Create a custom profile so that you can include application servers,
clusters, or other Java processes, such as a messaging server, in its empty
node. You can use the Profile Management tool to
create a custom profile.
About this task
After installing the core product
files for the Network Deployment product, you must create a profile. It can
be a deployment manager profile, an application server profile, a cell profile,
or a custom profile.
This topic describes creating a custom profile using
the Profile Management tool.
A custom profile is an empty node that you can customize to include application
servers, clusters, or other Java processes, such as a messaging server.
You can also use the manageprofiles command to create a custom profile. See the description of the manageprofiles for
more information.
By default, the Profile Management tool federates
a custom node when you create a custom profile. Federating the node makes
the node operational. You must have access to a running deployment manager
to federate the node.
Otherwise, a connection error
displays.
If the custom profile is on a machine that does not have a
deployment manager, then the deployment manager must be accessible over the
network to support the federation of the node.
- Install the product to create the core product files.
- Start the Profile Management tool to
create a new runtime environment.
Select the Profile Management tool from the First steps
console:
- Open a command prompt.
- Change directories
to the firststeps directory in the profile root directory.
The profile root varies by the following platforms:
- Issue one of the following firststeps command to start
the console:
./firststeps.sh
firststeps.bat
- Select the Profile Management tool option
from the console.
See the description of the firststeps command
for more information.
Ways to start the wizard
Several
ways exist to start the wizard:
- Click Next on the Welcome panel.
The wizard displays
the Profile type selection panel.
- Select the custom profile, and click Next.
The Profile creation
options panel is displayed.
-
Select either Typical profile creation or Advanced profile
creation, and click Next.
The Typical profile
creation option creates a profile that uses default configuration settings.
With the Advanced profile creation option, you can specify your own
configuration values for a profile.
If
you chose not to deploy the administrative console, then the administrative
console ports are disabled on the Ports panel.
- Select either Typical profile creation, Advanced
profile creation, or if you are running on Version 6.1.0.21 or later, Feature
Pack for Web Services, and then click Next.
The Typical
profile creation or Feature Pack for Web Services option creates
a profile that uses default configuration settings. With the Advanced profile
creation option, you can specify your own configuration values for a profile.
If you chose not to deploy the administrative
console, then the administrative console ports are disabled on the Ports panel.
- If you selected Typical profile
creation, or Feature Pack for Web Services, then go
to the step on federating
the node.
- If you selected Advanced profile creation,
then specify the custom profile name and the profile directory on the Profile
name and location panel, or accept the defaults, and click Next.
Profile
naming guidelines: Double-byte characters are supported. The profile name
can be any unique name with the following restrictions. Do not use any of
the following characters when naming your profile:
- Spaces
- Special characters that are not supported within the name of a directory
on your operating system, such as *&?
- Slashes (/) or (\)
The default profile
The first
profile that you create on a machine is the default profile. The default profile
is the default target for commands that are issued from the bin directory
in the product installation root. When one profile exists on a machine, every
command works on the only server process in the configuration. You
can make another profile the default profile when you create that profile
by checking Make this profile the default on the Profile name and location
panel of the Advanced profile creation path.
Addressing
a profile in a multiprofile environment
When multiple
profiles exist on a machine, certain commands require that you specify the
profile to which the command applies. These commands use the -profileName
parameter to identify which profile to address. You might find it easier to
use the commands that are in the bin directory of each profile.
The commands are found in the following location:
A command has two lines. Set the WAS_USER_SCRIPT environment variable
on the first line for the command prompt. You use the variable to set up the
command environment to address the profile. Use the second line to call the
command in the following location:
Use the command to query the command shell to determine
the calling profile and to autonomically address the command to the calling
profile.
Default profile information
The default profile
name is
profileTypeProfileName, where:
- profileType is a value of AppSrv, DMgr,
or Custom.
- ProfileName is a sequential number that is used to create a unique
profile name.
The
default profile directory is app_server_root/profiles,
where app_server_root is
the installation root.
The
default profile directory is app_server_root\profiles,
where app_server_root is
the installation root.
The wizard then displays
the Node, host, and cell names panel.
