[AIX HP-UX Linux Solaris Windows]This topic applies only on the IBM i operating system.

Creating build definitions for another machine

This procedure describes how to use the Build Definition wizard to create a build definition for the processing engine that runs on another machine.

Before you begin

You can create installation packages for operating systems other than the one on which Installation Factory is running:
  • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] IBM® WebSphere® Installation Factory on these operating systems can create installation packages for all supported platforms.
  • [Windows] IBM WebSphere Installation Factory on Windows operating systems can create installation packages for Windows and IBM i.
  • [IBM i] IBM i users must install the Installation Factory on a distributed platform. The Installation Factory does not run on an IBM i platform.

If you are creating a build definition for the processing engine that runs on another machine, see Creating build definitions and a CIP on processing engine machines.

About this task

To create a customized installation package (CIP), first create a build definition file, which IBM WebSphere Installation Factory uses to generate the CIP. The build definition file describes exactly what the Installation Factory includes in the CIP so that you can achieve the installation customizations that you require. In some cases, you might not be able to use the console on the target operating system platform. You have the following options in such a case:
  • Use the console in disconnected mode on a supported machine to create a build definition file for the target operating system on another machine.

    Then copy the file to the target operating system and use the command line interface to create the customized installation package. This topic describes such a procedure.

  • You can create installation packages for operating systems other than the one on which Installation Factory is running:
    • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] The Installation Factory on these operating systems can create installation packages for all supported platforms except IBM i.
    • [Windows] The Installation Factory on Windows® operating systems can create installation packages for Windows and IBM i.
    • [IBM i] IBM i users must install the Installation Factory on a Windows platform. The Installation Factory does not run on an IBM i platform.
  • Create the build definition XML document using a validating XML editor.

    Copy one of the sample build definition documents from the IF_root/samples/was directory to get started.

    After making your changes, validate the build definition document with its XML schema (the Commom.xsd, BaseBuildDefinition.xsd, and BuildDefinition.xsd files located in IF_root/eclipse/plugins/com.ibm.ws.install.factory.base_7.0.0.0/xsd) using a validating XML parser or editor. Then use the command line interface to start the processing engine and create the customized installation package.

This procedure describes a configuration where the Build Definition wizard is not on the same machine as the target system. Although the Build Definition wizard cannot access the installation image and the maintenance packages on the target operating system, you can enter the information manually. Use directory paths and file names that exist on the target operating system.

You can run the Build Definition wizard on any supported operating system to create the build definition file for any other supported system.

For example, assume that you run the console on a RHEL 3 system that cannot access a target AIX® system. The Build Definition wizard cannot browse to file locations on the target system. However, you can type the directory path of the AIX location for the Network Deployment installation image and other elements of the CIP. The Build Definition wizard cannot verify the installation image because the wizard cannot access the directory on the AIX system. Verification occurs later, when the processing engine that runs on the target operating system builds the customized installation package. If the installation image or the maintenance packages are not valid, the processing engine logs the problem.

Use the following procedure to create and install the customized installation package.

Procedure

  1. Follow the steps in Getting started with the Installation Factory document to download and set up the product.
  2. Mount or access the product installation images to be included in the CIP on the target processing engine system.

    You need to know the location of the image on the remote system so that you can create a build definition file on the local machine that points to the image.

  3. Download maintenance packages to the target processing engine system.

    Locate download packages for WebSphere Application Server products on the following Web site: Recommended fixes for WebSphere Application Server

    Write down the storage location of the downloaded maintenance package so that you can provide the location to the Build Definition wizard that is running on the local machine.

  4. Start IBM WebSphere Installation Factory console with the ifgui command:
  5. Create a new build definition or edit an existing build definition.

    Click the button for a New customization installation package to start two wizards in sequence. The two wizards are the Product Selection wizard and the Build Definition wizard.

    Click the button to Open a build definition file. Opening an existing build definition starts the Build Definition wizard only. If you must change the product, start a new customization installation package.

  6. Select the check box for disconnected mode processing because you are creating the build definition for another machine.
  7. Provide all required parameters to identify the product, installation image, maintenance packages, the configuration archive file, enterprise archive files, other files and directories, scripts, the output location for the build definition file, and the output location for the CIP. All of the locations must refer to locations on the target processing engine system. See CIP Build Definition wizard panels for detailed information about each step.
    File paths and file names must comply with the following guidelines:
    • [Windows] Contain 35 or fewer characters on Windows platforms
    • Start and end with English-only alphabetic characters (A-Z, a-z) or numbers (0-9) only
    • Contain English-only alphabetic characters (A-Z, a-z), numbers (0-9), periods (.) or underscores (_) only
    • Not contain special characters (such as à é í ö û æ ñ ☐)
    • Not contain spaces or these characters: ~ ` ! @ # $ % ^ & ( ) { } [ ] | \ / : ; , ? ' " < = > + *
    Important: During the creation of a CIP, the maintenance packages are not validated for product appropriateness. When creating a CIP and bundling maintenance packages, therefore, make sure that the maintenance packages are for the correct product. If you are creating a WebSphere Application Server CIP and want to bundle maintenance packages, for example, make sure that the maintenance packages are for WebSphere Application Server rather than for any other product. If you are creating a feature pack CIP and want to bundle maintenance packages, make sure that the maintenance packages are for the feature pack rather than for any other product. Make sure that you are already at or above the application server version required by any feature pack maintenance packages or the CIP will not install correctly and you will be prompted to apply further maintenance.

    The Build Definition wizard cannot verify the installation image, the maintenance packages, or any other files or scripts that you enter in disconnected mode. Always enter directory paths and file names in relation to the target operating system machine and not the machine you are using to create the build definition.

  8. Review the CIP preview information panel.

    You can split, or span, a customized installation package image into multiple smaller images if the installation image contained in the CIP is also spannable. For example, if you are creating a CIP that contains WebSphere Application Server Version 7.0, you can split the resulting CIP into several images because the application server product image itself is spannable.

    Specify the maximum size for each part you want to create. Different installation images might have different minimum sizes for spanned images. If you select a size which is too small you are alerted with an error message that indicates the minimum spanned size of that image. For example, if you are creating a CIP that contains WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment Version 7.0, you cannot split the image into sizes smaller than 335 MB.

    Click Finish to save the build definition file on the Build Definition machine.

  9. Copy the build definition file from the Build Definition machine to the target operating system platform.
  10. Use the ifcli command on the target operating system platform to launch the processing engine that creates the CIP on the target operating system.
    Avoid trouble Avoid trouble: If your CIP contains a spanned installation image, then you must keep all of the spanned installation image directories in the same parent directory and name them by disc number, or DISC<disc_number>. For example, if you are creating a CIP which contains a spanned installation image, name the first disc image DISC1, the second disc DISC2, and so on. Each directory must contain a valid installation image or the CIP creation will fail.gotcha

    The amount of time required to generate the CIP is dependent on the number of maintenance packages and the number of features that you are including in the package.

    The processing engine logs a completion message in the IF_root/logs/log.txt file when the processing engine is finished.

  11. Install the customized installation package using the InstallShield for Multiplatforms (ISMP) Installation wizard that is included in the CIP. Panels in the CIP Installation wizard vary according to the product that you are installing.

    To use the installation wizard for WebSphere Application Server product CIPs, run the install command in the cip_root/WAS directory.




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Last updatedLast updated: Jun 11, 2013 11:59:30 AM CDT
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