Why and when to perform this task
See Web server plug-in policy for WebSphere Application Server for information about how to verify what V4.0, V5.0, V5.1 and V6.0 plug-in versions are installed on local or remote Web servers, and how to determine if the installation complies with supported configurations.
A WebSphere application server works with a Web server to handle requests for Web applications. The Web server and application server communicate using a WebSphere HTTP plug-in for the Web server.
The installation program for WebSphere Application Server modifies the Web server configuration file automatically to establish a plug-in, provided that you specify a Web server during installation.
Plug-ins are the preferred method of communication between the Web server and the application server. A plug-in offers the following advantages:
A Web server plug-in and Web server are not required in order to start the application server or the administrative console. In a test or development environment, you can use the internal HTTP transport instead of the Web server plug-in and Web server combination. However, it is recommended that you use a Web server plug-in and Web server in a production environment.
To configure a Web server plug-in:
Steps for this task
Ensure that Web servers are configured to perform operations required by Web applications, such as GET and POST. Typically, this involves setting a directive in the Web server configuration file (such as httpd.conf for IBM HTTP Server). Refer to the Web server documentation for instructions. If an operation is not enabled when a servlet or JSP file requiring the operation is accessed, an error message displays, such as this one from IBM HTTP Server:
HTTP method POST is not supported by this URL.