The firststeps command starts the First steps console. The First steps console is a post-installation ease-of-use tool for directing WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment elements from one place. Options display dynamically on the First steps console, depending on features that you install and the availability of certain elements on a particular operating system platform. Options include verifying the installation, starting and stopping deployment manager and application server processes, accessing the tools for creating and managing profiles, accessing the administrative console, and accessing the online information center.
A prompt to launch the First steps console displays on the last panel of the Profile Management Tool.
This version lets you start the Profile Management Tool to get started defining a cell, a management profile, and application servers for the cell. A cell consists of a deployment manager profile and a federated application server profile. You can also define standalone application servers. Each profile has its own First steps console.
You can also start the First steps console from the command line as described later in this article.
Option | Product | Profiles | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cell * | Management (Deployment Manager, Administrative Agent, and Job Manager) | Standalone Application Server | Custom | Secure Proxy | |||
Cell Deployment Manager | Cell Node | ||||||
Installation verification | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Start and stop the deployment manager | No | Yes | No | Yes (deployment manager) | No | No | No |
Start and stop the server | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Administrative console | No | Yes (if available) | No | Yes (if available) | Yes (if available) | No | Yes |
WebSphere Customization Toolbox (containing the Profile Management Tool and the Configuration Migration Tool) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Information center | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
IBM® Education Assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Exit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
* When launching the First steps console from the Profile Management Tool in a cell-creation flow, the dmgr instance is used. |
If this is the first time that you have used the First steps console since creating a deployment manager or standalone application server profile, click Installation verification to verify your installation. The verification process starts the deployment manager or the application server.
The Start the deployment manager option or the Start the application server option is unavailable while the IVT runs.
This option displays when the First steps console is in a standalone application server profile or a cell profile.
After selecting the Start the server option, an output screen displays with status messages. The success message informs you that the server is open for e-business. Then the menu item toggles to Stop the server and the Administrative console option enables
If you select the Start the server option, the Installation verification option is unavailable while the application server runs.
This option displays when the First steps console is in a deployment manager profile or a cell profile.
After selecting the Start the deployment manager option, an output screen displays with status messages. The success message informs you that the deployment manager is open for e-business. Then the menu item changes to Stop the deployment manager.
If you select the Start the deployment manager option, the Installation verification option is unavailable while the deployment manager runs.
This option displays when the First steps console is in an administrative agent profile.
After selecting the Start the administrative agent option, an output screen displays with status messages. The success message informs you that the administrative agent is open for e-business. Then the menu item changes to Stop the administrative agent.
If you select the Start the administrative agent option, the Installation verification option is unavailable while the administrative agent runs.
This option displays when the First steps console is in a job manager profile or a cell profile.
After selecting the Start the job manager option, an output screen displays with status messages. The success message informs you that the job manager is open for e-business. Then the menu item changes to Stop the job manager.
If you select the Start the job manager option, the Installation verification option is unavailable while the job manager runs.
The administrative console is a configuration editor that runs in one of the supported web browsers. The administrative console lets you work with XML configuration files for the standalone application server or the deployment manager and all of the application servers that are in the cell.
To launch the administrative console, click Administrative console or point your browser to http://localhost:9060/ibm/console. Substitute the host name for localhost if the address does not load. Verify the installation to verify the administrative console port number, if 9060 does not load.
The administrative console prompts for a login name. This is not a security item, but merely a tag to identify configuration changes that you make during the session. Secure signon is also available when administrative security is enabled.
The installation procedure in the information center cautions you to write down the administrative user ID and password when security is enabled during installation. Without the ID and password, you cannot use the administrative console or scripting.
Each profile has its own administrative interface. A custom profile is an exception. A custom profile is an empty node that you can federate into a deployment manager cell and customize. No default server processes or applications are created for a custom profile.
Each profile also has its own First steps console except for the secure proxy profile.
See the migration documentation for more information about the Configuration Migration Tool.
No parameters are associated with this command.
The following links exist on the First steps console for the WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment product:
Network Deployment provides different types of profiles. Not all profiles have all of the links shown in the table. See the previous description of available options for each profile.
Option | Link |
---|---|
Installation verification | Calls the ivt command. The
location of the installation verification test command is:
|
Start the server | Calls the startServer command. The
location of the startServer command is:
When you have more than one application server on the same machine, the command starts the same application server that is associated with the First steps console. |
Stop the server | Calls the stopServer command. The
location of the stopServer command is:
|
Start the deployment manager | Calls the startManager command. The
location of the startManager command is:
When you have more than one deployment manager on the same machine, the command starts the same deployment manager that is associated with the First steps console. |
Stop the deployment manager | Calls the stopManager command. The
location of the stopManager command is:
|
Administrative console | Opens the default browser to the http://localhost:9060/ibm/console
web address. When you have more than one application server on the same machine, the port varies. The First steps console starts the administrative console that is associated with the First steps console. ![]() ![]() |
WebSphere Customization Toolbox | The command file is located at:
|
Information center for WebSphere Application Server products | Opens the default browser to the online information center. |
IBM Education Assistant | Opens the default browser to the IBM Education Assistant. |