WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 6.0.x   Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows
             [TIP: Focusing the table of contents and search results]

Configuring a Web server and an application server profile on the same machine

This topic describes installing a Web server plug-in that WebSphere Application Server provides to communicate with a particular brand of Web server. This procedure describes installing the Web server and its Web server plug-in for WebSphere Application Server and the application server on the same machine.

Before you begin

When multiple profiles exist, the plug-ins installer configures only the default profile. See Plug-ins configuration for a description of the flow of logic that determines how the installer selects the profile to configure.

If the WebSphere Application Server product family supports a particular brand of Web server, such as IBM HTTP Server or Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), then your WebSphere Application Server product provides a binary plug-in for the Web server that you must install.

If the WebSphere Application Server product family does not provide a binary plug-in for a particular brand of Web server, then the Web server is not supported. The purpose of the binary plug-in is to provide the communication protocol between the Web server and the application server.

Suppose that you create a new profile. Suppose also that you want to use a Web server. You must install a new Web server for the new profile and use the Plug-ins installation wizard to install the binary plug-in module and to configure both the Web server and the application server.

If the Web server is not already installed, you can still install the plug-ins for future use. If the WebSphere Application Server product is not installed, you can still install the plug-ins. However, it is recommended that you install the Web server and the WebSphere Application Server product before installing the plug-ins for the supported Web server.

This procedure configures the application server profile that is the default profile on the machine. A one-to-one relationship exists between a Web server and the application server.

This topic describes how to create the following topology:

Application Server with optional Web server on one machine

The set of steps leading up to the next diagram show how to configure a stand-alone application server. The set of steps after the next diagram show how to configure an application server that is federated into a deployment manager cell.

About this task

The wizard performs three steps to properly configure a Web server for Version 6. The wizard performs the steps in the following order:
  1. The wizard installs the unique binary plug-in module for the supported Web server after collecting the following information:
    • The type of Web server
    • The location of the configuration file for the Web server that the wizard configures
    • The plug-ins installation root directory for the Web server plug-in modules that the wizard installs
    • The installation root directory of the WebSphere Application Server product, where the wizard creates a Web server definition
  2. The wizard prompts you for the location of the configuration file or files for the Web server. You must browse for and select the correct file.

    The wizard edits the configuration file or files for a Web server by creating directives that point to the location of the binary plug-in module and the plug-in configuration file.

    The name of the binary plug-in module varies per Web server type. The plug-in configuration file is always the plugin-cfg.xml file.

  3. The wizard creates a Web server definition in the configuration of the application server unless one already exists.

    You can use the administrative console to manage the Web server configuration. For example, when you install an application on the application server, you can also choose to install it on the Web server definition. If so, the updated plugin-cfg.xml file shows that the new application is available. When the Web server reads the updated plug-in configuration file, the Web server becomes aware of the new application that it can serve to Web clients.

    If you choose not to install the new application on the Web server definition, the application is not added to the plug-in configuration file. The Web server is not aware of the application and cannot serve it to Web clients.

Use the following procedure to install the Web server plug-in, configure the Web server, and create a Web server definition in the default application server profile.

Procedure

  1. Log on to the operating system.

    Log on as root on an operating system such as AIX or Linux, or as a member of the administrator group on a Windows system.

    [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] In addition, select a umask that would allow the owner to read/write to the files, and allow others to access them according to the prevailing system policy. For root, a umask of 022 is recommended. For non-root users a umask of 002 or 022 could be used, depending on whether or not the users share the group. To verify the umask setting, issue the following command:
    umask
    To set the umask setting to 022, issue the following command:
    umask 022
    [Windows] When installing on a Windows system, a Windows service is automatically created to autostart the application server if your installer user account has the following advanced user rights:
    • Act as part of the operating system
    • Log on as a service
    For example, on some Windows systems, click Administrative Tools > Local Security Policy > User Rights Assignments to set the advanced options. See your Windows documentation for more information.

    [Windows] The installation wizard grants your Windows user ID the advanced user rights, if the user ID belongs to the administrator group. The silent installation does not grant these rights. If you create a new user ID on a Windows platform to perform a silent installation, you must restart the system to activate the proper authorizations for the user ID before you can perform a successful silent installation.

    [Windows] If you plan to run the application server as a Windows service, do not install from a user ID that contains spaces. A user ID with spaces cannot be validated. Such a user ID is not allowed to continue the installation. To work around this problem, install with a user ID that does not contain spaces.

