Use the migration tools to migrate WebSphere Application Server
Version 5.x managed nodes to Version 6.0.x managed nodes.
Before you begin
Migrating a Version 5.x managed node to a Version 6.0.x managed
node requires that you first migrate the Version 5.x deployment manager node
to a Version 6.0.x deployment manager node. Migrating Network Deployment Version
5.x to Version 6.0.x is described in Migrating from Network Deployment Version 5.x to a Version 6.0.x deployment manager.
Before starting the migration of a managed node
from Version 5.x to Version 6.0.x, you must create a Version 6.0.x profile
for either a standalone application server or a managed node. If you create
a Version 6.0.x managed node profile, do not federate the node before migration.
The migration tools federate the Version 6.0.x node during migration.
The
migration procedure is the same for either type of Version 6.0.x profile,
but he end result can vary slightly. Each standalone application server has
a server1 application server process. A Version 5.x managed node might not
have a server1 process. This article describes migrating to a Version 6.0.x
managed node that has not been federated.
About this task
After migrating a Version 5.x deployment manager to a Version
6.0.x deployment manager, the Version 6.0.x deployment manager runs in compatibility
mode by default, where it can manage both Version 5.x and Version 6.0.x nodes.
The managed nodes of the Version 5.x deployment manager are now running as
Version 5.x managed nodes in the Version 6.0.x deployment manager.

Over
time, migrate each Version 5.x managed node in the Version 6.0.x cell to a
Version 6.0.x managed node. After migrating all Version 5.x managed nodes,
use the convertScriptCompatibility script to change
the deployment manager from a node that supports backward compatibility of
Version 5.x administration scripts to a node that supports only Version 6.0.x.
Procedure
- Perform a typical or custom Version 6.0.x installation.
- Migrate the Version 5.x deployment manager node to Version 6.0.x
as described in Migrating from Network Deployment Version 5.x to a Version 6.0.x deployment manager.
- Collect the following information about your Version 5.x installation
before you begin this procedure. The Migration wizard prompts you for the
following information during the migration:
- Installation root directory
See WASPreUpgrade command for a description of the currentWebSphereDirectory
parameter.
- Replace port values for virtual hosts and Web containers?
Specifying
“true” causes any ports of matching VirtualHosts to first be removed from
the new configuration before adding the new values.
Specifying “false”
for this parameter will just add new port values.
See WASPostUpgrade command for a description of the replacePorts
parameter.
- Backup directory name
See WASPreUpgrade command for
a description of the backupDirectory parameter.
- Target profile name.
See WASPostUpgrade command for
a description of the profileName parameter.
- Use the Version 6.0.x Profile creation wizard to create a managed
node, but do not federate the node.
The Version 6.0.x node must
have the same node name as the Version 5.x node.
Note: You can migrate a Version
5.x node without stopping it, but it is not necessary for it to be running
for you to migrate its configuration. The migration tools can retrieve all
the configuration data while the node is either running or stopped. You must
stop the Version 5.x node before you can start the Version 6.0.x node that
you are installing, however, so it makes sense to stop it now.
- Use the Migration wizard to migrate the Version 5.x managed node
to the Version 6.0.x managed node profile as described in Migrating a Version 5.x application server to a Version 6.0.x standalone application server with the Migration wizard.
The Migration wizard
copies the configuration and applications from the Version 5.x managed node
to the Version 6.0.x managed node. After migrating all of the data, the Migration
wizard federates the Version 6.0.x managed node into the deployment manager
cell.
Note: When migrating managed nodes from Versions 5.0 through 5.1.0 to
Version 6.0.x, there is a custom property of which you should be aware: com.ibm.websphere.ObjectIDVersionCompatibility.
It might be possible to gain performance benefits after the entire cell is
migrated to Version 6.0.x.
- Migrate as many Version 5.x managed nodes as you intend to migrate
by using the following procedure.
- Determine the node name of the Version 5.x managed node.
- Use the Profile creation wizard to create a Version 6.0.x managed
node, but do not federate the node.
- Use the Migration wizard to migrate the Version 5.x managed
node to the Version 6.0.x managed node.
Note: For migration to be successful, you must use the same node names
and cell names for each node from Version 5.x to Version 6.0.x.
- If you chose the compatibility option (which is the default), and
if all of your nodes are completely migrated to Version 6.0.x, run the convertScriptCompatibility script
to remove backward compatibility from the Version 6.0.x deployment manager.
- Issue the convertScriptCompatibility command
from the bin directory.
./app_server_root/bin/convertScriptCompatibility.sh
app_server_root\bin\convertScriptCompatibility.bat
What to do next
Occasionally (after rebooting an application server machine for
example), you must restart the nodeagent server on the application server
node by running the startNode command from the profile_name/bin directory.
To keep your application server nodes running without having to access the bin directory
of each one, use the operating system to monitor and restart the nodeagent
process on each application server node. (You can also set up the dmgr server
as a managed process on the deployment manager node.)
Adding a node
automatically issues the startNode command for the
node.
Note: When a deployment manager is migrated, the applications in
the cell are reinstalled. Even though the name is unchanged, the application
is different from the version that was deployed on the previous release.
When the federated nodes synchronize with the migrated deployment manager,
therefore, they detect the new application and download it. After the application
has been downloaded (synchronized), the node agent uses the new application
rather than the old application. If the application is running on any active
servers, the application will appear to restart as the old application is
stopped and uninstalled and the new application is installed and started.