You can change the cell protocol information, define custom properties for the cell, and
add additional nodes.
Before you begin
Before you can configure cells, you must install the
WebSphere® Application Server, Network Deployment product.
About this task
When you create a deployment manager profile, a cell is created. A cell provides a way to group
one or more nodes of your WebSphere Application Server, Network Deployment product. You define
the nodes that make up a cell, according to the specific criteria that make sense in your
organizational environment. You probably do not need to configure the cell again.
Administrative configuration data is stored in XML files. A cell retains master configuration
files for each server in every node in the cell. Each node and server also have their own local
configuration files. Changes to a local node or to a server configuration file are temporary, if the
server belongs to the cell. While in effect, local changes override cell configurations. Changes to
the master server and master node configuration files made at the cell level replace any temporary
changes made at the node when the cell configuration documents are synchronized to the nodes.
Synchronization occurs at designated events, such as when a server starts.
To view information about and to manage a cell, use the settings page for a cell.
Procedure
- Access the settings page for a cell. Click from the navigation tree of the administrative console.
- If the protocol that the cell uses to retrieve information from a network is not appropriate
for your system, select the appropriate protocol. By default, a cell uses Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP). If you want the cell to use User Datagram Protocol, select
UDP from the list for Cell Discovery Protocol on the
settings page for the cell. It is unlikely that you need to change the cell protocol configuration
from TCP.
- Click Custom Properties and define any name-value pairs that your
deployment manager needs.
- Click New.
- Specify a name and value for the custom property.
- When you install the WebSphere Application Server, Network Deployment product, a node may
have been added to the cell. You can add additional nodes on the Nodes page.
Click Nodes to access the Nodes page, which you use to
manage nodes.
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Both Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) and Internet
Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) are now supported by WebSphere Application Server,
but there are restrictions that apply to using both IPv4 and IPv6 in the same cell. Note that when
you add a node to a cell, the format in which you specify the host name is based on the version of
IP the node will be using. For further information, read the topic on IP version considerations for
cells.
Results
Depending on which steps you performed, you changed the cell protocol information, defined
custom properties for the cell, and added additional nodes.
What to do next
You can continue to administer your
WebSphere Application Server, Network Deployment
product by doing such tasks as managing nodes, node agents, and node groups.