Using silent installation on Solaris

You can use native installation functionality to install WebSphere Application Server. The steps below describe how to install WebSphere Application Server using the noninteractive (silent) mode.

To complete a silent installation, you must create a response file and then use it to perform the installation.

Template response file

A template response file called response_sun.res is supplied with WebSphere Application Server. Using this file as a template, you create your own response file. By default, a file that you create directly from the template installs Sun SDK 1.2, IBM HTTP Server 1.3.12.0, InstantDB, and WebSphere Application Server as well as configures WebSphere Application Server for use with IBM HTTP Server and InstantDB. Further, it installs documentation in U.S. English, WebSphere Application Server application samples, and files that make the product compatible with the Tivoli System Management Tool.

You can edit your file to permit configuration with other selected Web servers or databases, to install documentation in selected languages, or to choose another installation location (the default location is /opt/IBMWebAS). Detailed instructions within the template file guide you in your selections.

After creating your file, you run the associated shell script WebSphereInstallSUN.sh with your response file as the argument. This script silently installs the components and options that you have selected into the chosen installation location in U.S. English. (Because the shell script performs some pre- and post-processing steps on the installation, do not use the Solaris AdminTool to run the script.)

Creating the response file and performing the silent installation

Perform the steps below to create a custom response file and install WebSphere Application Server using the noninteractive (silent) mode. The steps assume that installation is made from the product CD.

  1. Ensure that you are logged into the machine with superuser (root) privileges.
  2. Ensure that you have the DISPLAY and TERM environment variables set correctly for your environment.
  3. Insert the WebSphere Application Server CD and, if necessary, mount the CD-ROM drive. On most Solaris systems, the Volume Management daemon (vold) mounts the CD automatically and immediately, as well as each time the machine is restarted. If the vold process is not running on this machine, see your Solaris documentation for instructions on how to mount the CD-ROM drive.

    The following steps assume that the CD-ROM is mounted at /cdrom.

  4. Move to the directory containing the response_sun.res file by issuing the following command:
    # cd /cdrom/spool
  5. Create a customized response file by copying the file response_sun.res. Use the following command:
    # cp response_sun.res <response_file>

    <response_file> is the full pathname of the response file you are creating (for instance, /tmp/<response_file>). Be sure that the name of your response file has a .res extension.

  6. Edit the newly created response file with a text editor, following the detailed comments throughout the file, which help you select the appropriate options for your configuration.
  7. After saving your changes to the customized response file, use it to silently install WebSphere Application Server by entering the following command at the prompt:
    # ./WebSphereInstallSUN.sh <response_file>

    <response_file> is the full pathname for the custom response file you created. The WebSphereInstallSUN.sh shell script uses this response file to silently install the components and options that you have selected into the chosen installation directory.

    Note: If you choose to install the plugin for IBM HTTP Server, the installation process checks if you have the correct version of the server (1.3.12.0) on your machine. If you do not have this product on your machine and you have indicated in your response file that you want to have it installed, the installation process installs it. (You must manually back up and merge any existing configuration and date files from previous editions of IBM HTTP Server.) If you do not have this product on your machine and you have indicated in your response file that you do not want to have it installed, the script exits without installing the product.

  8. After installation, refer to the log file WebSphere.instl located in the /tmp directory to determine if the silent installation was successful.