The launchpad console is the starting point for installing
IBM WebSphere Application Server.
Before you begin
Supported configurations:
On the Windows 7 and
Windows Vista operating systems, the launchpad interface is not supported.
- On the Windows Server 2008 R2
or Windows Server 2008 operating systems, the launchpad interface
is supported when you use the built-in Administrator user account
to install the product.
sptcfg
The launchpad is a Web application. Before using the
launchpad, you must have a supported Web browser.
The launchpad
supports the following browsers:
Install a supported Web browser if one is not installed.
Use the launchpad from a Windows workstation.
Avoid trouble: You cannot run the launchpad remotely to install
a product. Only local use of the launchpad is supported.
gotcha
About this task
WebSphere® Application Server is
an integrated platform that contains an Application Server, a set
of Web development tools, a Web server, and additional supporting
software and documentation. The launchpad is the single point of reference
for installing the entire Application Server environment.
The
launchpad identifies components on the product disk that you can install
(launch).
Links
in the navigation frame of the product disk launchpad enable you to:
- View the Solution installation diagrams
- Launch the installation wizard for WebSphere Application Server
- Launch the installation wizard for IBM HTTP Server
- Launch the installation wizard for Web server plug-ins
- Launch the installation wizard for WebSphere Application Client
Tip: IBM HTTP Server, Web server plug-ins, and WebSphere Application
Client are now contained on the "WAS Tools CD." This CD will be required
to install these products from Launchpad.
Links
in the navigation frame of the supplements disk launchpad enable you
to
- Launch the installation wizard for the Update Installer
- Launch the installation program for the IBM Support Assistant
(ISA)
Note on using the IBM Support Assistant (ISA) on Microsoft® Windows Vista™ and Windows 2008 operating systems: ISA Version 3.x and earlier
are not supported on the Windows
® Vista
operating system. ISA plans to support the Windows Vista operating system in a later
version. See the ISA Web site at
http://www.ibm.com/software/support/isa/ for
information on ISA support.
ISA is not supported
on Windows 2008.
- Access the Installation Factory in the ifactory directory
- Access the migration tools in the migration directory
- Access the World Type fonts in the fonts directory
- Access the Devanagari font in the fonts directory
There is no WebSphere launchpad for the
disks in the secondary packet, such as the DB2 product disk.
Procedure
- Start the launchpad.
The launchpad program
is available in the root directory of the product disk or the downloaded
installation image. You can start the launchpad manually using a fully
qualified command instead of changing directories to the disk and
running the command locally from the root directory:
- Open a shell window and issue a fully qualified command to start
the launchpad:
- The launchpad opens in the language of the locale setting
of the machine.
- Use the launchpad to access the product overview, the readme
file, and the installation guide.
Each launchpad panel
for an installable component includes a link to the component installation
program and to component documentation for installation and configuration.
For example, links on the WebSphere Application Server panel enable you to:
- Launch the installation wizard.
- View the product overview.
- View the installation guide.
- View the readme file.
- Click Launch the installation wizard for ... to
launch the installation wizard for the installable component that
you select.
Results
This procedure results in using the launchpad to start the
installation and to access information through a browser.
Troubleshooting
To use the Launchpad application to install products
from a network share, the contents of the "WAS CD" and "WebSphere
Supplements CD" must be copied into separate directories. The Launchpad
application uses the ~/launchpad/diskinfo/thisDisk.properties file
to identify the correct location for the install files.
If you
can start the launchpad, but clicking a link does not resolve to a
page in the launchpad, you might have the media for the wrong operating
system in the disk drive. Check the validity of the media.
Use
the following procedure to correct any error that is preventing the
launchpad from displaying. Then, try to start the launchpad again:
- If the product disk is no longer accessible, insert the disk.
- Enable the JavaScript function in your browser.
- Mozilla:
Click :
- Enable JavaScript for: Navigator.
- Allow scripts to ... (Select all boxes.)
- Mozilla Firefox:
Click :
- Select Enable Java.
- Select Enable JavaScript.
- Click Advanced and allow scripts to ...
(Select all boxes.)
- Restart the launchpad by issuing the following command:
Issue
the following case-specific command at a command prompt, to create
an environment variable that forces the use of Mozilla:
set BROWSER=Mozilla
If the launchpad links still do not work after following
this procedure, refer to the following locations of the component
installation programs and launch the programs directly.