You can install WebSphere® Extended Deployment, including all three separate products, in various ways to enhance your application server environment. Depending on your existing environment and which product you install, the installation process includes certain features that might not be available in other installation scenarios.
You can install WebSphere Virtual Enterprise in an environment that contains WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment and either Compute Grid, eXtreme Scale, or both. During the installation process, the wizard detects and verifies the existing installations as part of the current installation process.
When you install Virtual Enterprise in environments in which WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment does not exist, only the middleware agent is installed on a node that is running other middleware servers. The middleware agent is a server process that is used to manage servers that are not running the product. See Middleware agent for more information.
Additionally, the installation wizard does not present the option to add the product to the centralized installation manager repository. However, you can add the product later by using the centralized installation manager tool. See Using the centralized installation manager repository tool to add products for more information.
When you integrate eXtreme Scale with an existing installation of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment and Virtual Enterprise, you can install both the eXtreme Scale client and server, or you can install the client only. See the WebSphere eXtreme Scale Information Center for more information.