Deploying components to a server

As described in The life cycle of an interface, you create integration components in a library in your local file system and deploy them to an InterChange Server instance to make them executable. When components are deployed to the server, the server runtime is updated so they can be used immediately.

You can use either the System Manager graphical interface or the repos_copy command-line interface to deploy a package of integration components. For information on using System Manager, see Deploying components using the deployment wizard. To use the repos_copy command-line interface for this task, you must first create a package file. For information about creating a package file, see Exporting components to a package using System Manager. For information on the advantages and disadvantages of each interface, see Deciding to use System Manager or repos_copy for deployment.

Deciding to use System Manager or repos_copy for deployment

Table 5 describes the advantages and disadvantages of using System Manager or repos_copy for deployment. Evaluate the two interfaces and use whichever one is best suited to your needs.

Table 5. Advantages and disadvantages of System Manager and repos_copy in deployment

Interface Advantages Disadvantages
System Manager
  • System Manager uses a graphical interface.
  • You can selectively choose the components in the user project that you want to deploy.
  • You can choose to create relationship schemas in the server repository during the deployment, or can choose for them to not be created.
  • You can deploy multiple user projects at the same time.
  • With drag-and-drop deployment, you can deploy user projects, integration component libraries, or even individual components easily.

  • System Manager runs only on Windows.

repos_copy
  • There is no requirement to have components grouped together, as they must be in a user project when deploying through System Manager.
  • Repos_copy is platform-independent.

  • Repos_copy uses a command line interface.
  • You must export the components you want to deploy to a package file first, using either System Manager or repos_copy.
  • You cannot selectively deploy components in the package file.
  • You can only deploy a single package file at a time.

Setting the initial states of components for deployment

For components with states (such as connectors, collaboration objects, maps, relationships, and database connection pools), you can set the state in which the component initializes when rebooting the server after deployment. Do the following to set the initial post-deployment state of components:

  1. Select the shortcuts for the components whose initial states you want to set in a user project.

    You can use standard Windows selection techniques to choose multiple components, such as the following:

  2. Right-click the selection made in step and do one of the following:

Configuring deployment time properties

Deployment time properties are those properties of an artifact that are configured at the time of deployment, rather than at design time. System Manager allows you to specify deployment time properties specific to a server.

When an artifact is deployed to a server, System Manager applies the deployment time properties for that artifact before deploying it. You can also copy the properties of an artifact to more than one server. This keeps you from having to keep track of all the properties of the different components for the different servers. You can identify the properties that will have different values for different servers and add those properties as part of the deployment configuration. You can then configure the values for those properties depending on the server.

When the object is deployed to the server, System Manager automatically applies the configured values for the respective server before deploying it. To configure deployment time properties, right-click on the Integrated component library project and select Edit deployment descriptor. Figure 17 appears.

Figure 17. Deployment Configuration window


The Deployment Configuration window allows you to do the following:

  1. Add a server - To add a server, click Add server. A dialog appears where you supply the name of the destination server. Click OK.
    Note:
    If a component and a property have already been configured in the configuration dialog, then those values will be applicable to all the servers added to the configuration.
  2. Delete a server - To delete a server, choose the server you want to delete from the list and click Delete server.
  3. Configure properties - In the Select the properties list, you can do the following:

Copying properties between servers

One of the benefits of configuration management is the ability to copy properties between servers. To copy properties, right click on the property and choose Copy from the context menu. To paste the properties, right-click on a component and choose Paste. Multiple properties can be copied from one server and pasted in another. When the properties are copied, so are the values associated with them.

Note:
If the properties being pasted are already present in the server configuration, the paste operation will overwrite the existing values.

Importing and exporting deployment time properties

The deployment configuration can be imported or exported to and from a file from the Deployment Configuration dialog. Properties are exported by right-clicking on the property and selecting Export from the menu. The Export Property Descriptor dialog appears, where you must choose either Selected properties or All properties. Type the name of the file where you want the properties exported, or select Browse to locate the file. Click OK.

To import properties, right-click on the property and choose Import from the context menu. The Import Properties dialog appears. You can choose whether you would like to overwrite your properties or merge them. In the Please select Property Descriptor file field, type in the name of the file or choose Browse. Click OK.

Configuring deployment properties with repos_copy

When you create a repos_copy file out of System Manager, it will automatically have the deployment time properties included in the file. These properties will be applied to the artifacts before sending them to the server. For more information on using repos_copy and command-line options, see Using repos_copy.

Validating a package using System Manager

You can validate a package comprised of the components you want to deploy before performing the deployment to ensure that the deployment will succeed. Do the following to validate a package of components:

  1. Add shortcuts for the components you want to validate to user projects.

    For information on creating a user project see Creating user projects, and for information on adding shortcuts to a user project see Adding shortcuts to a user project.

    Note:
    You can validate multiple user projects at once, so add shortcuts for all of the desired components to the appropriate user projects.
  2. In the WebSphere Business Integration System Manager view, select the user projects you want to validate, right-click one of the selected user projects, and choose Validate user project from the context menu.

    System Manager displays the "Validate Project(s)" wizard, as shown in Figure 18.

    Figure 18. Selecting components for validation


  3. Select the server against which you want to validate the components from the Please select the server to validate with drop-down menu.
  4. Use the following techniques to select the components you want to validate:

    Note:
    If you select components with the same name from multiple user projects you will be required to select a single one from among the duplicates at the next screen of the wizard.

    If you have not selected any duplicate components, proceed to step 6.

    If you have selected duplicate components, proceed to step 5.

