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6.6.22.1: Administering server groups with the Java administrative console >
6.6.22.1.1: Specifying server groups with the Java administrative console

6.6.22.1.1: Specifying server groups with the Java administrative console

A server group is a template for creating additional, nearly identical copies of an administrative resource and its contents. The administrative resource is usually an application server.

To create a server group, click Console -> Wizards -> Create Server Group from the console menu bar. This leads to the Create Server Group task wizard. Note, this article also contains some steps you need to do after completing the wizard.

Using the Create Server Group wizard

You use a Create Server Group wizard to define a new server group or to define one based on an existing server. The wizard enables you to set values for some server group properties. To view or change all properties, use the server group properties dialog.

  1. Identifying the server group
  2. Specifying services used by the server group
  3. Using application servers as clones in the server group
  4. Completing the server group wizard
  5. Copying the application installation directories to other nodes
  6. Important note Ensuring each server has a unique port number for its HTTP transport

Identifying your server group

On the Specifying Server Group Properties panel:

  1. If you want to define a new server group that is not based on an existing server, specify a server group name. Alternatively, if you want to base your new server group on an existing server, select the existing application server from the drop-down list and specify a server group name.

    Note that you can also create a server group from an existing stand-alone application server by right-clicking on the application server in the console tree view and selecting the Create Server Group popup menu option.

  2. Specify a workload management selection policy.

    View server group properties help

  3. Click Next.

Specifying services used by your server group

On the Enabling Services panel is a list of services available to your server group. To view or change the property values for a service, select the service, click Edit Service Properties, and change the property values as needed. Then, click Next.

Using application servers as clones in your server group

On the Creating Application Servers as Clones panel:

  1. Name your application server clone. A clone is a copy of a server group. A clone can handle a request for the server group. A common use of a clone is to provide distributed function by locating clones on different machines.
  2. Specify the node on which to install the application server.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 to create another application server clone.
  5. Click Next.

    View server group properties help

Completing the server group wizard

The Completing the Create Server Group Wizard panel lists the server group name and the names of any clones.

If you do not want to change the values specified, click Finish. The wizard will create a new server group, and display a message indicating whether the server group was successful created. If the wizard encounters an error, a message will display explaining why a server group could not be created.

To change the values specified, click Back to return to the appropriate panel(s), make any needed changes, and then click Finish on this panel.

Copying the application installation directories to other nodes

As it is completing, the wizard instructs you to "Copy the install directory of each enterprise application to the $WAS_HOME/installedApps directory of all the other nodes." The following scenario illustrates how to do this step, which is only necessary if the server group spans multiple nodes (it could be that all of the servers in the group reside on the same administrative node).

Suppose you have created a server group based on Application_Server_A on Administrative_Node_A. Application_Server_A contains the enterprise application called My_Application. The server group is comprised of two servers: Application_Server_A and another Application_Server_B on a remote administrative node called Administrative_Node_B. (All of these names are the logical names by which the resources are displayed and administered in the administrative console tree view).

$WAS_HOME refers to the product_installation_root.

In such a scenario, you would do the following:

  1. View the product directory structure on Administrative_Node_A (on Windows NT, you can use Windows Explorer).
  2. Under the product_installation_root directory, locate the "installedApps" directory.
  3. In the installedApps directory, locate the directory named for My_Application. It should have a name such as: ?????
  4. Copy the My_Application directory structure, including all of its contents and subdirectories.
  5. On Administrative_Node_B, locate the installedApps directory, again under the product_installation_root.
  6. Put the My_Application directory structure, which you copied from Administrative_Node_A in a previous step, into the installedApps directory on Administrative_Node_B.

Repeat the steps for each administrative node that contains a server in the server group. For this scenario involving only Administrative_Node_A and Administrative_Node_B, no repetitions are required.

Ensuring each server has a unique port number for its HTTP transport

An important step remains after you finish the wizard. Each server in a server group must have a unique port specified for the HTTP transport of its Web container. Furthermore, the port must have a corresponding virtual host alias.

For each server in the server group:

  1. Edit the HTTP transport properties.
  2. In the transport properties, specify a unique value for the Port (or Transport Port) field and save your change. (Typically, the field value will be 9080 until you change it).
  3. Follow the instructions in virtual host administrative overview for creating an alias corresponding to the port number.

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