Checking the installation

This section describes what to do if you have an issue with the module or the software.

The facilities described below are only available if the software has been installed successfully.

Checking operational status

Enquiry utility

Run the enquiry utility to check that the module is working correctly. You can find the enquiry utility in the bin subdirectory of the nCipher directory. This is usually:

  • C:\Program Files\nCipher\nfast for Windows

  • /opt/nfast for Linux

If the module is working correctly, the enquiry utility returns a message similar to the following:

Server:
enquiry reply flags  none
enquiry reply level  Six
serial number        ############-####
mode                 operational
version              #.#.#
speed index          ###
rec. queue           ##..##
...
module type code     0
product name         nFast server
...
Module ##:
enquiry reply flags  none
enquiry reply level  Six
serial number        ############-####
mode                 operational
version              #.#.#
speed index          ###
rec. queue           ##..##
...
module type code     14
product name         #######/#######
...
rec. LongJobs queue  ##
SEE machine type     None
supported KML types  DSAp1024s160 DSAp3072s256
active modes         none
physical serial      48-U50104
hardware part no     PCA10005-01 revision 03
hardware status      OK

If the mode is operational the module has been installed correctly.

If the mode is initialization or maintenance, the module has been installed correctly, but you must change the mode to operational. See the User Guide for your module and operating system for more about changing the module mode.

If the output from the enquiry command says that the module is not found, first restart your computer, then re-run the enquiry command.

If the operating system supports power saving, disable power saving. See Installing the module for more information. Otherwise, if your system enters Sleep mode, the HSM may not be found when running enquiry. If this happens, you need to reboot your system.

nFast server (hardserver)

Communication can only be established with a module if the nFast server is running. If the server is not running, the enquiry utility returns the message:

NFast_App_Connect failed: ServerNotRunning

Restart the nFast server, and run the enquiry utility again. See the User Guide for your module and operating system for more about how to restart the nFast server.

Log message types

By default, the hardserver writes log messages to:

  • The in Windows Operating System event log.

  • log/logfile in the nCipher directory (normally opt/nfast/log directory) on Linux. The environment variable NFAST_SERVERLOGLEVEL determines what types of message you see in your log. The default is to display all types of message. For more information on NFAST_SERVERLOGLEVEL, see the User Guide for your module and operating system.

    NFAST_SERVERLOGLEVEL is a legacy debug variable.

Information

This type of message indicates routine events:

nFast Server service: about to start
nFast Server service version starting
nFast server: Information: New client clientid connected
nFast server: Information: New client clientid connected - privileged
nFast server: Information: Client clientid disconnected
nFast Server service stopping

Notice

This type of message is sent for information only:

nFast server: Notice: message

Client

This type of message indicates that the server has detected an error in the data sent by the client (but other clients are unaffected):

nFast server: Detected error in client behaviour: message

Serious error

This type of message indicates a serious error, such as a communications or memory failure:

nFast server: Serious error, trying to continue: message

If you receive a serious error, even if you are able to recover, contact Support.

Serious internal error

This type of message indicates that the server has detected a serious error in the reply from the module. These messages indicate a failure of either the module or the server:

nFast server: Serious internal error, trying to continue: message

If you receive a serious internal error, contact Support.

Start-up errors

This type of message indicates that the server was unable to start:

nFast server: Fatal error during startup: message nFast Server service version failed init.
nFast Server service version failed to read registry

Reinstall the server as described in the User Guide for your module and operating system. If this does not solve the problem, contact Support.

Fatal errors

This type of message indicates a fatal error for which no further reporting is available:

nFast server: Fatal internal error

or

nFast server: Fatal runtime error

If you receive either of these errors, contact Support.