The Installation Factory is a tool for developing customized installation
packages that can contain a WebSphere Application Server installation image,
one or more maintenance packages, a configuration archive file, enterprise
application archive files, other files and directories, and configuration
scripts. This topic describes terminology and fields that the Installation
Factory uses.
- Application display name
- The name of the application that is installed by installing an enterprise
archive file.
- Build definition directory path and file name
- A field that identifies the location and file name of the build definition
file.
- Build definition file
- A file that defines all of the parameters that are required by the processing
engine. The processing engine uses the parameters in this XML file to identify
elements to include in the customized installation image. The following parameters
are among those parameters that are included in the file:
- Product, such as IBM WebSphere Application Server
- Edition, such as Network Deployment
- Package, such as WebSphere Application Server
- Feature, such as Core product files
- Organization, such as My Company
- Description, such as "This CIP includes Refresh Pack
2 (V6.0.2) and no interim fixes."
- Build Definition wizard
- A wizard that identifies the product image location, maintenance package
locations, and other information in the build definition file. The Build Definition
wizard is one of two wizards that the Installation Factory console uses to
create the build definition file.
- Build location - directory path
- A field that identifies the directory where the processing engine builds
the customized installation package. Any existing files in the directory are
overwritten when you select the overwrite without warning option. The build
location - directory path might not be accessible from the machine where you
are creating the build definition.
- CIP
- See customized installation package.
- Configuration archive (CAR) file
- A file created by using the AdminTask exportWasprofile command to export
the configuration of a stand-alone application server profile. The file is
automatically restored during profile creation when using the enhanced Profile
Creation wizard or augmentation available through the command line. See the
online information center for more information.
See Administrative command invocation syntax for a description
of using an administrative command.
See Commands for the AdminTask object for a
description of the exportWasprofile command.
- Configuration script
- An ANT script (*.ant), Windows batch file (*.bat), Linux or UNIX shell
script (*.sh), a JACL script (*.jacl), a Jython script (*.py), or a JAR file
(*.jar) that performs configuration actions while creating or deleting a profile.
- Connected mode
- A selection that specifies that the Build Definition wizard machine and
the processing engine machine that builds the customized installation package
are the same machine. Contrast to disconnected mode.
- Customized installation package (CIP)
- A directory that includes the product installation image and one or more
maintenance packages. The InstallShield for Multiplatforms (ISMP) Installation
wizard is included with the CIP.
- Customized installation package build location - directory path
- See build location - directory path.
- Disconnected mode
- A selection that specifies that the Build Definition wizard machine is
a separate machine than the processing engine machine that builds the customized
installation package. Contrast to connected mode.
- Enterprise archive (EAR) file
- From the WebSphere Application Server glossary.
A specialized Java archive (JAR) file, defined by the J2EE standard used to
deploy J2EE applications to J2EE application servers. An EAR file contains
enterprise beans, a deployment descriptor, and Web archive (WAR) files for
individual Web applications.
- Failure action
- If a script or other configuration action fails, you can decide whether
to cancel the installation with a fatal error or to continue the installation.
- Fix pack directory path and file name
- A field that identifies the directory and PAK file name of the uncompressed
fix pack file. See the Update Strategy for WebSphere Application
Server V6.x release for more information.
- Full package identifier
- The full package identifier is metadata that the Installation Factory
uses to uniquely identify a customized installation package (CIP). Specify
an identifer and a version in the Package Identifier panel to create the full
package identifer automatically. The Installation Factory combines the two
fields to create the full package identifier, which must have fewer than 35
characters.
- ifcli
- A script that starts the processing engine that builds the customized
installation package. The ifcli.sh script and the ifcli.bat script
are the command files. The ifcli command runs on each distributed
operating system that the product supports.
- ifgui
- A script that starts the Installation Factory console. The ifgui.sh script
and the ifgui.bat script are the command files.
Tested
systems that support the Installation Factory console and its Build Definition
wizard include Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Solaris 9, and Linux RHEL 3. The download page has a complete list
of tested operating systems for the Installation Factory console.
- Install and uninstall scripts
- An install or uninstall script can run after a successful product installation
or before a product uninstall. Supported script formats are ANT scripts (*.ant),
JAR files (*.jar), Linux and UNIX shell scripts (*.sh), and Windows batch
files (*.bat).
- Installation Factory console
- A graphical menu interface that creates a build definition file using
the Product Selection wizard and the Build Definition wizard. Start the console
with the ifgui command.
- Installation image directory path
- See Product installation image directory path.
- Installation wizard
- A wizard interface that installs the CIP in one step, letting you install
a new product at the maintenance level that is included in the CIP, perform
an incremental installation that adds one or more features, or upgrade an
existing product to the maintenance level that is included in the CIP.
- Interim fix images directory path and file names
- A field that identifies the directory and file name of one or more interim
fix (PAK) files. See the Update Strategy for WebSphere Application
Server V6.x release for more information.
- Maintenance packages
- A refresh pack, fix pack, or interim fix that contains service fixes for
IBM software products.
- Mode selection
- A selection that describes whether the machine running the Build Definition
wizard is the same machine running the processing engine that creates the
customized installation package. See connected mode.
- New Build Definition
- An Installation Factory console selection that uses the Product Selection
wizard and the Build Definition wizard to guide you through creating a new
build definition file.
- Open Build Definition
- An Installation Factory console selection that opens an existing build
definition file in the Build Definition wizard, where you can change parameters.
- Package identification and authorship
- Metadata that servers to identify the customized installation package
(CIP) when someone is installing the CIP. Specify an identifer and a version.
The Installation Factory combines the two to create the Full package identifier,
which must have fewer than 35 characters.
- Platform to build custom installation
- A field that identifies the operating system, version, and architecture
where the processing engine runs to build the customized installation package.
- Processing engine
- A program that builds the customized installation package.
- Product installation image directory path
- A field that identifies the directory where the IBM certified product
installation image is located. The directory might be on the product CD, for
example. The installation image must support the operating system where the
processing engine runs.
- Product Selection wizard
- A wizard interface that identifies the product that the customized installation
image installs. The Product Selection wizard is one of two wizards that the
Installation Factory console uses to create the build definition file.
- Profile customization
- Scripts, enterprise archives, and a configuration
archive can customize profiles that you create with the enhanced Profile creation
wizard after the successful installation of a CIP.
- Refresh pack directory path and file name
- A field that identifies the directory and PAK file name of the uncompressed
refresh pack file. See the Update Strategy for WebSphere Application
Server V6.x release for more information.
- Scripts
- See Install and uninstall scripts.
- SDK fix pack directory path and file name
- A field that identifies the directory and file name of a Java SDK service
release. See the Update Strategy for WebSphere Application
Server V6.x release for more information.
- Target platform
- See Platform to build custom installation.
- Uninstall scripts
- See Install and uninstall scripts.