Unable to Log in to Prism 2.3 and 2.4

Affected Versions: Prism 2.3, Prism 2.4

Scenario

When attempting to log in, the user is presented with the following message:
"Max number of seated sessions reached"
"This server has reached its maximum number of seated user sessions that it is licensed for (1). Please wait for another user to log out, or disconnect any stale user sessions in Tech Tool Kit."

 

Issue

When a sysadmin user or a user flagged as sysadmin closes the browser abruptly (e.g., due to a power failure), they are unable to log back into Prism, receiving the "Max number of seated sessions" error.

 

Cause

The problem is caused by a stale session being counted as active, which prevents new logins.

 

Solution

1. Log in to Tech Tool Kit (TTK):
   • Navigate to the Active Sessions section in TTK.
   • Identify and clear the stale session for the affected user.
2. Create Individual Admin Users:
   • It is highly recommended not to use the sysadmin or flagged sysadmin user accounts for routine logins.
   • Instead, create individual user accounts with Admin permissions and use them for normal operations to avoid this issue.

 

Summary: Force Single User Sessions (Introduced in Prism 2.3.0.1310 CCU Release)

In versions 2.3.0.1310 and later:

• When a user logs in, any existing live or stale sessions for that username are automatically forcefully logged out, leaving only one active session in the Sessions table.
• In earlier versions of Prism (prior to 2.3.0.1310), live or stale sessions would continue to consume a seat, even after a new login attempt.

 

Limitations:

• The SYSADMIN and PRISM_CUSTOM usernames are exempt from this rule and can have multiple active sessions.
• Usernames associated with services (e.g., SCHEDULER, RESILIENCY) can also have multiple sessions.

 

Impacted Areas:

The following areas are impacted by the force single session rule:

• Prism WebClient
• Tech Tool Kit (TTK)
• iOS Apps
• Plugins
• Proxy

 

Limitations for Internal and Service Sessions:

The single session rule does not apply to:

• Internal sessions or inter-process communications that use encrypted session contexts.
• Usernames associated with services like JTE, LTE, Scheduler, Resiliency, which can maintain multiple active sessions across different services.

 

Best Practices:

Using Separate Usernames for Lengthy Tasks:

For long-running tasks (e.g., markdowns or updating a physical inventory), use separate usernames for different tasks to prevent session conflicts.

• Example 1:
  Logging into Tech Tool Kit (TTK) with the same username used to join a server to the enterprise may cause the TTK session to log out because the same user is running JTE.
• Example 2:
  While performing lengthy tasks like markdowns or physical inventory updates, avoid opening new tabs or browsers and logging in with the same username. Doing so may abort the running process.

 

Next Steps:

• If clearing the session in Tech Tool Kit does not resolve the issue, further investigation may be required.
• Always consider upgrading to the latest version (Prism 2.3.0.1310 or higher) to benefit from improved session management and bug fixes.

 

Related Articles:

• Prism 2.3.0.1310 CCU Release Notes
• Tech Tool Kit User Guide
• Session Management in Prism

 

Conclusion:

By following these steps and best practices, you can avoid issues related to multiple seated sessions and improve the overall user experience in Prism.