Cognos: How to start Cognos Analytics server without X Windows

Product: Cognos Analytics, Cognos BI
Version: 11.1.x, 11.0.x, 10.2.x, 10.1.x

Have you ever encounter following error when startup Cognos Analytics "cogconfig.sh:"

Using /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_91/bin/java
27/05/2020,14:17:44,Err,java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError, com.cognos.crconfig.CRConfigFrame.(CRConfigFrame.java:113)com.cognos.crconfig.CRConfigFrame.(CRConfigFrame.java:2888)
27/05/2020,14:17:44,Err,java.awt.HeadlessException:
No X11 DISPLAY variable was set, but this program performed an operation which requires it., com.cognos.crconfig.CRConfigFrame.(CRConfigFrame.java:113)com.cognos.crconfig.CRConfigFrame.(CRConfigFrame.java:2888)

If you don't have X Windows setup, or cannot figure out the extra "xauth add" syntax to allow X Windows from working, you can use following syntax to startup Cognos Analytics server without X Windows:

[cognos_home]/bin64/cogconfig.sh -s

Pros:

1. No need to setup environment variable DISPLAY
2. No need to setup xauth
3. No need to run X Windows emulator client
4. Light network operation that doesn't required heavy X Windows that spawn Cognos Configuration Manager
5. Prevent UNIX admin accidentally modify configuration in Cognos Configuration Manager screen

Similarly, you can use following syntax to shutdown Cognos Analytics server without X Windows:

[cognos_home]/bin64/cogconfig.sh -stop