  2. Install WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment on Machine A.

    See Installing the product and additional software .

  3. Install the IBM HTTP Server or another supported Web server on Machine B.

    See Installing IBM HTTP Server or refer to the product documentation for your Web server for more information.

  4. Launch the Plug-ins installation wizard on the machine with the Web server.

    Select the Plug-ins installation wizard from the launchpad or change directories to the plugin directory on the product disc or in the downloaded installation image and issue the install command.

  5. Stop the stand-alone application server before installing the Web server plug-ins. For example, assuming that the profile name is default, use one of the following commands.
    • [AIX] /usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/default/ bin/stopServer.sh server1
    • [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/ profiles/default/bin/stopServer.sh server1
    • [Windows] C: Program Files\ IBM\WebSphere\ AppServer\profiles\ default\bin\stopServer.sh server1
  6. Clear the check box for the roadmap or select the check box to view the roadmap, then click Next.

    If you are unsure of which installation scenario to follow, display the roadmap instead. Print and keep the roadmap as a handy overview of the installation steps.

    Press Ctrl-P to print the roadmap if the Web browser navigation controls and the menu bar are not present on the browser window that displays the Plug-ins roadmap. Press Ctrl-W to close the browser window if the navigation controls and the menu bar do not display. Or close the browser window with the window control in the title bar.

  7. Read the license agreement and accept the agreement it if you agree to its terms. Click Next when you are finished.
  8. If your system does not pass the prerequisites check, stop the installation, correct any problems, and restart the installation. If your system passes the prerequisites check, click Next.
    Look for the appropriate log file for information about missing prerequisites:
    • If you stop the installation, see the temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt file in the temporary directory of the user who installed the plug-ins. For example, the /tmp/temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt file might exist if the root user installed the plug-ins on an operating system such as AIX or Linux.
    • If you continue the installation in spite of warnings about missing prerequisites, see the plugins_root/logs/install/log.txt file after the installation is complete.

    See Troubleshooting installation for more information about log files.

  9. Select the type of Web server that you are configuring and click Next.

    The Plug-ins installation wizard panel prompts you to identify the Web servers to configure. Actually you can select only one Web server each time you run the Plug-ins installation wizard.

    Stop any Web server while you are configuring it. A step later in the procedure directs you to start the Web server as you begin the snoop servlet test.

    If you select the Web server identification option labeled None, the Web server installs the binary plug-ins but does not configure the Web server.

  10. Select Application Server machine (local) and click Next.
  11. Accept the default location for the installation root directory for the plug-ins. Click Next.

    You can type another new directory or click Browse to select an empty directory. The fully qualified path identifies the plug-ins installation root directory.

    The default location is shown in Directory conventions .

    A possibility exists that the Web server might run on a platform that WebSphere Application Server does not support.

  12. Click Browse on the Application Server Installation Location panel to browse for the location of the application server profile if necessary. Click Next when the installation root directory is correct.

    The fully qualified path identifies the installation root directory for the WebSphere Application Server product, which is referred to as the app_server_root throughout the information center.

  13. Click Browse to select the configuration file for your Web server, verify that the Web server port is correct, and then click Next when you are finished.

    Select the file and not just the directory of the file. Some Web servers have two configuration files and require you to browse for each file.

    The following list shows configuration files for supported Web servers:
    Apache HTTP Server
    apache_root/config/httpd.conf
    Domino Web Server
    names.nsf and Notes.jar

    The wizard prompts for the notes.jar file. The actual name is Notes.jar.

    The Plug-ins installation wizard verifies that the files exist but the wizard does not validate either file.

    IBM HTTP Server
    IHS_root/conf/httpd.conf
    Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
    The Plug-ins installation wizard can determine the correct files to edit.
    Sun ONE Web Server 6.0 or Sun Java System Web Server, Version 6.1
    obj.conf and magnus.conf

    The wizard displays a naming panel for the nickname of the Web server definition.

  14. Specify a nickname for the Web server. Click Next when you are finished.

    The wizard uses the value to name configuration folders in the plug-ins installation root directory. The wizard also uses the name in the configuration script for the application server to name the Web server definition.

    If the application server profile already has a Web server definition, delete the Web server definition before continuing. Use the following commands to delete the Web server definition:
    $AdminTask deleteServer { -serverName webserver1 -nodeName webserver1_node }
    $AdminTask removeUnmanagedNode { -nodeName webserver1_node }
    $AdminConfig save
    
    In these commands, webserver1 is the Web server name.
  15. Specify the location for the plugin-cfg.xml file and click Next.

