This topic describes creating a runtime environment for a custom profile.
Before you begin
Before using the Profile Creation wizard, install the core product files.
The Profile Creation wizard is the graphical interface to the wasprofile command. See the description of the wasprofile command for more information.
You must provide enough system temporary space to create a profile. For information on the requirements, see the Profiles: required disk space topic.
Why and when to perform this task
After installing the core product files for the Network Deployment product, you must create a profile. It can be a deployment manager profile, a cell profile, an application server profile, or a custom profile. This topic describes creating a custom profile using the Profile Creation wizard. A custom profile is an empty node that you can customize to include application servers, clusters, or other Java processes, such as a messaging server.
You can use the Profile Creation wizard in silent mode with a response file instead of the graphical user interface. See responsefile.pct.NDmanagedProfile.txt for examples of using the Profile Creation wizard in silent mode.
You can also use the wasprofile command to create a custom profile. See the description of the wasprofile command for more information.
After creating a custom profile, you must have access to a running deployment manager to federate the node. Federating the custom profile makes the node operational. If the custom profile is on a machine that does not have a deployment manager, the deployment manager must be accessible over the network to allow the federation of the node.
You can federate the custom node as you create the custom profile, either with the Profile Creation wizard or when using the wasprofile command. If you choose to federate, but the deployment manager is not running, the custom node is not usable. You must then either delete the profile directory or move the directory out of the profiles repository (profiles installation root directory) before creating another profile with the same name.
Steps for this task
Issue the command directly from a command line.
The Profile Creation wizard is an InstallShield for Multiplatforms application. The wizard loads the Java 2 SDK and then displays its Welcome panel.
See the description of the firststeps command for more information.
The wizard displays the Profile type selection panel.
The wizard displays the Custom-profile federation panel.
Should you federate the node?
Federate the custom node at this time if the deployment manager is running. Select the check box to federate the node at a later time if the deployment manager is not running.
If you are unsure whether the deployment manager is running, do not federate now. Federate the node later.
If security is enabled on the deployment manager node, you must federate later using the addNode command to enter a user ID and password on the command.
A possibility exists that the deployment manager is reconfigured to use the non-default remote method invocation (RMI) as the preferred Java Management Extensions (JMX) connector. (Click System Administration > Deployment manager > Administrative services in the administrative console of the deployment manager to verify the preferred connector type.)
If RMI is the preferred JMX connector, you must use the addNode command to federate the custom profile at a later time. Use the addNode command so that you can specify the JMX connector type and the RMI port.
If the deployment manager uses the default SOAP JMX connector type, specify the host name and SOAP port and federate the node now to create a functional node that you can customize.
Federating when the deployment manager is not available
If you federate a custom node when the deployment manager is not running or is not available because of security being enabled or for other reasons, the installation indicator in the logs is INSTCONFFAIL to indicate a complete failure. The resulting custom profile is unusable. You must move the custom profile directory out of the profile repository (the profiles installation root directory) before creating another custom profile with the same profile name.
Click Next to display the Profile name panel.
The first profile that you create on a machine is the default profile. The default profile is the default target for commands that are issued from the bin directory in the product installation root. When only one profile exists on a machine, every command works on the only server process in the configuration.
Addressing a profile in a multiprofile environment
When two or more profiles exist on a machine, certain commands require that you specify the profile to which the command applies. These commands use the -profileName parameter to identify which profile to address. You might find it easier to use the commands that are in the bin directory of each profile.
A command in the profiles/profile_name/bin directory has two lines. The first line sets the WAS_USER_SCRIPT environment variable for the command window. The variable sets up the command environment to address the profile. The second line calls the actual command in the install_root/bin directory.
The actual command queries the command shell to determine the calling profile and to autonomically address the command to the calling profile.
The wizard then displays the Profile directory panel.
If you click Back and change the name of the profile, you must manually change the name on this panel when it displays again.
The wizard displays the Node and host names panel.
Migration considerations
If you plan to migrate an installation of V5.x Network Deployment to V6, use the same cell name for the V6 deployment manager that you used for the V5.x cell. A cell name must be unique in any circumstance in which the product is running on the same physical machine or cluster of machines, such as a sysplex. Additionally, a cell name must be unique in any circumstance in which network connectivity between entities is required either between the cells or from a client that must communicate with each of the cells. Cell names also must be unique if their name spaces are going to be federated. Otherwise, you might encounter symptoms such as a javax.naming.NameNotFoundException exception, in which case, you need to create uniquely named cells.
