Installing maintenance packages

Use the IBM® Update Installer for the product to install interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs. The Update Installer is also known as the Update Installer program and the Update Installation wizard.

Before you begin

Use the correct authorizations to successfully install product updates.

Use the Update Installer program from the same installer ID that installed the product that you are updating. Otherwise, the file ownership mismatches might require correction by the root user. See Limitations of non-root installers for more information.

Important:
  • The user account that originally installed the WebSphere® Application Server product to be updated should be used to launch the Installation Wizard to install the Update Installer, and the same user account should be used to launch the Update Installer program to update a product.
    • When a different user account uses the updi_root location, that user account must have reading and running access to that location. It must also have writing access to the updi_root/logs directory and its subdirectory.
    • When a different user account is used to update the target WebSphere Application Server product location, that user account must have full access (reading, writing, and running) to the target location where a maintenance package is to be applied.
  • [AIX] If a non-root user launches the Update Installer program, that user account must be able to run the slibclean command; otherwise, a root user must run the slibclean command whenever the Update Installer program is used.
  • Make sure that no processes from any users are locking any files in the target location where a maintenance package is to be installed.
Attention: Fix packs that include updates to the Software Development Kit (SDK) might overwrite unrestricted policy files. Back up unrestricted policy files before you apply a fix pack and reapply these files after the fix pack is applied.

The Update Installer wizard is an InstallShield for Multiplatforms wizard that runs with either a graphical user interface or in silent mode with a response file.

The following descriptions contain reference information about installing interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs on WebSphere Application Server products and components:
Overview of the installation procedure
  1. Download, unpack, and install the Update Installer for WebSphere Software; or install the Update Installer that is on the WebSphere Application Server supplements disc.
    [This information only applies to Version 6.1.0.9 and later running on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system.] [Fix Pack 9 or later] Note on using the Update Installer for WebSphere Software on the Microsoft® Windows Vista™ operating system: To use the Update Installer for WebSphere Software on the Microsoft® Windows® Vista operating system, you must have Version 6.1.0.9 or later of the Update Installer installed on your system. Earlier versions of the Update Installer are not supported on the Windows Vista operating system.
  2. Download the most current version of the interim fix, fix pack, or refresh pack file from the Support site into the updi_root/maintenance directory.
  3. Use the Update Installer to install the interim fix, fix pack, or refresh pack.
    [This information only applies to Version 6.1.0.9 and later running on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system.] [Fix Pack 9 or later] Notes on running the Update Installer for WebSphere Software on Microsoft® Windows Vista™ and Windows 2008 operating systems:
    1. To use the Update Installer for WebSphere Software on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, you must have Version 6.1.0.9 or later of the Update Installer installed on your system. To use the Update Installer for WebSphere Software on the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 operating system, you must have Version 6.1.0.17 or later of the Update Installer installed on your system.
    2. If a non-Administrator applies maintenance using the Update Installer, that user must do so with Windows User Account Control (UAC) in the same state that it was in when Websphere Application Server was originally installed.
      • If UAC was enabled during installation of Websphere Application Server, apply maintenance with UAC enabled.
      • If UAC was disabled during installation of Websphere Application Server, apply maintenance with UAC disabled.

      If a non-Administrator applies maintenance to Websphere Application Server with a UAC setting that is different from that used in the initial installation, then the registry is adversely affected. This might result in unreliable listings of the installation locations in the destination panels of the Update Installer, or an existing installation location might not show up in the dropdown menu.

      When the Windows Vista or Windows 2008 operating systems are asked to run a program that requires elevated (Administrator) privileges, it first tells the user whether or not the publisher of the program is recognized. For certain Websphere Application Server programs, for example, an operating-system dialog might appear that states "An unidentified program wants access to your computer." Examine the program details; and if it is the Websphere Application Server program that you intend to run, click Allow to proceed.

    The Update Installer creates a backup file in the app_server_root/properties/version/nif/backup directory.

    IBM does not support restoring a backup file that you have modified.

Updating existing profiles in WebSphere Application Server products
The Update Installer updates the core product files in a WebSphere Application Server product. Service in a maintenance package might update the following files in the installation root directory:
  • The SDK, Java technology edition, in the java/jre directory
  • JAR files in the app_server_root/lib directory
  • Scripts in the app_server_root/bin directory
  • Profile templates

Some maintenance packages provide required service for existing profiles in addition to service for the core product files. Each maintenance package that has profile maintenance provides a script that changes the profile. The Update Installer prompts you to back up your configuration when installing a maintenance package that has required maintenance for profiles.

Some maintenance packages provide optional service for existing profiles. The readme file for the maintenance package describes whether the maintenance package contains optional service for existing profiles. If so, the readme file describes how to use the script provided with the maintenance package.

Use the backupConfig command to back up the configuration of each profile that the maintenance package can update. Or archive the app_server_root/profiles directory to back up all of the profiles at once.

