Create a custom profile so that you can include application
servers, clusters, or other Java processes, such as a messaging server,
in its empty node. You can use the Profile Management tool to create a custom
profile.
Before you begin
Before
you use the Profile Management tool,
install the core product files.
The Profile Management tool is the graphical
user interface to the manageprofiles command. See the description of the manageprofiles command
for more information.
You must
provide enough system temporary space to create a profile. For information,
read about the file system requirements for profiles.
Running the Profile Management tool on Microsoft Windows Vista™ and Windows 2008 operating systems: After installing WebSphere
® Application Server
Version 6.1, install a service pack containing Version 6.1.0.9 or
later on your Microsoft
® Windows
® Vista operating system
before you attempt to create any profiles using the Profile Management
tool. If you are running Windows 2008,
install a service pack containing Version 6.1.0.17 or later before
you attempt to create any profiles using the Profile Management tool.
Supported configurations: You
cannot use
the
Profile Management tool to create
profiles on the following platforms:
- 64-bit platforms
- Linux for zSeries platform
sptcfg
About this task
newfeatAfter installing the
core product files for the Network Deployment product, you must create
a profile. It can be a Network Deployment deployment manager profile,
a deployment manager profile enabled for Feature
Pack for EJB 3.0, a Network Deployment application server profile,
an application server profile enabled for Feature
Pack for EJB 3.0, a cell profile, or a custom profile.
This
topic describes creating a custom profile using the Profile Management tool.
A custom profile is an empty node that you can customize to include
application servers, clusters, or other Java processes, such as a
messaging server.
You can also use the manageprofiles command
to create a custom profile. See the description of the manageprofiles for
more information.
By
default, the Profile Management tool federates
a custom node when you create a custom profile. Federating the node
makes the node operational. You must have access to a running deployment
manager to federate the node.
Otherwise, a
connection error displays.
If the custom profile is on a machine
that does not have a deployment manager, then the deployment manager
must be accessible over the network to support the federation of the
node.
- Install the product to create the core product files.
- Start the Profile Management tool to create a new
runtime environment.
Select the Profile Management tool from the First
steps console:
- Open a command prompt.
- Change
directories to the firststeps directory in the profile root
directory.
The profile root varies by the following
platforms:
- Issue one of the following firststeps command
to start the console:
./firststeps.sh
firststeps.bat
- Select the Profile Management tool option from
the console.
See the description of the firststeps command
for more information.
Ways to start the wizard
Several
ways exist to start the wizard:
newfeatClick Create to
create a new profile.
- Click Next on the Welcome panel.
newfeatThe wizard displays the
Environment Selection panel.
- Select the custom profile, and click Next.
The
Profile creation options panel is displayed.
- Select
either Typical profile creation or Advanced profile creation,
and click Next.
The Typical profile creation option
creates a profile that uses default configuration settings. With the Advanced
profile creation option, you can specify your own configuration
values for a profile.
If
you chose not to deploy the administrative console, then the administrative
console ports are disabled on the Ports panel.
- Select either Typical profile creation, Advanced
profile creation, or if you are running on Version 6.1.0.21 or
later, Feature Pack for Web Services, and then click Next.
The Typical profile creation or Feature Pack for
Web Services option creates a profile that uses default configuration
settings. With the Advanced profile creation option, you can
specify your own configuration values for a profile.
If you chose not to deploy the
administrative console, then the administrative console ports are
disabled on the Ports panel.
- If you selected Typical
profile creation, or Feature Pack for Web Services, then
go to the step on federating
the node.
- If you selected Advanced profile creation,
then specify the custom profile name and the profile directory on
the Profile name and location panel, or accept the defaults, and click Next.
Profile naming guidelines: Double-byte
characters are supported. The profile name can be any unique name
with the following restrictions. Do not use any of the following characters
when naming your profile:
- Spaces
- Special characters that are not supported within the name of a
directory on your operating system, such as *&?
- Slashes (/) or (\)
The default profile
The
first profile that you create on a machine is the default profile.
The default profile is the default target for commands that are issued
from the bin directory in the product installation root.
When one profile exists on a machine, every command works on the only
server process in the configuration. You can
make another profile the default profile when you create that profile
by checking Make this profile the default on the Profile name
and location panel of the Advanced profile creation path.
Addressing a profile in a multiprofile environment
When multiple profiles exist on a machine, certain commands
require that you specify the profile to which the command applies.
These commands use the -profileName parameter to identify which profile
to address. You might find it easier to use the commands that are
in the bin directory of each profile.
