Configuring multiple network interface support

Application servers, by default, are configured to use all of the network interfaces that are available for them to use. You can change this configuration such that an application server only uses a specific network interface. However, you cannot configure it to use a subgroup of interfaces. For example, if you have three ethernet adapters, you cannot configure an application server to use two of the three adapters.

Why and when to perform this task

When an application server is configured to use all network interfaces, if it opens a socket on port 9901 on a machine with two TCP/IP addresses, it opens port 9901 on both IP addresses. On a Microsoft Windows operating system, the netstat output displays *.9901 in the Local Address field, indicating that port 9901 is bound to all network interfaces in the system.

When an application server is configured to use a specific network interface, it only communicates on that one network interface. For example, on a Windows operating system, if an application server opens a socket on port 7842 on an ethernet adapter with an address of 192.168.1.150, the netstat output displays 192.168.1.150.7842 in the Local Address field, indicating that port 7842 is only bound to 192.168.1.150.

If you have more than one network interface and you want to use each one separately, you must have a separate configuration profile for each interface. When network interfaces are used separately, a separate node agent is required for each network interface that has an application server running on it. Two application servers bound to two separate network interfaces on the same machine cannot be in the same node because they have different TCP/IP addresses.

Note:

To configure an application server, node, or cell to use a specific network interface:

Steps for this task

  1. Update the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost and com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome Object Request Broker (ORB) custom properties.
    1. In the administrative console, navigate to the indicated page.
      • For an application server, click Servers > Application Servers > server > Orb Service > Custom Properties.
      • For a deployment manager, click System administration > Deployment manager > ORB Service > Custom Properties.
      • For a node agent, click System administration >Node agent > nodeagent > ORB Service > Custom Properties.
    2. Select the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost custom property and specify an IP address or hostname in the Value field.
      Do not set this property to either localhost or *.

      If the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost property is not in the list of already defined custom properties, click New and then enter com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost in the Name field and specify an IP address or hostname in the Value field.

    3. Select the com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome custom property and specify false in the Value field.
      If the com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome property is not in the list of already defined custom properties, click New and then enter com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome in the Name field and specify false in the Value field.
  2. Update the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome custom property for discovery and SOAP connections.
    1. In the administrative console, navigate to the indicated page.
      • For an application server, click Servers > Application Servers > server > Process Definition > > Java Virtual Machine > Custom Properties.
      • For a deployment manager, click System administration > Deployment manager > Process definition > Java Virtual Machine > Custom Properties.
      • For a node agent, click System administration >Node agent > nodeagent > Process definition > Java Virtual Machine > Custom Properties.
    2. Select the com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome custom property and specify false in the Value field.
      If the com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome property is not in the list of already defined custom properties, click New and then enter com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome in the Name field and specify false in the Value field.
  3. Update the host name for TCP/IP connections.
    1. In the administrative console, navigate to the indicated page.
      • For an application server, click Servers > Application Servers > server > End Points.
      • For a deployment manager, click System administration > Deployment manager > End Points.
      • For a node agent, click System administration >Node agent > nodeagent > End Points.
    2. Click each end point and ensure that the Host field is set to the value specified for the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost ORB custom property in the first step.
  4. Update the host name for all HTTP transports.
    1. In the administrative console, navigate to the indicated page.
      • For an application server, click Servers > Application Servers > server Web Container > HTTP Transports.
      • For a deployment manager, click System administration > Deployment manager > HTTP transports.
    2. Click each end point and ensure that the Host field of each one is set to the value specified for the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost ORB custom property in the first step.
      When you finish, none of the entries listed in the Host column should contain an * (asterisk).
  5. Change the initial state of the JMS server to stopped.
    1. In the administrative console, click Servers > Application Servers > server , and then, under Additional Properties, click Server components > JMS Server.
    2. Click one of the listed JMS servers and change the value specified for the Initial State field to Stopped.
    3. Repeat the previous step until the Initial State setting for all of the listed JMS servers is Stopped.
  6. Change the Initial State setting for each of the listener ports to Stopped .
    1. In the administrative console, clickServers > Application servers > server.
    2. Under Communications, click Message Listener Service > Listener Ports
    3. Click on one of the listed listener ports and change the value specified for the Initial State field to Stopped.
    4. Repeat the previous step until the Initial State setting for all of the listed listener ports is Stopped.
  7. Save the updates and synchronize the changes with all of the node agents in the cell.
    1. At the top of the administrative console click Save.
    2. Select Synchronize changes with nodes, and then click Save again.
  8. Stop and restart all of the affected servers, node agents, and the deployment manager.

Results

You have configured an installation of WebSphere Application Server to communicate on one, and only one network interface on a machine that has more than one network interface.

Example

  1. Install the WebSphere Application Server base product for each network interface. See Installing the product for more information.
  2. Start the server that is on the first network interface. Follow the preceding steps in this task to prepare this server to communicate on a single network interface. After you complete this step, stop the server.
  3. Start the server that is on the other network interface. Follow the preceding steps in this task to prepare this server to communicate on a single network interface. After you complete this step, stop the server.
  4. Start the servers on both network interfaces.

You have two application servers running on two different network interfaces.

What to do next

If you are using a standalone Java client or server to communicate with WebSphere Application Server, and you are using the WebSphere Application Server Software Development Kit (SDK), add the following properties to your Java command to enable the ORB for your application to communicate with a specific network interface.
-Dcom.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome=false 
-Dcom.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost=host_name

host_name is the TCP/IP address or hostname of the network interface for the ORB to use.

Note: Do not set host_name to 'localhost', a loop back address, such as 127.0.0.1, or an * (asterisk).




Searchable topic ID:   trun_multiplenic
Last updated: Jun 21, 2007 4:55:42 PM CDT    WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 5.0.2
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.nd.doc/info/ae/ae/trun_multiplenic.html

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