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:
- Installed IBM WebSphere Application Server.
- Configured it to use a supported database, such as the database provided
with the Quick Install option, which installs IBM HTTP
Server and a DB2 database. The database conversion assistant tool can be
used to change to the Merant SequeLink product and your desired database.
- Installed the database, as well as its Merant SequeLink driver, on the same machine.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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:
- Use the database management system to check that the database tables were created
successfully. If they were not, then double-check the database settings.
- Open the following files in a text editor to confirm that the settings are configured
correctly with respect to the values provided in the previous instructions:
- drive:\\WebSphere\AppServer\bin\admin.config
- drive:\\WebSphere\AppServer\properties\initial_setup.properties
- Investigate typical reasons why the administrative server fails to start. See
InfoCenter section 8 for more information.
See also the product Release Notes.