- Specify the node and host characteristics for the
custom profile, and click Next.
Migration considerations
If
you plan to migrate an installation of Network Deployment Version 5 to Version
6, then use the same cell name for the Version 6 deployment manager that you
used for the Version 5 cell. A cell name must be unique whenever the product is running on the same physical machine or cluster of machines, such as a sysplex. Additionally, a cell name must be unique when network connectivity between entities is required either between the cells or from a client that must communicate with each of the cells. Cell names also must be unique if you want to federate their name spaces. Otherwise, you might encounter errors such as a javax.naming.NameNotFoundException exception. In which case, you need to create uniquely named cells.
After
migrating the cell, the Version 5 managed nodes are now managed by the Version
6 deployment manager in compatibility mode. You can migrate individual Version
5 managed nodes in the cell to Version 6. To do so, you must create a Version
6 profile with the same node name as the Version 5 managed node.
Reserved
names: Avoid using reserved folder names as field values. The use of reserved
folder names can cause unpredictable results. The following terms are reserved
folder names:
- cells
- nodes
- servers
- clusters
- applications
- deployments
The
custom profile has the following characteristics:
Field Name |
Default Value |
Constraints |
Description |
Node name |
shortHostNameNodeNodeNumber where:
- shortHostName is the short host name.
- NodeNumber is a sequential number starting at 01.
|
Avoid using the reserved terms. Use a unique name
within the deployment manager cell.
If you plan to migrate a Version
5 managed node, then use the same node name for this Version 6 custom profile.
|
The name is used for administration within the deployment
manager cell to which the custom profile is added. Use a unique name within
the deployment manager cell. After migrating a Version 5 deployment manager
cell to a Version 6 deployment manager, you can migrate the Version 5 custom
profiles that are running in compatibility mode in the Version 6 deployment
manager.
|
Host name |
The long form of
the domain name server (DNS) name.
|
The host name must be addressable through your network. |
Use the actual DNS name or IP address of your machine
to enable communication with your machine. See additional information about
the host name that follows this table. |
Directory path considerations
The
number of characters in the profiles_directory_path\profile_name directory
must be less than or equal to 80 characters.
Host
name considerations
The host name is the network name
for the physical machine on which the node is installed. The host name must
resolve to a physical network node on the server. When multiple network cards
exist in the server, the host name or IP address must resolve to one of the
network cards. Remote nodes use the host name to connect to and communicate
with this node. Selecting a host name that other machines can reach within
your network is important. Do not use the generic identifier, localhost,
for this value. Also, do not attempt to install WebSphere Application Server
products on a machine with a host name that uses characters from the double-byte
character set (DBCS). DBCS characters are not supported when used in the host
name.
If you define coexisting nodes on the same computer
with unique IP addresses, define each IP address in a domain name server (DNS)
look-up table. Configuration files for stand-alone application servers do
not provide domain name resolution for multiple IP addresses on a machine
with a single network address.
The value that you specify
for the host name is used as the value of the hostName property in configuration
documents for the stand-alone application server. Specify the host name value
in one of the following formats:
- Fully qualified domain name server (DNS) host name string, such as xmachine.manhattan.ibm.com
- The default short DNS host name string, such as xmachine
- Numeric IP address, such as 127.1.255.3
The fully qualified DNS host name has the advantages
of being totally unambiguous and flexible. You have the flexibility of changing
the actual IP address for the host system without having to change the application
server configuration. This value for the host name is particularly useful
if you plan to change the IP address frequently when using Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP) to assign IP addresses. A format disadvantage is a dependency
on DNS. If DNS is not available, then connectivity is compromised.
The short host name is also dynamically resolvable. A short name
format has the added function of being redefined in the local hosts file so
that the system can run the application server, even when disconnected from
the network. Define the short name as the loopback address, 127.0.0.1,
in the hosts file to run disconnected. A format disadvantage is a dependency
on DNS for remote access. If DNS is not available, then connectivity is compromised.
A numeric IP address has the advantage of not requiring name resolution
through DNS. A remote node can connect to the node that you name with a numeric
IP address without DNS being available. A format disadvantage is that the
numeric IP address is fixed. You must change the setting of the hostName property
in Express configuration documents whenever you change the machine IP address.