After migrating the cell, the V5 managed nodes are now managed by the V6 deployment manager in compatibility mode. You can migrate individual V5 managed nodes in the cell to V6. To do so, you must create a V6 profile with the same node name as the V5 managed node.
Field name | Default value | Constraints | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Node name | Avoid using the reserved words. Use a unique name within the deployment manager cell. If you plan to migrate a V5 managed node, use the same node name for this V6 custom profile. |
The name is used for administration within the deployment
manager cell to which the custom profile is added. Use a unique name within
the deployment manager cell. After migrating a V5 deployment manager cell to a V6 deployment manager, you can migrate the V5 custom profiles that are running in compatibility mode in the V6 deployment manager. |
|
Host name | The host name must be addressable through your network. | Use the actual DNS name or IP address of your machine to enable communication with your machine. See additional information about the host name that follows this table. |
Node name considerations
The number of characters in the profiles_directory_path\profile_name directory
must be less than or equal to 80 characters.
Host name considerations
The host name is the network name for the physical machine on which the node is installed. The host name must resolve to a physical network node on the server. When multiple network cards exist in the server, the host name or IP address must resolve to one of the network cards. Remote nodes use the host name to connect to and communicate with this node. Selecting a host name that other machines can reach within your network is extremely important. Do not use the generic identifier, localhost, for this value. Also, do not attempt to install WebSphere Application Server products on a machine with a host name that uses characters from the double-byte character set (DBCS). DBCS characters are not supported when used in the host name.
If you define coexisting nodes on the same computer with unique IP addresses, define each IP address in a domain name server (DNS) look-up table. Configuration files for stand-alone Application Servers do not provide domain name resolution for multiple IP addresses on a machine with a single network address.
The fully qualified DNS host name has the advantages of being totally unambiguous and flexible. You have the flexibility of changing the actual IP address for the host system without having to change the Application Server configuration. This value for the host name is particularly useful if you plan to change the IP address frequently when using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to assign IP addresses. A format disadvantage is a dependency on DNS. If DNS is not available, then connectivity is compromised.
The short host name is also dynamically resolvable. A short name format has the added ability of being redefined in the local hosts file so that the system can run the Application Server, even when disconnected from the network. Define the short name to 127.0.0.1 (local loopback) in the hosts file to run disconnected. A format disadvantage is a dependency on DNS for remote access. If DNS is not available, then connectivity is compromised.
A numeric IP address has the advantage of not requiring name resolution through DNS. A remote node can connect to the node that you name with a numeric IP address without DNS being available. A format disadvantage is that the numeric IP address is fixed. You must change the setting of the hostName property in Express configuration documents whenever you change the machine IP address. Therefore, do not use a numeric IP address if you use DHCP, or if you change IP addresses regularly. Another format disadvantage is that you cannot use the node if the host is disconnected from the network.
After specifying custom profile characteristics, the wizard displays the Port value assignment panel.
When federating a custom profile, the addNode command uses non-conflicting ports. This means that you can take the default port assignments as you create the profile, and let the addNode command specify non-conflicting ports as you federate the node. Port assignments must be unique on a machine. application server processes on different machines can use the same port assignments without conflict.
After specifying non-conflicting port assignments, the wizard displays the Profile summary panel.
The wizard displays a Status panel as the wizard creates the custom profile. At the end of the installation, the wizard displays the Profile creation is complete panel.
Result
You created a custom profile. The node within the profile is empty until you federate the node and use the deployment manager to customize the node.
The directory structure shows the new profile folder within the profiles directory. The profile folder has the same name as the profile that you create.
Refer to the description of the wasprofile command to learn about creating a profile using a command instead of a wizard.
The Profile Creation wizard creates a log during profile creation. The logs are in the install_dir/logs/wasprofile directory. The files are named in this pattern: wasprofile_create_profile_name.log.
One known problem in the log for a custom profile is that the -federateLater option is displayed in the log, regardless of whether the option is used.
What to do next
Federate the node into the deployment manager cell if you did not already do so when you created the node. Then use the deployment manager to create an application server on the node.
Deploy an application to get started.
See Fast paths for WebSphere Application Server to get started deploying applications.
Related tasks
wasprofile command
Creating profiles through the graphical user interface
Related reference
Profiles: required disk space