Installing in user (nonAdmin) mode

Non-administrators (non-root users) can install WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment in both silent and interactive nonAdmin mode for full product installations and removals, incremental feature installations, and edition upgrades.

For existing installations, the user who owns the currently installed files is the only user who can perform subsequent installation, maintenance, or removal operations on that installation except under one of the following conditions:
  • Installation Manager and the product were installed in group mode.
  • The owner reassigns ownership of the appropriate directories and files to another user.

The set of post-installation operations that are subject to this rule includes installing a feature, installing maintenance, and uninstalling the product.

Installation considerations

There are various considerations that you must examine if you want to install in nonAdmin mode.
  • Non-administrator installations can apply to all of the WebSphere software components in the product package

    Non-administrators can install all of the product software components.

  • Non-administrator installations install an operational product

    If some portion of an installation requires administrator privileges, Installation Manager provides an option so that the non-administrator can install an operational product without enabling the privileged option whenever possible.

  • Installation Manager identifies root-only options

    Installation Manager clearly identifies privileged options by disabling such options in the interface of the non-administrator.

  • Default installation locations are within the non-administrator’s home directory

    Default installation locations are within the home directory of the non-administrator to verify a writable disk space. Installation Manager verifies that specified disk locations are writable.

Private GSKit installation

Note: Installing IBM® HTTP Server and the Web Server Plug-ins installs a private copy of IBM Global Security Kit (GSKit), which allows both administrators and non-administrators to enable SSL support.

The GSKit package is installed to the gsk8 directory within the installing product's root directory.

The private copy of GSKit is maintained through GSKit update packages delivered in IBM HTTP Server and web server plug-in fix packs.

Non-administrator limitations

There are some limitations and differences when installing as a non-administrator as opposed to an administrator.
  • Local web server plug-in installation

    When the web server plug-in and the application server are installed on the same machine (local installation scenario), non-administrator installation for the plug-in component is only supported if the application server was also installed by the same user. Otherwise, the web server configuration scripts fail to run against the application server installation.

  • Port value assignment

    Profile creation avoids port-value conflicts by examining port values in use by other WebSphere Application Server installations. Multiple non-administrative installers diminish the ability to detect and avoid port value conflicts. WebSphere Application Server installations are visible to the installer ID only, because the non-administrator installations do not register globally. If an administrator performs all WebSphere Application Server installations, the problem is avoided.

  • Edge Components

    Edge requires administrator (root) privileges because of its native installation mechanisms.


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Timestamp icon Last updated: March 5, 2017 23:57
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