WebSphere Application Server V5.0 Fix Pack 2 for base edition hangs during installation of the adapter or security.wssecurity component
 Technote (troubleshooting)
 
Problem(Abstract)
The security.wssecurity component hangs while applying a Fix Pack to IBM® WebSphere® Application Server. In the Update Wizard, this is indicated at approximately 93% complete. This particular problem occurs when WebSphere Application Server Enterprise Edition (PME) is also installed.
 
Cause
Summary
During the Fix Pack installation process, the wsadmin utility is used to modify the node's configuration. The wsadmin utility parses all of the configuration files belonging to a node. During the process, some Enterprise Edition configuration files reference resources which have just recently been removed. The wsadmin utility attempts to compensate for this by connecting to the URI listed in the configuration file's metadata. If wsadmin is unable to connect to the resource, it appears to hang due to the long time-out period for connecting to external resources.


Similar issue in WebSphere Application Server V5.1
WebSphere Application Server V5.1 is known to experience an issue with similar problems. However, the reason and solution for this issue in V5.1 is different. Please refer to technote 1264150 for details in resolving this issue for WebSphere Application Server V5.1.


Explanation
Fix Pack 2 introduced some major internal changes to the WebSphere Application Server code. Several deprecated items (code and other associated information) were removed from base version 5.0.2. During the process of applying Fix Packs to Base Edition and Enterprise Edition, the Application Server is in an unusual state. Fix Pack 2 for Base Edition removes the deprecated items from the product, yet Enterprise Edition is in a state where it still has some dependancies on that deprecated information.

In most cases, this is a non-issue. The process of applying Fix Pack 2 for Enterprise Edition will correct the dependancies on the deprecated items. However, due to a known defect in the update process, there is an area where the dependancy on deprecated information causes a problem.

The security.wssecurity component update requires configuration changes. These configuration changes are performed automatically using a JACL script, which is executed as part of the update process for the security.wssecurity component. The JACL script is interpreted by the wsadmin utility. As part of the process of interpreting this script, the wsadmin utility reads and interprets the XML data files in the node's "config" directory. The act of reading and interpreting this data is a standard part of the configuration update process.

Certain configuration files that are specific to Enterprise Edition, reference resources which are removed during the process of applying Fix Pack 2 for base. The run-time components of WebSphere Application Server are unaffected by this, because these broken references are updated when Fix Pack 2 for base and Fix Pack 2 for Enterprise Edition are both completely installed. However, the wsadmin utility is affected by these broken references, because wsadmin must be activated during the Fix Pack install process, before the Fix Packs are completely installed.

The wsadmin utility is capable of seeking resources in external locations when the resources it normally uses are missing. When wsadmin attempts to parse certain Enterprise Edition configuration files and discovers that those configuration files reference missing resources, wsadmin attempts to connect to the URI listed in those configuration files.

If the system running the updateInstaller does not have direct access to the Internet, wsadmin will fail to connect to the external URI. The wsadmin utility makes several attempts to contact URIs, and the time-out for the connection failure is set to 600 seconds (10 minutes). The long time-out period multiplied by the multiple connection attempts causes wsadmin to hang for a very long time on systems which do not have direct access to the internet.
 
Resolving the problem
Recommended Solution
  1. Abort the installation process. Kill the "java" or "javaw" processes associated with the updateInstaller.

    Note: Normally, IBM support recommends using the "cancel" button in the Update Wizard in order to terminate the fix pack install process. In this case, it is necessary to terminate the process due to the nature of the hang.

  2. Temporarily move the following files entirely out of both directory structures to a location outside the install_root. Be careful not to overwrite one file with a similarly named file, and keep track of the original location from which the file was moved.

    1. Create a temporary directory named "templates", then move the following two files into that temporary directory. Be sure that this temporary directory is outside of the WebSphere install_root.

      install_root /config/templates/default/nodes/servers/server1/server-pme.xml

      install_root /config/templates/default/nodes/servers/server1/resources-pme.xml
    2. Create a temporary directory named "cells", then move the following two files into that temporary directory. Be sure that this temporary directory is outside of the WebSphere install_root.

      install_root /config/cells/cell_name /nodes/node_name /servers/server1/ server-pme.xml

      install_root /config/cells/cell_name /nodes/node_name /servers/server1/ resources-pme.xml

      Be very careful not to overwrite the files mentioned in Step 1! Be sure that these files are moved into the "cells" temporary directory!
    3. Create a temporary directory named "system", then move the following file into that temporary directory. Be sure that this temporary directory is outside of the WebSphere install_root.

      install_root /config/templates/system/pme-resource-provider-templates.xml

      Note:
      install_root represents the location in which the product is installed.
      cell_name represents the name of the cell this node belongs to.
      node_name represents the name of the node.

  3. Attempt to install the Fix Pack again.
  4. If the Fix Pack installation is successful, move each of the files mentioned in step 2 back to their original locations.
 
 
Cross Reference information
Segment Product Component Platform Version Edition
Application Servers Runtimes for Java Technology Java SDK
 
 


Document Information


Product categories: Software > Application Servers > Distributed Application & Web Servers > WebSphere Application Server > Install
Operating system(s): Windows
Software version: 5.0.2
Software edition:
Reference #: 1195896
IBM Group: Software Group
Modified date: Jul 29, 2008