Working with feature packs

You can use customized installation packages (CIPs) and integrated installation packages (IIPs) to simplify the installation and maintenance of application server environments that contain one or more feature packs.

About feature packs

WebSphere Application Server feature packs are a mechanism for providing major new application server function between product releases. By delivering new functions and support for industry standards between product releases, you can more quickly explore and implement new technologies within your business applications in today's rapidly changing business environments. You can install multiple feature packs on an existing application server environment.

Synchronization

As of Version 6.1.0.13 you must keep the version levels of the application server and any installed feature packs synchronized to the same maintenance level. For example, if your application server is at version 6.1.0.15 and you want to install Feature Pack for EJB 3.0, you must update the feature pack to 6.1.0.15 to match the application server. If you have any feature packs installed, then it is recommended that you use the Update Installer to synchronize your environment before installing any additional Installation Factory packages. In fact, you will either be blocked from installing or prompted to upgrade during the installation of a feature pack CIP if your versions are not the same. If you are prompted and do not provide the proper maintenance packages you will be blocked from installing the CIP or IIP.

You can slip install, or update, an existing application server that contains one or more feature packs with an IIP as long as all packages in the IIP are at the same maintenance level. You can also scratch install an IIP containing the application server and one or more feature packs onto a machine with no existing application server as long as all included packages are at the same maintenance level. You must use Installation Factory version 6.1.0.17 or later if you want to use an IIP to update a feature pack environment.

Read the "Installing and configuring multiple feature packs" topic for more information on feature packs and feature pack synchronization.

Installing CIPs and IIPs containing feature packs

The application server and feature pack versions must be synchronized before and after the installation of a CIP or IIP. The installer checks to verify synchronization of the current installation target application server environment and determines whether the current package or packages to be applied in the CIP or IIP will force the environment out of sync. If the synchronization check fails, then the installation might be cancelled. The installer will consider the following factors when it analyzes synchronization:
  • Bundled maintenance

    Fix packs which are bundled in the CIP are considered in the synchronization check.

  • Prompts for maintenance

    If you are running the CIP or IIP installation in wizard mode, then you might be prompted to enter the location of a required fix pack if it is expected but not found in the CIP or IIP. If you are installing silently then the installation will fail if an expected fix pack is not found.

  • Maintenance referred to in response files

    Application server and feature pack fix packs specified in a package's response file are considered in the synchronization check.

The synchronization check is performed prior to installation and assumes a successful installation of every included package. If any package fails to install, then the other packages will likely fail to install successfully.

Example

Example 1

Installing an IIP that contains an application server CIP and a Feature Pack for Web Services CIP
Existing environment IIP contents Installation result Details Notes
  • WebSphere Application Server 6.1.0.9
  • Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.9
  1. WebSphere Application Server fix pack 6.1.0.17 CIP
  2. Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.17 CIP
Successful
  1. The synchronization prerequisites are satisfied because the entire environment will be at 6.1.0.17 upon successful installation.
  2. Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.17 CIP is applied successfully
This is a basic example of a two stage installation.

Example

Example 2

Installing an IIP that contains a Feature Pack for Web Services CIP and a Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 CIP
Existing environment IIP contents Installation result Details Notes
  • WebSphere Application Server 6.1.0.9
  • Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.9
  1. Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.13 CIP (Response file points to WebSphere Application Server fix pack 6.1.0.13)
  2. Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 6.1.0.13 CIP
Successful
  1. The Feature Pack for Web Services CIP is applied successfully only if the application server fix pack 6.1.0.13 is referenced in the response file and verified.
  2. Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 is applied successfully because the application server and Feature Pack for Web Services are now at 6.1.0.13.
If the Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.13 CIP did not reference the application server fix pack 6.1.0.13 in the response file, then the synchronization check would have failed.

Example

Example 3

Installing an IIP that contains a Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 CIP, an application server CIP, and a Feature Pack for Web Services CIP
Existing environment IIP contents Installation result Details Notes
  • WebSphere Application Server 6.1.0.9
  • Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.9
  1. Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 6.1.0.13 CIP (Response file points to WebSphere Application Server fix pack 6.1.0.13)
  2. WebSphere Application Server fix pack 6.1.0.13 CIP
  3. Feature Pack for Web Services 6.1.0.13 CIP
Successful
  1. The Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 CIP is applied successfully only if the application server fix pack 6.1.0.13 is referenced in the response file and verified.
  2. At this point the application server is already at 6.1.0.13 so the application server CIP is skipped.
  3. Feature Pack for Web Services is applied successfully because the application server and Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 are now at 6.1.0.13.
If the Feature Pack for EJB 6.1.0.13 CIP did not reference the application server fix pack 6.1.0.13 in the response file, then the synchronization check would have failed.

Duplicate packages like the application server fix pack in this example will be skipped.

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Related concepts
Installation Factory overview
Feature packs
Related tasks
Installing an IIP
Developing and installing customized installation packages
IBM Installation Factory for WebSphere Application Server
Concept topic Concept topic    

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