PQ49890: HOW TO CONFIGURE MULTIPLE VIRTUAL HOST ALIASES FOR WEBSPHERE APPLICATION SERVER V4.0 ON Z/OS AND OS/390 IS NOT DOCUMENTED

APAR status
Closed as fixed if next.

Error description
Configuring multiple virtual host aliases for a WebSphere
Application Server V4.0 Web application differs from configuring
multiple virtual host aliases for Versions 3.02 and 3.5 on
OS/390.  This difference is not documented.  Multiple virtual
host aliases for V4.0 are specified as follows:
host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias1, www.hostname.alias2
  www.hostname.alias3, www..etc
Note:
The format is a string of aliases all on one line separated by a
comma followed by a space character (,b).
..
..
With Versions 3.02 and 3.5 the format is a list of
virtual host aliases.  The following is an example of
how to configure multiple virtual host aliases for a
V3.02 or V3.5 Web application:
..
host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias
host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias1
host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias2
host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias3
..
If the syntax for V3.02 and V3.50 is used in V4.0, then
only the last alias will be used.
Local fix
Specify multiple virtual host aliases using the correct
V4.0 syntax.
Problem summary
****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED: All users of WebSphere Application Server    *
*                 Version 4.0 on z/OS and OS/390.              *
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The configuration specifications for    *
*                      multiple virtual host aliases for       *
*                      WebSphere Application Server Version    *
*                      4.0 for z/OS and OS/390 differ from     *
*                      those for specifying multiple virtual   *
*                      host aliases for Versions 3.02 and 3.5  *
*                      Web applications.  The change is not    *
*                      documented in the V4.0 publications.    *
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
****************************************************************
Multiple virtual host aliases are configured as follows for
WebSphere Application Server Version 4.0 on z/OS and OS/390:

host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias1, www.hostname.alias2
, www.hostname.alias3, www...etc

Note that the V4.0 format is a string of aliases all on one
line separated by a comma followed by a space character.

With Versions 3.02 and and 3.5 the format is a list of virtual
host aliases.  For example,

  host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias
  host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias1
  host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias2
  host.default_host.alias=www.hostname.alias3

If the syntax for V3.02 and V3.50 is used in V4.0, then only
the last virtual host alias is used.

The new configuration format needs to be documented for V4.0.
Problem conclusion Temporary fix Comments
The documentation changes have been made to the WebSphere
Applciation Server Version 4.0.1 (rather than the V4.0)
publications.  PQ49890 is closed as FIN.

The book "WebSphere Application Server V4.0.1 for z/OS and
OS/390 Assembling Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE)
Applications" contains the following text to clarify how to
specify more than one virtual host alias for a Web application.

 Chapter 8: Creating a J2EE Server run-time environment

 Configuring a virtual host

 A virtual host can have more than one alias. The alias
 definition may contain both a host name and a port number.
 When a client requests a Web application, servlet, or related
 resource, WebSphere for z/OS compares the hostname and port in
 the request with the list of configured DNS aliases. If a match
 is not found, WebSphere for z/OS reports an error that is
 returned to the browser. The following example illustrates the
 property you might include in the webcontainer.conf file to
 configure the virtual host MyHost with DNS aliases of
 www.mycompany.com and www.MyOtherCompany.com:
    host.MyHost.alias=www.mycompany.com,MyOtherCompany.com

 Note: All of the host names must be specified on a single line
 separated by a comma and a space.

 See "Appendix B. Default webcontainer.conf file" on page 245
 for a complete description of the webcontainer.conf properties
 that are applicable to defining a virtual host.

Updates for the most current versions of this book are
available on the Web site at URL:

http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/appserv/library_390.html
APAR information
APAR number PQ49890
Reported component name WEBSPHERE OS/39
Reported component ID 5655A9800
Reported release 400
Status CLOSED FIN
PE NoPE
HIPER NoHIPER
Submitted date 2001-06-21
Closed date 2001-11-01
Last modified date 2001-11-01

APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Modules/Macros

Fix information

Applicable component levels
R400 PSN    UP


Document Information


Product categories: Software > Application Servers > Distributed Application & Web Servers > WebSphere Application Server for z/OS
Operating system(s):
Software version: 400
Software edition:
Reference #: PQ49890
IBM Group: Software Group
Modified date: Nov 1, 2001