    This is a critical selection.

    See Plug-ins configuration for a description of the logic that determines what path is configured by default. The following possibilities exist for the default location of the plug-in configuration file. The wizard determines the characteristics of the application server to determine the best path for the file:
    • An application server that has an existing Web server definition has the following path:
      plugins_root/config/
         web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml
    • A stand-alone application server that does not have a Web server definition has the following path:
      profile_root
      /config/cells/cell_name/nodes/
      web_server_name_node/servers/
      web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml

    You can accept the default value if the application server does not have a Web server definition.

    Using an existing Web server definition

    If the application server has a Web server definition, the wizard cannot create a new Web server definition within the application server configuration. However, the wizard can reconfigure the Web server. Click Browse and select the existing plugin-cfg.xml file in the application server configuration.

    To find the plug-in configuration file in a stand-alone application server, follow this file path:
    profile_root
       /config/cells/cell_name/nodes/
       web_server_name_node/servers/
       web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml

    If the existing web_server_name is different than the nickname that you gave the Web server in the wizard, click Back to return to the naming panel for the Web server and change the name to match the existing Web server definition name.

    If you cannot find an existing plugin-cfg.xml file after all, you must install the temporary plugin-cfg.xml file. In such a case, type the path to the plug-ins installation root directory so that the wizard can install the temporary plug-in configuration file:
    plugins_root/config/
        web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml
  16. Click Next after verifying the characteristics of the plug-ins installation or click Back to make changes.

    Once created, a Web server definition on a stand-alone application server node cannot be removed except through scripting. (See Uninstalling the Web server plug-ins for WebSphere Application Server for the procedure.)

    You can, however, reuse the same definition for a different type of Web server. Run the Plug-ins installation wizard to configure a new Web server in that situation. The Plug-ins installation wizard configures the new Web server to use the existing plugin-cfg.xml file.

  17. Click Next on the pre-installation summary panel to begin the installation or click Back to change any characteristics of the installation. The wizard begins installing the plug-ins and configuring the Web server and the application server.

    The wizard shows an installation status panel as it installs the plug-ins.

    The wizard displays the Installation summary panel at the completion of the installation.

  18. Verify the success of the installation on the Installation summary panel and click Finish to exit the wizard.

    If a problem occurs and the installation is unsuccessful, examine the logs in the plugins_root/logs directory. Correct any problems and reinstall.

  19. Domino Web server only: Set the WAS_PLUGIN_CONFIG_FILE environment variable.

    On platforms such as AIX or Linux, sourcing a script to the parent shell allows child processes to inherit the exported variables. On Windows systems, run the script as you would run any other command. Sourcing is automatic on Windows systems.

    1. Open a command window.
    2. Change directories to the plug-ins installation root directory.
    3. Issue the appropriate command for the plugins_root/bin/setupPluginCfg.sh script:
      • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Solaris] . plugins_root/bin/setupPluginCfg.sh (Notice the space between the period and the installation root directory.)
      • [Linux] source plugins_root/bin/setupPluginCfg.sh

    The script is also in the lotus_root/notesdata directory on operating systems such as AIX or Linux.

    Issue the appropriate command for the script before starting the Domino Web Server.

  20. Start the Snoop servlet to verify the ability of the Web server to retrieve an application from the Application Server.

    Test your environment by starting your Application Server, your Web server, and using the snoop servlet with an IP address.

    1. Start the Application Server. In a Network Deployment environment, the Snoop servlet is available in the cell only if you included the DefaultApplication when adding the Application Server to the cell. The -includeapps option for the addNode command migrates the DefaultApplication to the cell. If the application is not present, skip this step.
      Change directories to the profile_root/bin directory and run the startServer command:
      • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] ./startServer.sh server1
      • [Windows] startServer server1
    2. Start the IBM HTTP Server or the Web server that you are using.

      Use a command window to change the directory to the IBM HTTP Server installed image, or to the installed image of your Web server. Issue the appropriate command to start the Web server, such as these commands for IBM HTTP Server:

      To start the IBM HTTP Server from the command line:

      Access the apache and apachectl commands in the IBMHttpServer/bin directory.
      • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] ./apachectl start
      • [Windows] apache
    3. Point your browser to http://localhost:9080/snoop to test the internal HTTP transport provided by the Application Server. Point your browser to http://Host_name_of_Web_server_machine/snoop to test the Web server plug-in.

