HCL DevOps Code ClearCase Jenkins Integration on Windows - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction:

Jenkins is a popular DevOps build automation tool. While open-source integrations have been available for years, this new integration was created by the HCL DevOps Code ClearCase development team and is officially supported by HCLSoftware.

The integration supports both freestyle jobs and pipeline jobs in Jenkins.Beyond the default, the HCL DevOps Code ClearCase integration adds the ability to initiate builds by Webhooks invoked from DevOps Code ClearCase deliver completion triggers and by configuring a Jenkins job with the DevOps Code ClearCase plugin to poll for changes on a stream.

Note: The integration allows Jenkins jobs to create and remove views as needed by the build. Currently, only UCM with automatic and Web views is supported.

1. Environment:

• HCL DevOps Code ClearCase 3.0.1 release.
• Jenkins LTS 2.332.x for Windows
• Microsoft Windows 10, 11, 2019 Server and 2022 Server.
• For more information refer to the System Requirements page.
• You must have a 64-bit Java Runtime Environment (JRE) specifically for Java 8 installed before you install Jenkins. If you do not have a JRE already, you can obtain one from Adoptium at https://adoptium.net/temurin/releases/?version=8.

Set the path for the environment variable for your Java. For system environment variables:

Tip: Remember the path to your Java because you need to designate the Java home directory during the installation of Jenkins.

• Set the JAVA_HOME variable to the path for your JDK. Similarly, do this for your JRE.

• In the PATH variable, set up a bin folder for JDK.

Tip: Remember the path to your Java because you need to designate the Java home directory during the installation of Jenkins.

Steps:

2. HCL DevOps Code ClearCase Installation:

Before installing Jenkins on the Windows host, you must install HCL DevOps Code ClearCase first. You must install the HCL DevOps Code ClearCase Remote Client or HCL DevOps Code ClearCase and if you want to use automatic view for Jenkins builds then you must select the Automatic Views component during the installation.

3. Installation and Configuration of Jenkins on Windows:

Use the following procedure to install Jenkins on Windows for the HCL DevOps Code ClearCase-Jenkins integration:

• Download the jenkins.msi installation file for Jenkins LTS 2.332.x for Windows from https://get.jenkins.io/windows-stable/2.332.4/. You can download any version of Jenkins LTS 2.332.x but in this blog am using 2.332.4.
• After the download has completed, run the jenkins.msi file and proceed with the installation. Some information for the following installation steps:
  • On the Service Logon Credentials dialog box, for the Run service as a local or domain user option, enter the domain username and password for the user account that you want to run Jenkins with. Click Test Credentials to verify the credentials data. (The Run service as Local System option is a less secure and therefore not recommended.)
    Note: For the Run service as local or domain user option, the user doing the installation must have the required permission to log on as a service. If this is not the case, an error message displays to state that the account cannot be verified. To resolve this situation, you must update the Local Security Policy to add the user to the User Rights Assignment
    
• • On the Port Selection dialog box, enter the port number you want Jenkins to run on and click Test Port to check if the selected port is available.
    
  • When you must select the Java home directory (JDK or JRE), remember that this is where you have your Java installed.
    
  • When the installation has completed, click Finish to exit the installation wizard.
    

4. Unlocking Jenkins on Windows:

After you have installed Jenkins on Windows, use the following procedure to unlock it:

• In your web browser, navigate to the port number you selected during the installation, for example:
  
  Tip: To learn how to change ports in Jenkins, see https://phoenixnap.com/kb/jenkins-change-port.
• On the Unlock Jenkins dialog box that opens:
  • From the information provided on the dialog box, use the Windows Explorer to navigate to the location of the initialAdminPassword file and open the file in a text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad.
    Below is the default path of the file:
    
    Note: The location might be to a hidden directory. If that is the case, you must enable viewing hidden files, folders, and drives in Windows.
  • Copy the password from the initialAdminPassword file and paste it in the Administrator password field on the Unlock Jenkins dialog box and then click Continue.
    

5. Customizing Jenkins:

After completing the installation process for Jenkins and then unlocking it, you must customize it before you start using it for the HCL DevOps Code ClearCase-Jenkins integration on Windows.

Use the following procedure to customize Jenkins before you use it:

• With this installation, Jenkins is hosted at port 8080. Open a web browser and go to http://hostname:8080.
• On the Customize Jenkins dialog box, to have Jenkins automatically install the most frequently used plug-ins, click Install suggested plugins.
  
• After the plug-ins have been installed, enter the required information on the Create First Admin User dialog box and then click Save and Continue.
• On the Instance Configuration dialog box, confirm the port number that you want Jenkins to use and then click Save and Finish. This completes the initial customization.
• Click Start using Jenkins to move to the Jenkins dashboard.
• Copy files HCL DevOps Code ClearCase-jenkins.hpi and cmapi-jenkins.hpi from HCLDevOpsCodeClearCase-home-dir/java/lib/HCLDevOpsCode ClearCase-jenkins.hpi and HCLDevOpsCodeClearCase-home-dir/java/lib/cmapi-jenkins.hpi.
• Install the copied files HCLDevOpsCodeClearCase-jenkins.hpi and cmapi-jenkins.hpi into the Jenkins server using the Jenkins management web pages as described in the next step.
• Select Manage Jenkins > Manage Plugins > Advanced tab and add the following plug-ins:
  • cmapi-jenkins.hpi
  • HCLDevOpsCodeClearCase-jenkins.hpi

(a) On the left-hand side of Jenkins home page, you will find "Manage Jenkins" option please select it.

(b) If you scroll down under System Configuration you will find "Manage Plugins".

(c) Select "Advanced" option under Plugin Manager.

(d) Scroll down and go to option "Deploy Plugin". Then select “Choose File” option to select two plugin files i.e., HCLDevOpsCodeClearCase-jenkins.hpi and cmapi-jenkins.hpi then click on “Deploy”.

(e) Once the two plugin files are deployed you will see the below result.

6. SSL/TLS configuration for Jenkins Server:

• If you want to use SSL/TLS for your Jenkins server, consult the Jenkins documentation at https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book/installing/initial-settings/ to use other command line flags instead of the preceding mentioned command line flag.