Scenario 4: Install multiple standalone application
servers on one machine and one or more Web servers on a separate machine.
A profile is a separate data partition containing the files that
define the runtime environment for an application server. A default profile
is created during the installation of the Express product. Create additional
profiles using the Profile Creation wizard.
Each profile defines a separate standalone application server that has its
own administrative interface.
After creating a profile and installing
a dedicated Web server, use the Plug-ins installation wizard to install a
Web server plug-in and to update the Web server configuration file. The Web
server can then communicate with the application server.
This topology
lets each profile have unique applications, configuration settings, data,
and log files, while sharing the same set of core product files. Creating
multiple profiles creates multiple application server environments that you
can dedicate to different purposes.
For example, each application server
on a Web site can serve a different application. In another example, each
application server can be a separate test environment that you assign to a
programmer or a development team.
Updating
the core product files
Another feature of having
multiple profiles is enhanced serviceability. When a refresh pack or a fix
pack updates the core product files on a machine, all of the application server
profiles that were created from the core product files begin using the updated
files. However, the profile itself is not updated unless the maintenance package
contains required maintenance for existing profiles. The Update Installer
issues a message for a required update to an existing profile as you install
the maintenance package.
In some situations, you
might prefer to not update all of the application servers on a machine. In
such situations, simply install the product a second time and install the
new maintenance. Create application server profiles from both installations
to manage the product updates incrementally.

- Install Express on Machine A.
- Install IBM HTTP Server or another supported
Web server on Machine B.
- Install the Web server plug-ins and configure
the Web server using the Plug-ins installation wizard on Machine B.
- The Plug-ins installation wizard creates
a script named configureweb_server_name in
the plugins_root/bin directory
on Machine B. Copy the script to the app_server_root/bin directory
on Machine A.
- Run the configureweb_server_name script
to create a Web server definition in the administrative console. You can then
use the administrative console to manage the Web server.
- Propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file
from the application server to the Web server using the administrative console.
Click Servers > Web server, place a check mark beside
the Web server for which you want to propagate a plug-in, and click Propagate
Plug-in. (Web servers other than IBM HTTP Server require manual
propagation.)
- Create the second Application Server
profile using the Profile Creation wizard on
Machine A. Make the profile the default profile during the profile creation
by selecting the check box on the appropriate panel.
The script
that the Plug-ins installation wizard creates works on the default profile
only. So, this script can only create a Web server definition on the profile
that is the default profile at the time that the script runs.
- Install a second IBM HTTP Server or another
supported Web server on Machine B.
- On Machine B, install the Web server
plug-ins to configure the second Web server using the Plug-ins installation
wizard. Both Web servers share a single installation of the plug-in binaries
but must be configured individually.
- The Plug-ins installation wizard creates
a script named configureweb_server_name for
the second Web server. The script is in the plugins_root/bin directory
on Machine B. Copy the script to the app_server_root/bin directory
on Machine A.
- Run the configureweb_server_name script
to create a Web server definition in the administrative console. You can then
use the administrative console to manage the Web server.
- Propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file
from the second application server to the Web server using the administrative
console. Click Servers > Web server, place a check
mark beside the Web server for which you want to propagate a plug-in, and
click Propagate Plug-in. (Web servers other than IBM
HTTP Server require manual propagation.)