      The HTTP Transport port is 9080 by default and must be unique for every profile. The port is associated with a virtual host named default_host, which is configured to host the installed DefaultApplication and any installed Samples. The snoop servlet is part of the DefaultApplication. Change the port to match your actual HTTP Transport port.

    4. Verify that snoop is running.

      Either Web address should display the Snoop Servlet - Request/Client Information page.

    5. Remote IBM HTTP Server only:

      Verify that the automatic propagation function can work on a remote IBM HTTP Server by using the following steps. This procedure is not necessary for local Web servers.

      1. Create a user=adminUser, password=adminPassword in the IHS_root /conf/admin.passwd file. For example: c:\ws\ihs60\bin\htpasswd -cb c:\ws\ihs60\conf\admin.passwd adminUser adminPassword
      2. Use the administrative console of the deployment manager or the Application Server to enter the User ID and password information that you created for the administrative user of IBM HTTP Server. Go to Servers > Web server > Web_server_definition > Remote Web server administration. Set the following values: admin Port=8008, User Id=adminUser, Password=adminPassword.
      3. Set the correct read/write permissions for the httpd.conf file and the plugin-cfg.xml file. See the IHS_root /logs/admin_error.log file for more information.
      Automatic propagation of the plug-in configuration file requires the IBM HTTP administrative server to be up and running. If you are managing an IBM HTTP Server using the WebSphere Application Server administrative console, the following error might display:
      "Could not connect to IHS Administration server error"
      Perform the following procedure to correct the error:
      1. Verify that the IBM HTTP Server administration server is running.
      2. Verify that the Web server host name and the port that is defined in the WebSphere Application Server administrative console matches the IBM HTTP Server administration host name and port.
      3. Verify that the fire wall is not preventing you from accessing the IBM HTTP Server administration server from the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.
      4. Verify that the user ID and password that is specified in the WebSphere Application Server administrative console under remote managed, is created in the admin.passwd file, using the htpasswd command.
      5. If you are trying to connect securely, verify that you export the IBM HTTP Server administration server keydb personal certificate into the WebSphere Application Server key database as a signer certificate. This key database is specified by the com.ibm.ssl.trustStore directive in the sas.client.props file in the profile where your administrative console is running. This consideration is primarily for self-signed certificates.
      6. If you still have problems, check the IBM HTTP Server admin_error.log file and the WebSphere Application Server logs (trace.log file) to determine the cause of the problem.
  21. Configure a Web server and a distributed application server profile on the same machine.

    The rest of these steps describe how to configure an application server that is federated into a deployment manager cell.

    The following topology is considered a local distributed topology because it involves a cell:

    Application Server with optional Web server on one machine

    This part of the procedure assumes that you have already installed the Network Deployment product on both machines. Also assumed is that you have already configured a deployment manager profile on Machine A and an application server profile on Machine B.

    If you are planning to add the application server node into a deployment manager cell but have not done so yet, start the deployment manager and federate the node before installing the plug-in. You cannot add an application server with a Web server definition into the deployment manager cell.

    A Web server definition on a federated application server is installed on the same managed node as the application server. There is one node, but with two server processes, the application server and the Web server definition.

    If you are installing the plug-ins for use with a federated application server, start the deployment manager. Verify that the node agent process on the managed node is also running. Both the deployment manager and the node agent must be running to successfully configure a managed node.

  22. Install IBM HTTP Server or another supported Web server on Machine B.

    See Installing IBM HTTP Server or refer to the product documentation for your Web server for more information.

  23. Launch the Plug-ins installation wizard on the machine with the Web server.
  24. Clear the check box for the roadmap or select the check box to view the roadmap, then click Next.
  25. Read the license agreement and accept the agreement it if you agree to its terms, then click Next.
  26. If your system does not pass the prerequisites check, stop the installation, correct any problems, and restart the installation. If your system passes the prerequisites check, click Next.
  27. Select the type of Web server that you are configuring, then click Next.
  28. Select Application Server machine (local) and click Next.
  29. Accept the default location for the installation root directory for the plug-ins, then click Next.
  30. Click Browse on the Application Server installation location panel to browse for the location of the Application Server profile, if necessary. Click Next when the installation root directory is correct.
  31. Click Browse to select the configuration file for your Web server, verify that the Web server port is correct, and then click Next.
  32. Specify a nickname for the Web server, then click Next.
  33. Specify the location for the plugin-cfg.xml file and click Next.
    This is a critical selection. A federated application server that does not have a Web server definition has the following path:
    profile_root
    /config/cells/cell_name/nodes/
    node_name_of_AppServer/servers/
       web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml
    An application server that has an existing Web server definition has the following path:
    plugins_root/config/
       web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml

    See Plug-ins configuration for a description of the logic that determines what path is configured by default.

