Unified Self Service
• CA Service Desk Manager
• CA Service Management - Asset Portfolio Management
• CA Service Management - Service Desk Manager

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to launch Support Automation (SA) from Service Desk (SDM) or Unified Self Service (USS), the JAVA application fails with an error:

“Could not connect to the server”

The log files of Service Desk do not show any error about it.

Environment

Service Desk 17.1/14.1

Cause

The JAVA Web Start Launcher version that is attempted to be used by SA is a 64 bits version which is not supported, SD and components are all 32 bits and therefore they are not able to use a 64 bits version JAVA JRE. By enabling a JAVA trace it will capture an error similar to the following during application launching:

JNLPClassLoader: Finding library msvcr100.dll
abr 05, 2016 11:26:50 AM com.ca.sa.analyst.appui.ApplicationLifeCycle$1$1 run
GRAVE: Connection failed
java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\cache\6.0\57\334aa739-723c53a4-n\msvcr100.dll: Can't load IA 32-bit .dll on a AMD 64-bit platform
            at java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Native Method)
            at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(Unknown Source)
            at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
            at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Unknown Source)
            at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
            at com.ca.sa.comm.cpp.CommLibrary.<clinit>(CommLibrary.java:39)
            at com.ca.sa.comm.CommCppImpl.createInstance(CommCppImpl.java:143)
            at com.ca.sa.comm.CommFactory.createComm(CommFactory.java:83)
            at com.ca.sa.common.comm.Server.connect(Server.java:95)
            at com.ca.sa.common.comm.PrimaryServer.connect(PrimaryServer.java:46)
            at com.ca.sa.common.comm.CommonServiceProvider.init(CommonServiceProvider.java:80)
            at com.ca.sa.analyst.appui.ApplicationLifeCycle$1$1.run(ApplicationLifeCycle.java:298)
            at com.ca.sa.util.LoggingRunnable.run(LoggingRunnable.java:53)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
            at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
 

Resolution

Ensure that the JAVA Web Start being used by the browser is the 32 bits supported version, you can verify this by checking the following:

Firefox (version 40 or above)

Tools Menu->Options->Applications->Search field: type JNLP File in the column action make a click in the drop down option and select Application details.This will show the location of the application i.e: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jreX\bin\javaws.exe where X is the version of JAVA 7 or 8. If it is not in the directory 'Program Files (x86)' and if it is under the directory 'Program Files', it means that the version is 64 bits and you need to install the 32 bit version and select it. For selecting the other Java Web Start in Firefox, go to: Tools Menu->Options->Applications->Search field: type JNLP File in the column action make a click in the drop down option and select 'Use other' and 'Browse' from here search i.e: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jreX\bin\javaws.exe where X is the version of JAVA 7 or 8.
Then restart the browser and test again.

Internet Explorer

Tools Menu->Internet Options->Programs tab->Set Programs->Associate a file type or protocol with a program->JNLP
Double click in the file and then on browse, select the correct version of JAVA as noted in the example above.

Chrome does not support launching Web Start application

Additional Information

Additional Information:
Java and Google Chrome browser
Certification Matrix 14.1
Certification Matrix 17.1