The
commands are found in the following location:
A command has two lines. Set the WAS_USER_SCRIPT environment
variable on the first line for the command prompt. You use the variable
to set up the command environment to address the profile. Use the
second line to call the command in the following location:
Use the command to query the command shell
to determine the calling profile and to autonomically address the
command to the calling profile.
Default
profile information
The default
profile name is
profileTypeProfileName, where:
- profileType is a value of AppSrv, DMgr,
or Custom.
- ProfileName is a sequential number that is used to create
a unique profile name.
The default profile directory is app_server_root/profiles,
where app_server_root is
the installation root.
The default profile directory is app_server_root\profiles,
where app_server_root is
the installation root.
The wizard
then displays the Node, host, and cell names panel.
- Specify the node and host characteristics
for the custom profile, and click Next.
Migration
considerations
If you plan to migrate an installation of
Network Deployment Version 5 to Version 6, then use the same cell
name for the Version 6 deployment manager that you used for the Version
5 cell. A cell name must be unique whenever the product is running on the same physical machine or cluster of machines, such as a sysplex. Additionally, a cell name must be unique when network connectivity between entities is required either between the cells or from a client that must communicate with each of the cells. Cell names also must be unique if you want to federate their name spaces. Otherwise, you might encounter errors such as a javax.naming.NameNotFoundException exception. In which case, you need to create uniquely named cells.
After
migrating the cell, the Version 5 managed nodes are now managed by
the Version 6 deployment manager in compatibility mode. You can migrate
individual Version 5 managed nodes in the cell to Version 6. To do
so, you must create a Version 6 profile with the same node name as
the Version 5 managed node.
Reserved names: Avoid using reserved folder
names as field values. The use of reserved folder names can cause
unpredictable results. The following terms are reserved folder names:
- cells
- nodes
- servers
- clusters
- applications
- deployments
The custom
profile has the following characteristics:
Field Name |
Default Value |
Constraints |
Description |
Node name |
shortHostNameNodeNodeNumber where:
- shortHostName is the short host name.
- NodeNumber is a sequential number starting at 01.
|
Avoid using the reserved terms. Use a unique
name within the deployment manager cell.
If you plan to migrate
a Version 5 managed node, then use the same node name for this Version
6 custom profile.
|
The name is used for administration within the
deployment manager cell to which the custom profile is added. Use
a unique name within the deployment manager cell. After migrating
a Version 5 deployment manager cell to a Version 6 deployment manager,
you can migrate the Version 5 custom profiles that are running in
compatibility mode in the Version 6 deployment manager.
|
Host name |
The long
form of the domain name server (DNS) name.
|
The host name must be addressable through your
network. |
Use the actual DNS name or IP address of your
machine to enable communication with your machine. See additional
information about the host name that follows this table. |
Directory path considerations
The number of characters in the profiles_directory_path\profile_name directory
must be less than or equal to 80 characters.
Host name
considerations
The host name is the network name for the physical machine
on which the node is installed. The host name must resolve to a physical
network node on the server. When multiple network cards exist in the
server, the host name or IP address must resolve to one of the network
cards. Remote nodes use the host name to connect to and communicate
with this node. Selecting a host name that other machines can reach
within your network is important. Do not use the generic identifier, localhost,
for this value. Also, do not attempt to install WebSphere Application
Server products on a machine with a host name that uses characters
from the double-byte character set (DBCS). DBCS characters are not
supported when used in the host name.
If you define
coexisting nodes on the same computer with unique IP addresses, define
each IP address in a domain name server (DNS) look-up table. Configuration
files for stand-alone application servers do not provide domain name
resolution for multiple IP addresses on a machine with a single network
address.
The value that you specify for the host
name is used as the value of the hostName property in configuration
documents for the stand-alone application server. Specify the host
name value in one of the following formats:
- Fully qualified domain name server (DNS) host name string, such
as xmachine.manhattan.ibm.com
- The default short DNS host name string, such as xmachine
- Numeric IP address, such as 127.1.255.3
The fully qualified DNS host name has the
advantages of being totally unambiguous and flexible. You have the
flexibility of changing the actual IP address for the host system
without having to change the application server configuration. This
value for the host name is particularly useful if you plan to change
the IP address frequently when using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP) to assign IP addresses. A format disadvantage is a dependency
on DNS. If DNS is not available, then connectivity is compromised.
The short host name is also dynamically resolvable.
A short name format has the added function of being redefined in the
local hosts file so that the system can run the application server,
even when disconnected from the network. Define the short name as
the loopback address, 127.0.0.1, in the hosts file
to run disconnected. A format disadvantage is a dependency on DNS
for remote access. If DNS is not available, then connectivity is compromised.