If you uninstall a maintenance package, the Update Installer does not uninstall the maintenance package from profiles. The reason for not removing the maintenance is that you might have configured the profile after installing the maintenance. To restore an original profile, use the restoreConfig command or copy the profile from the archived profile_root directory to replace the changed profile.

Viewing the fix level of the product
Use the versionInfo command and the historyInfo command in the app_server_root/bin directory of the installation root directory to display the exact fix and version level of the product. However, do not use either command while installing or uninstalling a maintenance package.
Required information. The graphical interface requires you to supply the following information:
Table 1. Information required when installing a maintenance package
Field Valid values Description
File path of the installation root directory of the WebSphere product or component.

Installation root directory of the Update Installer.

See updi_root for more information.

Identify the installation root directory for one of the following products:
  • IBM WebSphere Application Server
  • IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express
  • Embedded version of the IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express
  • IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment
  • IBM WebSphere Extended Deployment
  • IBM Application Client for WebSphere Application Server
  • IBM WebSphere Business Integration Server Foundation
  • Web server plug-ins for WebSphere Application Server

Download, unpack, and install the Update Installer for WebSphere Software. Or install the Update Installer that is on the WebSphere Application Server supplements disc. Install the Update Installer into each component that you intend to update.

The Update Installer application updates the product in its parent directory by default.

File name of the maintenance package to install. Select a maintenance package to install from the updi_root/maintenance directory. The default maintenance package is the package with the latest date stamp and time stamp.
Important: See Update command - known problems and workarounds and the release notes for your product for the latest information about the Update Installer.

About this task

The following procedure describes how to install a maintenance package. See Uninstalling maintenance packages for a description of how to roll back a maintenance package.

Procedure

  1. Log on as root on an operating system such as AIX® or Linux®, or log on as a member of the administrator group on a Windows system.
    [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] In addition, verify that the umask setting is 022. To verify the umask setting, issue the following command:
    umask
    To set the umask setting to 022, issue the following command:
    umask 022

    [Linux] If Japanese locale is enabled, you need to use the silent installation to avoid problems.

  2. Install the product that you intend to update.

    You have very likely already installed the software that you are now updating. But if not, install the software now.

  3. Optional: Install a new version of the Update Installer.

    Back up and uninstall any older copy of the Update Installer before downloading and installing the current Update Installer. To use a newer version of the Update Installer, you must first remove the older version.

    1. Back up any files and subdirectories in the updi_root/maintenance directory if necessary.
    2. Uninstall the older version of the Update Installer using the program under updi_root/uninstall.
    3. Download, unpack, and install the Update Installer for WebSphere Software; or install the Update Installer that is on the WebSphere Application Server supplements disc.
  4. Download the maintenance package *.pak file from the Support Web site into the updi_root/maintenance directory.
    Download maintenance packages for the Update Installer for WebSphere Software to install from the following IBM Web pages:
    Tip: Do not attempt to unzip or unpack the *.pak file.
  5. [Windows] Make sure that all application servers are stopped.

    Run the stopServer command on all WebSphere Application Server profiles.

  6. Stop all Java processes that use the IBM Software Developer Kit (SDK) that the WebSphere Application Server product provides.

    Before installing or uninstalling interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs on a machine, stop all Java processes on the machine that use the IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition that WebSphere Application Server provides.

    Stop all WebSphere Application Server-related Java processes that are running on the system where you are using the Update Installer program. For example, Java processes can include:
    • All Java virtual machines (JVM)
    • WebSphere Application Server processes:

      WebSphere Application Server processes include application server processes, such as the process created when server1 is running.

    • IBM HTTP Server processes
    • Web server processes that use a plug-in that you are updating
    • First steps consoles
    • Installation verification test (IVT) processes
    • The Profile Management tool
    • Other InstallShield for Multiplatforms (ISMP) installation programs
    • InstallShield for Multiplatforms uninstall programs
    • The IBM Rational® Application Developer Agent Controller

    Stop all Java processes if necessary. If you install an interim fix while a WebSphere Application Server-related Java process runs, IBM does not guarantee that the product can continue to run successfully, or without error.

    See the following technote for more information, Stop all WebSphere Application Server-related Java processes before using the Update Installer for WebSphere software.

  7. Verify that the following prerequisite conditions are met:
    • All of the product hardware and software prerequisites exist.

      The official statement of supported hardware and software is on the Supported hardware and software Web site.

    • The WebSphere software that you are updating is correctly installed and is not corrupt.
    • The WebSphere SDK, Java technology edition is not corrupt.
    • The user is root on a system such as AIX or Linux or a member of the administrator group on a Windows system. In certain cases the user can be non-root or non-administrator users.
  8. Change directories to the updi_root directory and use the update command to install the maintenance package.

    Use the following command syntax to install the last maintenance package that you downloaded. The Update Installer wizard runs in two modes: the silent mode, as a background process, and the regular mode, using the graphical user interface. The Update Installer wizard does not display the graphical user interface when running in silent mode.

