Migrating Web server configurations

You can migrate a Web server from supporting an earlier version of WebSphere® Application Server to support the current version.

Procedure

  1. Install the IBM® HTTP Server Version 7.0 and its plug-in or a plug-in for another supported Web server.
    Install the HTTP Server and its plug-in on a different machine with the following procedure:
    1. Insert the product disk into the machine.
    2. Close the launchpad if it starts automatically.
    3. Change directories to the IHS directory on the product disk.
    4. Install the IBM HTTP Server.
      Run the appropriate installation script for your platform.
      • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] InstallIHS.sh
      • [Windows] InstallIHS.bat
      This script installs the plug-in that you need and makes the necessary configuration changes for the supported Web server.
    IBM HTTP Server Version 7.0 can coexist with earlier versions, or you can upgrade earlier versions to Version 7.0. Install Version 7.0 into the same directory structure as the earlier version to upgrade that version.
    Note: The IHS ISMP installer will not allow installing into the previous directory. The target directory MUST be empty.
    If you install the HTTP Server into a different directory, Version 7.0 coexists with the previous version. By default, the administration server and the Web Server use the same ports as the previous version, which causes a conflict. However, you can change the port assignments on the port assignment panel of the WebSphere Application Server Installation wizard or the Profile Management tool. Read the "Installing the product and additional software" article in the information center for more information.
    • Change the port number assignments for the new installation if you install into a separate directory. You can change port numbers on the coexistence panel. You can back track through the Installation wizard and change the port settings if you have not already done so. Or, you can change the port settings after installation in the httpd.conf file in the HTTP Server directory.

    • Update the IBM HTTP Server httpd.conf configuration entries to remove entries for earlier WebSphere Application Server versions if you install into the same directory as an earlier version.

      Versions 5.1.x, 6.x, and 7.0 of WebSphere Application Server use the same HTTP transport plug-in binary module. If the Web server configuration file contains WebSphere Application Server Version 5.1.x or Version 6.x plug-in information, you must manually remove it. Otherwise when the HTTP Server attempts to start the second Version 7.0 plug-in binary module, there is an error. The error indicates that the module is already loaded.

      The configuration file might contain duplicate entries for accessing WebSphere Application Server samples. Remove any aliases for previous versions and retain the Version 7.0 entries:
      Version 5.1.x installation:
      Alias /WSsamples "c:\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer\WSsamples"
      Alias /IBMWebAS/ "c:\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer\web\"
      
      Version 6.x installation:
      Alias /WSsamples "c:\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer\WSsamples"
      Alias /IBMWebAS/ "c:\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer\web\"
      
      Version 7.0 installation:
      Alias /WSsamples "c:\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer\WSsamples"
      Alias /IBMWebAS/ "c:\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer\web\"
      
  2. Migrate plug-ins to work with WebSphere Application Server Version 7.0.
    Starting with WebSphere Application Server Version 6.0, the following are true:
    • Web servers can be represented in the administrative console.
    • The Web server plug-in configuration file (plugin-cfg.xml) is associated with every Web server definition instead of one cell-wide plug-in configuration file.
    • The settings in the generated plug-in configuration file are based on the list of applications that are deployed on the hosting Web server.

    Use the following steps to generate a Web server plug-in configuration file that is based on topology. This method was used for generated plug-in configuration files in previous releases.

    1. Use the GenPluginCfg command to generate the plug-in configuration file.

      Read the "GenPluginCfg command" article in the information center for more information.

    2. Manually propagate the generated plug-in configuration file from the machine on which the WebSphere Application Server resides to the remote Web server.
    3. Use the Plug-ins installation wizard to configure the Web server. Instead of using the default plug-in configuration file location, specify the new location of the plug-in configuration file that was propagated in the previous step.

      Read the "Installing Web server plug-ins" article in the information center for more information.

    You should migrate to the application-centric approach that uses the Plug-ins installation wizard. The Plug-ins installation wizard generates scripts that can be used to create the Web server definition for that Web server and to map all of the applications that are currently deployed to the newly created Web server definition.

What to do next

Plug-in considerations when you are migrating from WebSphere Application Server Version 5.1.x to Version 7.0In WebSphere Application Server Version 7.0, the plug-in configuration file has a one-to-one relationship with a Web server.
  • The plug-in configuration file (plugin-cfg.xml) generated after successful migration from Version 5.1.x to Version 7.0 is topology centric—that is, it includes all the applications within a cell. You can manage this cell-wide plug-in configuration file from the Version 7.0 administrative console, by using the GenPluginCfg command, or by using the Plug-in Config Generator MBean. Read the "GenPluginCfg command" article in the information center for more information.

    Be aware that regenerating the plug-in configuration can overwrite manual configuration changes that you might want to preserve.

  • The application-centric generation of the plugin-cfg.xml file is supported using the Version 7.0 administrative console. Being application centric means that the plugin-cfg.xml file generated in the administrative console has a granularity that allows each application to be mapped to its specific Web or application server.
  • To set up the administrative console so that you can use it to manage the Web server plug-in configuration, you must first create a default Web server configuration and then use the administrative console to add the plug-in properties from your migrated plugin-cfg.xml file to this Web server configuration.
    • To create a default Web server configuration and then add the plug-in properties from your migrated plugin-cfg.xml file in a standalone application server configuration, perform the following tasks:
      1. Use the Version 7.0 Plug-ins installation wizard to create a default Web server configuration.

        Read the "Installing Web server plug-ins" article in the information center for more information.

      2. Use the Version 7.0 administrative console to edit the configuration and define the plug-in properties.

        Read the "Communicating with Web servers" and "Web server plug-in configuration properties" articles in the information center for more information.

Migrating from WebSphere Application Server Version 6.x: This information is only applicable if you migrated from WebSphere Application Server Version 6.x; it is not applicable if you migrated from Version 5.1.x.
  • Only Web servers defined on managed nodes are migrated to WebSphere Application Server Version 7.0.
  • If you are migrating a Web server and plug-ins from WebSphere Application Server Version 6.x to Version 7.0 and the Web server is defined on an unmanaged node, the Web server creation and application mapping must be done manually.
    To create the Web server definition manually, perform one of the following actions:
    • Use the administration console wizard.

      To generate mapping to all applications that are installed at Web server creation, use the mapping ALL option in the wizard.

    • Use the wsadmin command.
      $AdminTask createWebServer -interactive 
      and reply ALL to the mapping applications prompt.
    • Use the configureWebserverDefintion.jacl script.

      This script maps all installed applications to the Web server. The script updates all of the information related to the Web server plug-in such as the locations of the plug-in installation root, log file, configuration file, and key stores on the Web server system. However, the script does not update other properties related to the Web server if the Web server definition already exists.




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Last updated: Oct 21, 2010 12:47:02 PM CDT
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