Hints and tips for managing IBM HTTP Server using the administrative console

This topic contains helpful tips on using the WebSphere® Application Server administrative console for managing the following operations for IBM HTTP Server: Starting, stopping, viewing log files, editing configuration files, and propagating the plug-in configuration file.

• The following list describes hints and tips on starting, stopping, and obtaining status for IBM HTTP Server using the administrative console.

  • The IBM HTTP Server you are managing must be installed as a service. You must install IBM HTTP Server with log on as system rights.

  • When defining a Web server using the administrative console, use the actual service name, instead of the display name. The actual service name will not contain spaces. If you do not do this, you will have problems starting and stopping the service.

  • Status is obtained using the Web server host name and port that you have defined. You do not use the remote administration port.

  • If you have problems starting and stopping IBM HTTP Server, check the WebSphere console logs (trace).

  • If you have problems starting and stopping IBM HTTP Server using nodeagent, we can try to start and stop the server by setting up the managed profile and issuing the startserver <IBM HTTP Server> -nowait -trace command and check the startServer.log file for the IBM HTTP Server specified.

  • If communication between the administrative console and the Web server is through a firewall, then you must define the Web Server port to the firewall program.

• The following list describes hints and tips for viewing log files, editing configuration files and propagating the plug-in configuration file:

  • Access to files is controlled by AdminAllowDirective in the admin.conf file. Access is granted to the conf and logs directory from the IBM HTTP Server installation directory. If you are reading or writing plug-in configuration or trace files, you must add an entry to the admin.conf file to allow access there.

  • Always back up the configuration file. It is possible on the upload of the configuration file, information will be lost.

Administering IBM HTTP Server with the administrative console using the IBM HTTP Server administration server:

• The following list describes hints and tips on starting, stopping, and obtaining status for IBM HTTP Server using the administrative console.

  • The IBM HTTP Server you are managing must be installed as a service.

  • When defining a Web server using the administrative console, use the actual service name, instead of the display name. The actual service name will not contain spaces. If you do not do this, you will have problems starting and stopping the service on the Windows 2003 operating system.

  • Status is obtained using the Web server host name and port that you have defined. You do not use the remote administration port.

  • If you have problems starting and stopping IBM HTTP Server, check the WebSphere console logs (trace) and check the admin_error.log file.

  • The administration server should be started as root.

  • If communication between the administrative console and the administration server is through a firewall, you must enable the administration server port (default 8008).

  • If communication between the administrative console and the Web server is through a firewall, then you must define the Web Server port to the firewall program.

• The following list describes hints and tips for viewing log files, editing configuration files and propagating the plug-in configuration file:

  • File permissions must be correct in order to transfer a file. The setupadm script is provided to set appropriate file permissions.

    The setupadm script should be run prior to starting the administration server. This script will setup file permission and update the User ID and Group ID directives in the admin.conf file. The User ID and Group ID created through the setupadm script are UNIX IDs that must correspond to the admin.conf directives: User and Group.

  • Access to files is controlled by AdminAllowDirective in the admin.conf file. Access is granted to the conf and logs directory from the IBM HTTP Server installation directory. If you are reading or writing plug-in configuration or trace files, you must add an entry to the admin.conf file to allow access there.

  • Always back up the configuration file. It is possible on the upload of the configuration file, information will be lost.