WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 6.x      Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows

Product overview and quick start

Related resources
Web resources for learning

This section provides shortcuts to information for obtaining a high level understanding of the product, then getting started quickly.

Information center tour
Find all kinds of information about using the information center and the documentation it contains.
New features of this documentation
This topic describes the main improvements to the documentation and the information center in which it is displayed.
Learn about WebSphere applications: Overview and new features
Use the Learn about WebSphere applications section as a starting point to study technologies used in and by applications deployed on the application server.
Learn about WebSphere programming model extensions
Use this section as a starting point to investigate the technologies used in and by applications that you deploy on the application server.
What is new in this release
This topic provides a high level overview of what is new and changed in this version. The audience is anyone who is evaluating or planning to use this version, particularly users of previous versions or editions.
Common Critieria (EAL 4) support
The National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) has developed Common Criteria to ensure you have a safe option for downloading software to use on your systems. Many consumers of IT lack the knowledge, expertise or resources necessary to judge whether their confidence in the security of their IT products or systems is appropriate, and they may not wish to rely solely on the assertions of the developers. Consumers may therefore choose to increase their confidence in the security measures of an IT product or system by ordering an analysis of its security (in other words, a security evaluation).
Federal Information Processing Standard support
Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are standards and guidelines issued by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for federal government computer systems. FIPS are developed when there are compelling federal government requirements for standards, such as for security and interoperability, but acceptable industry standards or solutions do not exist. Government agencies and financial institutions use these standards to ensure that the products conform to specified security requirements.
IPv6 support
The product includes both IPv6-only and IPv4/IPv6 mixed-mode dual stack support, with the restrictions that are described on the Support site.
Fast paths for WebSphere Application Server
This topic describes the most quick and simple paths to deploying an application, with links that pinpoint the relevant information for reaching your goals quickly. It also describes the audience roles and tasks assumed by this documentation. The fast path described in this topic is intended to help you gain a little experience. It does not showcase the advanced product features that some users need or want to use in their production environments.
WebSphere platform and related software
This topic provides links for exploring other WebSphere and IBM products.
Product architecture
This topic introduces the parts of the WebSphere Application Server product. The following diagram shows a product installation.
Using the administrative clients
The product provides a variety of administrative clients for deploying and administering your applications and application serving environment, including configurations and logical administrative domains.
Guided activities for the administrative console
The topic describes the guided activities that are available in the administrative console. Guided activities lead you through common administrative tasks that require you to visit multiple administrative console pages.
Java 2, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) and J2SE
This topic describes the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) specification that is the foundation of the application programming model for WebSphere Application Server. WebSphere programming model extensions add value by extending the J2EE programming model. Read this topic for a brief overview of key J2EE concepts, including the parts of the J2EE runtime environment and J2EE application packaging and deployment.
Tutorials
This topic describes how to find tutorials and their accompanying Samples, for learning how to accomplish your goals with the product.
Accessing the Samples (Samples Gallery)
This topic describes how to install and access the Samples Gallery, which offers a set of Samples that demonstrate common Web application tasks. The Gallery also contains descriptions of where to find additional Samples and coding examples.
Web resources for learning
This topic familiarizes you with the many Web sites containing technical information for understanding and using your WebSphere Application Server product. A wealth of online information is available to complement the product documentation.
Packaging
This topic describes the family of WebSphere Application Server products.
Hardware and software requirements
This topic describes prerequisites for installing WebSphere Application Server products.
Assembly tools
WebSphere Application Server supports three tools that you can use to develop, assemble, and deploy J2EE modules: Application Server Toolkit (AST), Rational Web Developer, and Rational Application Developer (RAD). These tools are referred to in this information center as the assembly tools.