Configuring WebSphere Application Server for use with Merant SequeLink

IBM WebSphere Application Server Version 3.5.3 introduced the ability to use a Merant SequeLink driver with some of its supported administrative databases. See the Prerequisites Web page for the list of supported databases.

The instructions for enabling the Merant driver are the same whether you are using a Merant SequeLink driver to connect to the database product that is providing your data source or to the database that provides administrative services for WebSphere Application Server. See Database drivers for more information on the task.

The instructions in this topic describe how to configure your IBM WebSphere Application Server administrative database to use the Merant driver. Because the Merant SequeLink driver is not offered as a choice on the product installation screen, you temporarily need to install one of the drivers available on the installation page, and then use the database conversion assistant tool to convert to the Merant SequeLink driver. The database conversion assistant tool can be downloaded from the IBM WebSphere Application Server web site.

These instructions assume that you have already:

If these steps are completed, you are ready to use the database conversion assistant to modify the WebSphere Application Server administrative database settings in order to use the Merant driver.

  1. Update your PATH environment variable to include the product. For example, on Windows, add product_installation_root\jdk\bin to your PATH environment variable; on UNIX, add product_installation_root\java\bin to your PATH environment variable.
  2. Download the database conversion assistant tool from the product Web site. Look for the database conversion assistant tool under the Tools, service upgrades, fixes, and more link in the Support downloads section of the Support page. This site provides information for both Windows and UNIX systems.
  3. Extract the assistant ZIP file contents and follow the instructions in the README file for the assistant. The InfoCenter topic about using the database conversion assistant to switch administrative databases contains general instructions on the use of the tool.
  4. Follow the instructions in the assistant interface. Make sure that the hostname, port number, user ID, and password values apply to the database to which you want to switch. For example, if switching from DB2 to Microsoft SQL Server, use these settings to establish the Microsoft SQL Server database as the administrative database.

    For the following fields, make these entries:

    Path to administrative configuration file
    product_installation_root\bin\admin.config

    Database type
    Merant

    Enter Merant whether your database is Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, or another brand.

    Database driver name
    com.merant.sequelink.jdbc.SequeLinkDriver

    Path to JDBC driver file
    These JDBC and JTA drivers are now part of IBM WebSphere Application Server installation. They reside in product_installation_root\lib\sljc.jar and product_installation_root\lib\sljcx.jar

    For corrections or updates to this information, see the database driver location table in the InfoCenter article about database drivers.

    Database prefix (part of database URL)
    jdbc:sequelink://hostname:port

    hostname and port (meaning the database port number) depend upon your environment. Use the short host name instead of the fully qualified host name.

    Database name (part of database URL)
    was or the database name of your choice

    User ID
    EJSADMIN
    EJB

    Password (and confirm)
    EJSADMIN or the password of your choice

  5. Start the WebSphere administrative server.

See the InfoCenter article about JDBC drivers for tips about using the Merant JDBC driver.

Troubleshooting

Because the database configuration and tables must be correct for the server to complete its startup routine, if the administrative server can start, then the configuration is successful.

If the server does not start, try to determine the problem as follows:

See also the product Release Notes.