Migrating from iPlanet 4.1 to iPlanet 6.0 plug-in with WebSphere Application Server 3.5

Technote (FAQ)
This document applies only to the following language version(s) :
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Problem
Instructions for setting up iPlanet 6.0 plug-in with WebSphere Application Server 3.5 when moving from iPlanet 4.1.x
Solution
Statement of support:

IBM supports the use of WebSphere's 3.5.0 - 3.5.7 plug-in with the iPlanet 4 web server. IBM recommends the installation of the Cumulative plug-in fix PQ76785 in case that your WebSphere configuration experiences any plug-in problems.

IBM supports the use of WebSphere's 3.5.4 - 3.5.5 plug-in with the iPlanet 6 web server, but IBM requires the installation of Cumulative plug-in fix PQ76785 or any of its future replacement on the web server & WebSphere environments.

IBM supports the use of WebSphere's 3.5.6 - 3.5.7 plug-in with the iPlanet 6 web server. IBM recommends the installation of the Cumulative plug-in fix PQ76785 in case that your WebSphere configuration experiences any plug-in problem.

PQ76785 and its installation instructions can be found at the following URL:
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24005132

The following URL provides information on minimum hardware and software configurations for the Web Server & WebSphere Application server:
http://www-3.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/doc/latest/prereq.html

Background:

iPlanet Enterprise Server 6.0 plug-in's entries are now split between the magnus.conf and obj.conf files:

  • init functions, such as those used to load the WAS 3.5 plug-in, need to be configured in the magnus.conf file
  • service exit functions remain in the "default object" stanza of the obj.conf file
  • authorization functions remain in the "default object" stanza of the obj.conf file

Note: It is still a requirement that the service exit function be the first service function defined in the default object stanza.


Steps for automatic configuration of iPlanet's plug-in:

You can perform an iPlanet upgrade automatically by:

  1. Uninstalling all WebSphere Application Server fixpacks & fixes on iPlanet server
  2. Follow instructions to uninstall iPlanet 4.x
  3. Follow instructions to install iPlanet 6.x
  4. Install WebSphere fixpak (this will install the plug-in to iPlanet 6.x)
  5. Install needed WebSphere fixes
  6. Review all plug-in entries in iPlanet configuration files
  7. Start iPlanet & WebSphere

    Steps for manual configuration of iPlanet's plug-in:
    1. Verify that your current WebSphere configuration is running.
    2. Stop iPlanet & WebSphere
    3. Save magnus.conf and obj.conf from iPlanet 4.x configuration
    4. Follow directions to uninstall iPlanet 4.x
    5. Follow directions to install iPlanet 6.x
    6. Manually add the needed entries to magnus.conf & obj.conf. (See "Manual upgrade of iPlanet plug-in for details)
    7. Start iPlanet & WebSphere.

    Manual upgrade of iPlanet plug-in:

    When upgrading from iPlanet 4 to iPlanet 6.0, some of the WebSphere Application Server plugin entries that were in the obj.conf files in iPlanet 4 need to be moved to magnus.conf:
    Init fn="load-modules" funcs="init_exit,service_exit,auth_exit,term_exit" shlib= ...
    Init fn="init_exit" bootstrap.properties= ...

    Other plug-in directives will stay in the obj.conf:
    PathCheck fn="auth_exit"
    Service fn="service_exit"

    Conclusion
    This document should be used as a guideline toward the migration of WebSphere 3.5 plug-in from iPlanet 4 to iPlanet 6 web server.

    You can review attached sample iPlanet 4 & iPlanet 6 configuration files with WebSphere 3.5 plug-in module. The lines added by the WebSphere install script are prepended with a "*" so they stand out. The actual configuration directives are identical for the two versions of iPlanet, the only change is the two lines responsible for getting the plugin loaded and initialized have been moved from the obj.conf to the magnus.conf in iPlanet 6.0.

    You have to disable completely the Servlet Engine/Java in iPlanet on the global level. The Servlet Engine/Java is enabled by default in the iPlanet web server & it collides with WebSphere's Servlet engine.

    Additional useful information regarding WebSphere plug-in configuration can be found on this WebSphere Infocenter Web site:
    http://www-3.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/infocenter.html












    Document Information

    Product categories: Software, Application Servers, Distributed Application & Web Servers, WebSphere Application Server, Install
    Operating system(s): Multi-Platform
    Software version: 3.5.4, 3.5.5, 3.5.6, 3.5.7
    Software edition: Edition Independent
    Reference #: 1080081
    IBM Group: Software Group
    Modified date: 2003-11-21