Choose a Java vendor in LCM

The Lifecycle Manager (LCM) feature of OpsCenter is capable of automatically installing Java, which is required to run DataStax Enterprise (DSE). For more information about this requirement, see the Java runtime compatibility information for your DSE version:

Java license compliance

In all cases, it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure they are running an appropriately licensed Java runtime that is compatible with DSE.

OpenJDK users can potentially maintain compliance at no incremental cost beyond what is required to use the operating system itself, but it is ultimately the customer’s responsibility to understand and maintain compliance with their licensing obligations.

When determining whether to manage your Java runtime with LCM, consider your organization’s policies and procedures for software licensing and deployment.

Managed and unmanaged Java in OpsCenter 6.8

By default, LCM manages the installation of the Java runtime for DSE clusters. This feature can be disabled for individual clusters through configuration profiles.

When upgrading to OpsCenter 6.8, your cluster’s existing Java Setup configuration is preserved.

Determine Java management for a cluster

To determine how Java is managed for a specific cluster, inspect relevant configuration profiles for the cluster. On the Java Setup tab, find the manage-java option.

If manage-java is selected, then LCM manages the Java runtime for this cluster.

If manage-java isn’t selected, then LCM doesn’t manage the Java runtime for this cluster. In this case, the Java runtime is expected to be managed by the user or another program.

Managed Java

If LCM is used to install and configure DSE on a cluster, then LCM manages the Java installation by default.

In earlier OpsCenter versions, LCM installed the Oracle Java 8 runtime by default.

In OpsCenter 6.8.0, LCM installs OpenJDK 8. Specifically, it installs the OpenJDK 8 runtime that is provided by the cluster’s operating system as a .deb or .rpm package.

After upgrading to OpsCenter 6.8.0, or when adding or upgrading DSE clusters with OpsCenter, LCM ensures that the appropriate Java runtime is installed according to the configuration profiles for each cluster.

Existing clusters are migrated to OpenJDK the first time you run an install or upgrade job on those clusters. To prevent migration to OpenJDK, you must explicitly select Oracle as the Java vendor in the relevant configuration profiles before running any install or upgrade jobs on those clusters.

If you do not want to migrate to the OpenJDK 8 runtime, go to the Java Setup tab of all relevant configuration profiles, and then select Oracle as the java-vendor before running any install or upgrade jobs in OpsCenter 6.8 or later.

For new clusters, LCM installs OpenJDK 8 if manage-java is selected and no other Java vendor is explicitly chosen in the configuration profile.

Install or upgrade job with managed java failed due to unavailable OpenJDK 8 package

Not all supported platforms for DSE include OpenJDK 8. For example, Ubuntu 14.04 does not provide this package.

This can cause LCM jobs to fail after upgrading to OpsCenter 6.8. To resolve this issue, do one of the following:

Use the unmanaged Java option to manually install Java before running the DSE install or upgrade job.
Set Oracle as the Java vendor, if you have the required Java licenses:
1. In the cluster’s configuration profile, go to the Java Setup tab, and then select Oracle as the java-vendor.
2. Run the DSE install or upgrade job. LCM installs the Oracle Java 8 runtime if it isn’t already installed.

Unmanaged Java

When a cluster uses the unmanaged Java option, you must ensure that a compatible Java runtime is installed on all nodes before running DSE install or upgrade jobs with LCM.

If you don’t want LCM to manage the Java runtime for a cluster, do the following:

In the cluster’s configuration profile, go to the Java Setup tab, and then uncheck manage-java.
If the cluster uses multiple configuration profiles, uncheck manage-java in all relevant configuration profiles.
Outside of OpsCenter, install a licensed, compatible Java runtime directly on the node (without LCM).
Return to OpsCenter, and then run DSE install or upgrade jobs with LCM.

Because you unchecked manage-java, LCM doesn’t attempt to install or change the Java runtime version.

If you reenable manage-java later, LCM manages the Java runtime according to the configuration in the Java Setup tab during install and upgrade jobs.

Java management in earlier OpsCenter versions

If you are running an earlier version of OpsCenter, then LCM can install the Oracle Java 8 runtime if it is available for download from Oracle or from a privately-hosted custom URL.

Starting in April 2019, commercial users cannot obtain a no-cost license from Oracle. These users must purchase a license from Oracle directly, or migrate to an alternative Java runtime.

When upgrading to OpsCenter 6.8 or later, you can migrate your clusters to the OpenJDK 8 runtime provided by your operating system as a .deb or .rpm package.