    [Windows]
    update.bat -silent -options responsefile
    [This information only applies to Version 6.1.0.9 and later running on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system.] [Fix Pack 9 or later]
    update.exe -silent -options responsefile
    [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris]
    ./update.sh -silent -options responsefile

    Or, issue the update command to start the graphical user interface:

    [Windows]
    update.bat
    [This information only applies to Version 6.1.0.9 and later running on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system.] [Fix Pack 9 or later]
    update.exe
    [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris]
    ./update.sh

    The following tables show options that are available when using the update command.

    The commands in the first table each start the Update Installer wizard with a graphical user interface. The command in the second table causes the Update Installer wizard to run in silent mode.
    Table 2. Update installer commands for installing with the graphical interface
    Command example Description
    update.bat Initializes the maintenance package field with the name of the maintenance package that has the most recent date stamp and time stamp.

    Accept all of the default values to install the maintenance package with the most recent time stamp.

    update.bat -options "responsefiles/file_name" Overrides all graphical interface values with values that you specified in the options response file.

    Always use a response file that is based on the response file under updi_root/responsefiles.

    update.bat -W maintenance.package="e: \IBM\WebSphere\AppServer \updateinstaller\maintenance\ PQ20029.pak" Overrides the name of the maintenance package to apply.
    update.bat -W product.location="e: \IBM\WebSphere\AppServer" Overrides the location of the WebSphere software to update.
    update.bat -W product.location="e: \IBM\WebSphere\AppServer" -W maintenance.package="e: \IBM\WebSphere\AppServer \updateinstaller\maintenance\ PQ20029.pak" Overrides the location of the WebSphere software to update and the name of the maintenance package to apply.
    update.bat -OPT disableDiskSpaceCheck=true Overrides the prerequisite check for disk space.

    Specify an appropriate JOBQ parameter value to have the job run in a different subsystem. Verify that the storage pool that the job runs in has as much memory as possible.

    The command in the following table starts the Update Installer wizard in silent mode without the graphical user interface:
    Table 3. Update Installer command for installing in silent mode
    Command example Description
    update.bat -silent -options "responsefiles/file_name" Overrides all default values with values that you specified in the options response file.

    Always use a response file that is based on the response file under updi_root/responsefiles.

  9. [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] [Updated in January 2012] Optional: Re-apply any ownership and permissions changes that were made after the product was originally installed.

    You must complete this step if the user owner, group owner, or permissions of any product files has changed prior to the installation or removal of a fix pack.

    In some situations, the user ownership, group ownership, and permissions of the product files, including files that are associated with profiles, might have been changed after the product was installed. For example, you might have installed the product as the root user, and then afterward changed the file ownership to a non-root user. Typically, the a command, such as chown or chmod is used to change the ownership of these files.

    When a fix pack is either installed or uninstalled, the UpdateInstaller might change the ownership and permissions of the product files, including the files that are associated with profiles. The changed ownership and permissions might interfere with starting application servers or using certain features.

    To prevent this interference, you must re-apply any ownership and permissions changes that were made after the product was originally installed. For example, if the ownership was changed from root user to non-root user, and then the UpdateInstaller is run as root user to install a fix pack, the file ownership needs to be changed back to non-root user after the fix pack is installed or removed.

    Avoid trouble Avoid trouble: When using the chown or chmod commands, you must apply the changes to * instead of *.*. Using *.*does not sufficiently update all product files.gotcha
    [Updated in January 2012]
    jan2012

Results

This procedure results in installing maintenance packages to update WebSphere software.

[HP-UX] [Fix Pack 9 or later] Patial success is seen after updating IBM HTTP Server on the IA-64-bit architecture: When you update the IBM HTTP Server, the IBM Update Installer returns a partial success indication. When you view the log files, the following incorrect error message exists:
Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.installtoolkitbridge.ISMPInstallToolkitBridgeForNIFramework, wrn, 
Config action failed: 99SGSKitUpdate - /opt/IBM/RationalSDLC/common/IHS/properties/version/nif/
update/config/install/99SGSKitUpdate.ant
To verify that the GSKit files were updated, type the following command on a command-line prompt: wlist | grep gsk.

The command results in a 7.0.4.14 GSKit level or later. After you verify that the proper version of the GSKit files are installed and have other errors do not exist in the log files, discard the partial success indication because IBM HTTP Server is updated to the desired state.

What to do next

Click Relaunch on the last panel of the Update Installer to begin installing a second maintenance package.

After installing all maintenance packages, continue to use your WebSphere software.




In this information ...


Related reference

IBM Redbooks, demos, education, and more

(Index)

Use IBM Suggests to retrieve related content from ibm.com and beyond, identified for your convenience.

This feature requires Internet access.

Task topic Task topic    

Terms and conditions for information centers | Feedback

Last updatedLast updated: Aug 30, 2013 4:53:43 PM CDT
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/wsbroker/redirect?version=pix&product=was-base-dist&topic=tins_ptfLevels
File name: tins_ptfLevels.html