  34. Click Next after verifying the characteristics of the plug-ins installation or click Back to make changes.

    You can use the administrative console of the deployment manger to delete an existing Web server or to create new ones. Federated nodes can have more than one Web server definition.

  35. Click Next on the pre-installation summary panel to begin the installation or click Back to change any characteristics of the installation.

    The wizard begins installing the plug-ins and configuring the Web server and the application server.

    The wizard shows an installation status panel as it installs the plug-ins.

    The wizard displays the Installation summary panel at the completion of the installation.

  36. Verify the success of the installation on the Installation summary panel and click Finish to exit the wizard.
  37. Complete the installation by creating the Web server definition.

    You can use the administrative console of the deployment manager to create the Web server definition on a federated node. Or, you can run the configuration script that the Plug-ins installation wizard created.

    The script already contains all of the information that you must gather when using the administrative console option.

    Select one of the following options:
    • Using the administrative console

      Click Servers > Web servers > New and use the Create new Web server entry wizard to create the Web server definition.

    • Running the configuration script
      Issue the appropriate command from a command window:

      If you have enabled security or changed the default JMX connector type, edit the script and include the appropriate parameters on the wsadmin command.

  38. From the administrative console of the deployment manager, click System administration > Save Changes to Master Repository > Synchronize changes with Nodes > Save.
  39. Source the Domino Web server script if necessary.
  40. Start the snoop servlet.

    See the snoop procedure for the stand-alone application server for the full procedure.

Results

The installation of the binary plug-in modules results in the creation of the Plugins directory and several subdirectories. The following directories are among those created on a Linux system, for example:
  • plugins_root/_uninstPlugin/_jvmForPlugin contains the WebSphere Application Server SDK, Java technology edition used to uninstall the product
  • plugins_root/_uninstPlugin contains the uninstaller program
  • plugins_root/bin contains the binary plug-ins for all supported Web servers
  • plugins_root/logs contains log files
  • plugins_root/properties contains version information
  • plugins_root/roadmap contains the roadmap for the Plug-ins installation wizard

The Plug-ins installation wizard creates a Web server definition within the application server profile unless one already exists.

The Plug-ins installation wizard configures the Web server to use the profile_root/plugin-cfg.xml file.

The application server regenerates the Web server plug-in configuration file, plugin-cfg.xml whenever an event occurs that affects the file. Such events include the addition or removal of an application, server, or virtual host. The stand-alone application server regenerates the file in the following location:
profile_root
   /config/cells/cell_name/nodes/
   web_server_name_node/servers/
   web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml
On a federated node, the creation or removal of clusters and cluster members also causes file regeneration. The deployment manager regenerates the file for a federated application server in the following location:
profile_root
   /config/cells/cell_name/nodes/
   node_name_of_AppServer/servers/
   web_server_name/plugin-cfg.xml

What to do next

You can start a stand-alone application server and the Web server immediately after installing of the binary plug-in for the local Web server. Open the administrative console of the application server after you start the server and save the changed configuration.

After installing the binary plug-in for the local Web server, you can start a federated application server and the Web server after running the configuration script that completes the installation. Open the administrative console of the deployment manager. Wait for node synchronization to occur. Save the changed configuration that includes the new Web server definition.

See Selecting a Web server topology diagram and roadmap for an overview of the installation procedure.

See Plug-ins configuration for information about the location of the plug-in configuration file.

See Web server configuration for information about the files involved in configuring a Web server.

See Editing Web server configuration files for information about how the Plug-ins installation wizard configures supported Web servers.

See Installing Web server plug-ins for information about other installation scenarios for installing Web server plug-ins.




Related concepts
Plug-ins configuration
Web server configuration
Related tasks
Installing Web server plug-ins
Task topic    

Terms of Use | Feedback

Last updated: Mar 8, 2007 8:14:28 PM CST
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/v6r0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.nd.doc/info/ae/ae/tins_webplugins_local.html

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2004, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
This information center is powered by Eclipse technology. (http://www.eclipse.org)