  5. Click Next.

    System Manager displays the "Local Duplicates" screen, as shown in Figure 19.

    Figure 19. Selecting distinct components from user projects to validate


    Select distinct components among the duplicates.

  6. Click Finish.

    System Manager creates a package containing the selected components and validates it against the server repository. A message is displayed to indicate whether validation was successful or not.

Deploying components using System Manager

You can deploy components to an InterChange Server instance in one of two ways described in the following sections:

Deploying components using the deployment wizard

Do the following to use the deployment wizard to deploy a package of components to an InterChange Server instance:

  1. If any of the components you want to deploy already exist in the server repository (unless it is a map), you must stop them prior to deploying them.

    Use InterChange Server Component Management view or System Monitor to stop the duplicate components in the server before deploying a package. For more information, see Managing component states in the repository.

  2. It is recommended that you set the initial state for the components you deploy. For more information, see Setting the initial states of components for deployment.
  3. Add shortcuts for the components you want to deploy to a user project.

    For information on creating a user project see Creating user projects, and for information on adding shortcuts to a user project see Adding shortcuts to a user project.

    Note:
    You can deploy multiple user projects at once, so add shortcuts for all of the desired components to the appropriate user projects.
  4. In the "WebSphere Business Integration System Manager" view, select each user project you want to deploy to the server instance. You can use standard Windows selection techniques to select multiple user projects for deployment at the same time, such as the following:
  5. Right-click a selected user project and choose Deploy user project from the context menu.

    System Manager displays the "Deploy wizard page 1 screen", as shown in Figure 20.

    Figure 20. Selecting deployable components and deployment options


  6. At the "Deployable Components" screen, do the following:
    1. Select the server instance to which you want to deploy the components from the Please select the destination server drop-down menu.
    2. Use the following techniques to select the components to deploy:
      • Enable the check box next to a user project to deploy all of the components in the project.
      • Expand the user project node and enable the check box next to entire component groups to deploy all of the components of that type.
      • Expand the user project node and a component group node and enable the check box next to individual components to deploy just those components.

      Note:
      If you select components with the same name in different user projects you will be prompted in the next screen of the wizard to choose which component among the duplicates should be deployed.
    3. Enable the Create schema check box if you want to create the database connection pool and relationship schemas during the deployment process.

      The schemas for relationships and database connection pools must be created for interfaces that reference them to work. If you are deploying an interface for the purpose of running it then you must enable this option for any components the interface uses.

      Note:
      You should only enable this option if the settings for the database connection pools and relationships reference the appropriate connection information for the server into which you are deploying the components. If you are migrating components from one environment where the database settings were correct to another environment where they will no longer be valid, you may not want to create the schemas for these components during deployment.
    4. Enable the Perform compilation on InterChange Server machine check box if you want to compile the component to InterChange Server.
    5. Enable the Ignore compile warnings check box if you do not want to receive a prompt about warnings generated during compilation, such as those about deprecated methods.
    6. Enable the Skip validation during deployment check box if you know that the object you are deploying has already been validated. Normally you would not select this check box because you are going to validate objects you are deploying.
    7. Do one of the following depending on your selections:
      • If you have not selected any components that are duplicates across the selected user projects and have not selected any components that already exist in the server repository then you may start the deployment at this time; proceed to step 9.
      • If you have not selected any components that are duplicates across the selected user projects, but have selected components that already exist in the server repository, then the "Server Duplicate Objects" screen appears; proceed to step 8.
      • If you have selected duplicate components within the user projects then proceed to step 7.
  7. Click Next.

    If you have selected duplicate components within the user projects then the "Deploy wizard page 2" screen appears, as shown in Figure 21:

    Figure 21. Selecting among local duplicates when deploying


    Expand the folders of the displayed user projects and enable check boxes for the particular components you want deployed between the local duplicates.

    Do one of the following depending on your selections:

  8. Click Next.

    If you have chosen to deploy components that already exist on the server then the "Server Duplicate Objects" screen appears, as shown in Figure 22:

    Figure 22. Selecting duplicate objects to overwrite in the server


    Expand the folders of the displayed user projects and enable check boxes for the duplicate components you want to overwrite in the server repository.

  9. Click Finish.

    System Manager attempts to deploy the selected components into the server repository. If you view the server logging output you will see messages logged as the deployment session is started and components are added to the repository.

    When the deployment session finishes System Manager either presents an informational prompt that the deployment succeeded or an error prompt that the deployment failed.

  10. Take note of any significant information displayed in the prompt. For instance, the prompt might tell you to reboot the server to activate some deployed components, or might tell you that the deployment failed because active components cannot be overwritten. Click OK and take whatever actions were specified by the prompt.

Deploying components using drag-and-drop

Do the following to deploy components by using drag-and-drop techniques among the System Manager views:

  1. If any of the components you want to deploy already exist in the server repository you must stop them prior to deploying them.

    Use InterChange Server Component Management view or System Monitor to stop the duplicate components in the server before deploying a package. For more information, see Managing component states in the repository.

  2. Do the following in the WebSphere Business Integration System Manager view to select the components you want to deploy:
  3. Drag-and-drop the selected resources onto the InterChange Server instance to which you want to deploy the components in InterChange Server Component Management view.

    System Manager attempts to deploy the components to the specified InterChange Server instance. Messages and errors are displayed in the Console view.

    Note:
    If you selected duplicate components in the WebSphere Business Integration System Manager view then System Manager generates an error when you try to deploy the components. Refine your selection to include only unique components and then attempt the deployment again.

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