CRM - IPC issues - need some help desperately -Thank you

Question

Issue: Create Quotation with a product results in a error: "no connection could be made to IPC".
Also, choosing 'Conditions' Tab results gray/empty tab with "Pricing doc. does not exist" message in the status bar.
Landscape:  Single host Win2k, CRM 4.0 sp03 IDES with IPC SP08.  No issues on CRM side other than the above mentioned.  So far we did:
1) Installed IPC. 
'dispatcher.properties' file contents:
rfcEnabled=true
rfcDispatcherProgId=IPC_RFC_DISPATCHER
rfcServerCount=1
rfcServerProgIdPrefix=IPC_RFC_SERVER_
rfcGateways=ALPHA:sapgw00
<end>
2) Added "ipcuser" and gave system roles according to note:412309
3) Maintained RFC settings for IPC_RFC_DISPATCHER and IPC_RFC_SERVER_1.  Both as (host:alpha), (Gateway:sapgw00)
Started IPC dispatcher, server.  IPC logs look good. 
~ IPC Admin utility was able to login with "ipcuser" and client 800. 
~ monitor pulls up server on port 9163.  Test create document works fine and IPC reports Operational.
4) RFC Testing (SM59) connections
        IPC_RFC_DISPATCHER  and  IPC_RFC_SERVER_1  tested ok and reported time.
>>>>  However, using (SE37)
5) IPC_COM_SESSION_BEGIN executes to a error screen of:
Test for function group  |   COM_SCE_SV
Function module              |  COM_IPC_SESSION_BEGIN
Runtime:       | 2.262.764 Microseconds
Exception:     | DISPATCHER_SYSTEM_ERROR  <<<<<
Import Parameters |      Value
  |     -
IV_CLIENT           |    800
IV_USER_NAME         |   IPCUSER
IV_USER_LOCATION |       ANYTEXT
IV_SESSION_TYPE       |      CRM
IV_NULL                |     *
IV_MODULE           |    IPC
Export Parameters    |   Value
    |   -
EV_DESTINATION          
EV_HOST
EV_PORT  |               00000
EV_SESSION_ID     
EV_SESSION_ID_IPC
EV_RFC_SCENARIO   |      RFC
So, digging further,
6) IPC_COM_SHOW_SERVERS executes to a error:
ET_DISPATCHER_LIST : 2 Entries   <<<<<
<details>
IPC_V_RFC_DISPATCHER - communication failure   <<<<<<
                       hostname 'iwyf7yta' unknown / CPIC-C error CM_PARAMETER_ERROR.
Here are my questions:
a)  Do you find anything wrong with my configuration?
b)  why is the need for IPC_V_RFC_DISPATCHER?
C)  Does this mean that I need to run more dispatchers and servers??
    (i.e. each for IPC_RFC_DISPATCHER/server, IPC_V_RFC_DISPATCHER/server and IPC_WOV_RFC_DISPATCHER/server) - because these destinations are defined in RFC DESTINATIONS under TCP/IP connections... and they don't have program ids registered... so their test connections fail...
and more importantly, am I even on the right track in solving my pricing issue???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

John,
The configuration you have done is correct as per the IPC documentation. But the RFC destination to be used for IPC connection is defined in the table COMM_IPC_DEST field DEST_OUT. When you run the IPC test with the FM COM_IPC_SESSION_BEGIN, this destination is used to connect to the IPC dispatcher. BTB while you do not need more than one dispatcher you may choose to run more than one server.
There are more than one ways to resolve this problem.
The simplest is to maintain the RFC destination IPC_V_RFC_DISPATCHER with the program ID (in this case IPC_RFC_DISPATCHER) configured in your IPC's dispatcher.properties file.
Once the IPC connectivity is established your pricing problems should get resolved. Let me know if it works.