Therefore, do not use a numeric IP address if you use DHCP, or if you change
IP addresses regularly. Another format disadvantage is that you cannot use
the node if the host is disconnected from the network.
After specifying custom profile characteristics,
the wizard displays the Federation panel.
- Specify the host name and SOAP port
of the deployment manager, and the user name and password for the deployment
manager, if administrative security is enabled for the deployment manager.
Click Next.
After federation, the process in the custom profile is
the node agent process. The node agent process is the agent of the deployment
manager for the custom node. The node agent responds to commands from the
deployment manager to perform tasks that include the following actions:
- Creating application server processes, clusters, and cluster members
- Starting and stopping application server processes
- Synchronizing configurations between the current edition on the deployment
manager and the copy that exists on the node
- Deleting application server processes
See the system administration section in the information center for more
information about node agents and their tasks.
Should
you federate the node?
The recommendation is that
you federate the custom node at this time. The deployment manager must be
running and accessible when you click Next on the Federation panel
to federate the custom node. If the custom profile is on a machine that does
not have a deployment manager, then the deployment manager must be running
and accessible over the network to allow the federation of the node. If the
deployment manager is not running or not accessible before you click Next,
but you can start it and make it accessible at this time, then do so. Otherwise,
select the Federate the node later check box.
If
you are unsure whether the deployment manager is running or accessible, then
do not federate now. Federate the node when you can verify the availability
of the deployment manager.
A possibility exists that the deployment manager is reconfigured
to use the non-default remote method invocation (RMI) as the preferred Java
Management Extensions (JMX) connector. Click System Administration > Deployment
manager > Administrative services in the administrative console of the
deployment manager to verify the preferred connector type.
If
RMI is the preferred JMX connector, then you must use the addNode command
to federate the custom profile later. Use the addNode command so that you
can specify the JMX connector type and the RMI port.
If
the deployment manager uses the default SOAP JMX connector type, specify the
host name and SOAP port and federate the node now to create a functional node
that you can customize.
Federating when the deployment
manager is not available
If you federate
a custom node when the deployment manager is not running or is not accessible,
then an error message is displayed. If the deployment manager becomes unavailable
during the profile creation process, then the installation indicator in the
logs is INSTCONFFAIL, to indicate a complete failure. The
resulting custom profile is unusable. You must delete the profile. Read about
deleting a profile for more information.
If you chose to
federate now, and you previously selected Advanced profile creation,
then the Port Values Assignment panel displays next. Go to the step on assigning
port values.
Otherwise, the Profile Creation Summary panel displays.
The deployment manager must be running and accessible when
you click Create so that the profile creation succeeds. Since
the deployment manager had to be running and accessible when you clicked on
the previous panel, it is most likely still running and accessible. If you
think the deployment manager might not be running or might be inaccessible,
then follow the recommendations in this step to start and make the deployment
manager accessible.
Go to the step on creating
the custom profile.
- Verify that the ports specified are unique, and click Next.
Port conflict resolution:
If you suspect a port
conflict, then you can investigate the port conflict after the profile is
created. Determine the ports that are used during profile creation by examining
the following files:
Included in this file are the keys and values used in setting the ports.
If you discover ports conflicts, then you can reassign ports manually. To
reassign ports, run the updatePorts.ant file by using the ws_ant script.
The
Profile Creation Summary panel is displayed.
The deployment manager must be running and accessible when
you click Create so that the profile creation succeeds. Since
the deployment manager had to be running and accessible when you clicked on
the previous panel, it is most likely still running and accessible. If you
think the deployment manager might not be running or might be inaccessible,
then follow the recommendations in this step to start and make the deployment
manager accessible.
- Click Create to create
the custom profile, or click Back to change the characteristics of
the custom profile.
The Profile creation
progress panel, which shows the configuration commands that are running, is
displayed.
When the profile creation
completes, the wizard displays the Profile Creation Complete panel.
- Optionally select Create another profile,
and click Finish.
If you select Create another profile,
then you go to the beginning of the Profile management tool so that you can
create another profile. If you do not selection this option, then you exit
the wizard.