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:
Note: Non-root installation for the plug-in component
is only supported if the application server was also installed by
the same non-root user. Otherwise the Web server configuration scripts
will fail to run against the application server installation.
About this task
The wizard performs three steps to properly configure
a Web server. The wizard performs the steps in the following order:
- 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
If administrative security is enabled, the Plug-ins installation
wizard prompts for the administrative user ID and password for the
profile.
- 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.
- 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.
- Log on to the operating system. If you are
installing as a non-root or non-administrative user, then there are
certain limitations.
![[Windows]](../../windows.gif)
When installing as an administrative
user on a Windows
® operating
system, a Windows service
is automatically created to autostart the application server. The
installer user account must have the following advanced user rights:
- Act as part of the operating system
- Log on as a service
For example, on some Windows operating
systems, click
Control Panel > Administrative Tools >
Local Security Policy > Local Policies > User Rights Assignments to
set the advanced options. See your Windows operating
system documentation for more information.
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 restriction, install with a user ID that does
not contain spaces.
- Install WebSphere Application Server - Express on the machine.
Read the "Installing the product and additional
software" topic for more information.
- Install the IBM HTTP Server or another supported
Web server on the machine.
See Installing IBM HTTP Server or refer to the product
documentation for your Web server for more information.
- Stop the standalone application server before
installing the Web server plug-ins. For example, assuming
that the profile name is default, use one of
the following commands.
/usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/default/
bin/stopServer.sh server1
/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/
profiles/default/bin/stopServer.sh server1
C: Program Files\ IBM\WebSphere\
AppServer\profiles\ default\bin\stopServer.sh server1
- Launch the Plug-ins installation wizard on the machine.
Select the Plug-ins installation wizard from the launchpad
or change directories to the plugin directory
on the product disk or in the downloaded installation image and issue
the install command.
- 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.
- Read the license agreement and accept the agreement
it if you agree to its terms. Click Next when
you are finished.
- 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.
Read the "Troubleshooting installation" topic for more
information about log files.
- 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.
- Select Application Server machine (local) and
click Next.
- 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.
Restriction: The
installation directory cannot contain any unsupported characters.
See "Object names: what the name string cannot contain" for more information.
A
possibility exists that the Web server might run on a platform that WebSphere Application Server
does not support.
- 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.
- Enter an administrative user ID and password if administrative
security is enabled on the application server.
- 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 Java™ System Web Server
(formerly Sun ONE Web Server and iPlanet Web Server) Version 6.0 and
later
- obj.conf and magnus.conf
The wizard displays a naming panel for the nickname
of the Web server definition.
- 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.
- 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:
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 standalone 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
- 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 standalone 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Open a command window.
- Change directories to the plug-ins installation root
directory.
- Issue the appropriate command for the plugins_root/bin/setupPluginCfg.sh script:
. plugins_root/bin/setupPluginCfg.sh (Notice
the space between the period and the installation root directory.)
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.
- 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.
- Start the Application Server.
- 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.
- 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.
- Verify that snoop is running.
Either Web
address should display the Snoop Servlet - Request/Client Information
page.
- 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.
- 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
- Use the administrative console of 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.
- 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:
- Verify that the IBM HTTP
Server administration server is running.
- 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.
- Verify that the fire wall is not preventing you from accessing
the IBM HTTP Server administration
server from the WebSphere Application
Server administrative console.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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/uninstall 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 standalone 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
What to do next
You can start a standalone 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.
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.