A numeric IP address has the advantage of not requiring
name resolution through DNS. A remote node can connect to the node
that you name with a numeric IP address without DNS being available.
A format disadvantage is that the numeric IP address is fixed. You
must change the setting of the hostName property in Express configuration
documents whenever you change the machine IP address. Therefore, do
not use a numeric IP address if you use DHCP, or if you change IP
addresses regularly. Another format disadvantage is that you cannot
use the node if the host is disconnected from the network.
After specifying custom profile characteristics,
the wizard displays the Federation panel.
- Specify the host name and
SOAP port of the deployment manager, and the user name and password
for the deployment manager, if administrative security is enabled
for the deployment manager. Click Next.
After federation, the process in the custom profile
is the node agent process. The node agent process is the agent of
the deployment manager for the custom node. The node agent responds
to commands from the deployment manager to perform tasks that include
the following actions:
- Creating application server processes, clusters, and cluster members
- Starting and stopping application server processes
- Synchronizing configurations between the current edition on the
deployment manager and the copy that exists on the node
- Deleting application server processes
See the system administration section in the information center
for more information about node agents and their tasks.
Should you federate the node?
The recommendation is that you federate the custom
node at this time. The deployment manager must be running and accessible
when you click Next on the Federation panel to federate the
custom node. If the custom profile is on a machine that does not have
a deployment manager, then the deployment manager must be running
and accessible over the network to allow the federation of the node.
If the deployment manager is not running or not accessible before
you click Next, but you can start it and make it accessible
at this time, then do so. Otherwise, select the Federate the node
later check box.
If you are unsure whether
the deployment manager is running or accessible, then do not federate
now. Federate the node when you can verify the availability of the
deployment manager.
A possibility exists that
the deployment manager is reconfigured to use the non-default remote
method invocation (RMI) as the preferred Java Management Extensions
(JMX) connector. Click System Administration > Deployment manager
> Administrative services in the administrative console of the
deployment manager to verify the preferred connector type.
If RMI is the preferred JMX connector, then you
must use the addNode command to federate the custom profile later.
Use the addNode command so that you can specify the JMX connector
type and the RMI port.
If the deployment
manager uses the default SOAP JMX connector type, specify the host
name and SOAP port and federate the node now to create a functional
node that you can customize.
Federating
when the deployment manager is not available
If
you federate a custom node when the deployment manager is not running
or is not accessible, then an error message is displayed. If the deployment
manager becomes unavailable during the profile creation process, then
the installation indicator in the logs is INSTCONFFAIL,
to indicate a complete failure. The resulting custom profile is unusable.
You must delete the profile. Read about deleting a profile for more
information.
If you
chose to federate now, and you previously selected Advanced profile
creation, then the Port Values Assignment panel displays next.
Go to the step on assigning
port values.
Otherwise, the Profile Creation Summary
panel displays.
The deployment
manager must be running and accessible when you click Create so
that the profile creation succeeds. Since the deployment manager
had to be running and accessible when you clicked on the previous
panel, it is most likely still running and accessible. If you think
the deployment manager might not be running or might be inaccessible,
then follow the recommendations in this step to start and make the
deployment manager accessible.
Go
to the step on creating
the custom profile.
- Verify that the ports specified are unique,
and click Next.
Port conflict
resolution:
If you suspect a port conflict, then you can investigate
the port conflict after the profile is created. Determine the ports
that are used during profile creation by examining the following files:
Included in this file are the keys and values used in setting
the ports. If you discover ports conflicts, then you can reassign
ports manually. To reassign ports, run the updatePorts.ant file
by using the ws_ant script.
The Profile Creation
Summary panel is displayed.
The deployment
manager must be running and accessible when you click Create so
that the profile creation succeeds. Since the deployment manager
had to be running and accessible when you clicked on the previous
panel, it is most likely still running and accessible. If you think
the deployment manager might not be running or might be inaccessible,
then follow the recommendations in this step to start and make the
deployment manager accessible.
- Click Create to
create the custom profile, or click Back to change the characteristics
of the custom profile.
The Profile
creation progress panel, which shows the configuration commands that
are running, is displayed.
When
the profile creation completes, the wizard displays the Profile Creation
Complete panel.
- Optionally select Create another
profile, and click Finish.
If you select Create
another profile, then you go to the beginning of the Profile management
tool so that you can create another profile. If you do not selection
this option, then you exit the wizard.