Use the Profile creation wizard to create a custom profile

 

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Before you begin

Before using the Profile creation wizard, install the core product files.

The Profile creation wizard is the wizard interface to the profile creation tool, wasprofile. See the description of the wasprofile command for more information.

An error can occur when you have not provided enough system temporary space to create a profile. Verify that you have a minimum of 40 MB of temp space available before creating a profile. You must have 30 MB of available disk space in the directory where you create a deployment manager profile. You must have 200 MB of available disk space in the directory where you create an Application Server profile.

You must have 10 MB of available disk space in the directory where you create a custom profile. Manually verify that the required space for creating a profile is available on AIX. A known problem in the underlying InstallShield for Multiplatforms (ISMP) code prevents proper space checking on AIX systems at the time that the product disc was created.

 

Overview

After installing the core product files for the Network Deployment product, create one of the following profiles to have an operational run-time environment:

  • A custom profile.

    This topic describes creating a custom profile. A custom profile is an empty node that one can customize to include application servers, clusters, or other Java processes, such as a messaging server.

    You must have 10 MB of available disk space in the directory where you create a custom profile.

  • A deployment manager.

    The deployment manager provides a single administrative interface to a logical group of application servers on one or more machines.

  • An application server profile.

    An Application Server profile has a default server (which is server1), the default application that includes the snoop servlet and the hitcount servlet, and application Samples. We can federate the Application Server or use it as a stand-alone Application Server.

    You must have 200 MB of available disk space in the directory where you create an Application Server profile.

This topic describes creating a custom profile using the Profile creation wizard. Use the Profile creation wizard in silent mode with a response file instead of the graphical user interface. See responsefile.pct.NDmanagedProfile.txt for examples of using the Profile creation wizard in silent mode.

We can also use the wasprofile command to create a custom profile. See the description of the wasprofile command for more information.

After creating a custom profile, have access to a running deployment manager to federate the node. Federating the custom profile makes the node operational. If the custom profile is on a machine that does not have a deployment manager, the deployment manager must be accessible over the network to allow the federation of the node.

We can federate the custom node as you create the custom profile, either with the Profile creation wizard or when using the wasprofile command. If you choose to federate, but the deployment manager is not running, the custom node is not usable. You must then either delete the profile directory or move the directory out of the profiles repository (profiles installation root directory) before creating another profile with the same name.

 

Procedure

  1. Install the product to create the core product files.

  2. Start the Profile creation wizard to create a new run-time environment.

    Several ways exist to start the wizard. The initial way to start the wizard is at the end of installation by selecting the check box to launch the Profile creation wizard.

    One way to start the wizard is to issue the command directly from a command line.

    The command is in the directory...

    install_root/bin/ProfileCreator

    The name of the command varies per platform:

    • pctAIX.bin
    • pctHPUX.bin
    • 64-bit platforms: pctHPUXIA64.bin
    • pctLinux.bin
    • 64-bit platforms: pct.bin S/390 platforms: pctLinux390.bin
    • Power platforms: pctLinuxPPC.bin
    • pctSolaris.bin
    • pctWindows.exe
    • 64-bit platforms: pctWindowsIA64.exe

    Another way to start the Profile creation wizard is to select the wizard from the First steps console.

    1. Open a command window.

    2. Change directories to the firststeps directory in the installation root directory:

      The installation root varies by platform:

      • /usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/firststeps
      • /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/firststeps
      • C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\firststeps

    3. Issue the firststeps command to start the console:

      • ./firststeps.sh
      • firststeps.bat

    4. Select the Profile creation wizard option on the console.

      The Profile creation wizard is an InstallShield for Multiplatforms application. The wizard loads the Java 2 SDK and then displays its Welcome panel.

    See the description of the firststeps command for more information.

  3. Click Next on the Welcome panel.

    The wizard displays the Profile type selection panel.

  4. Select Create a custom profile and click Next.

    The wizard displays the Custom-profile federation panel.

  5. Specify the host name and SOAP port of the deployment manager and click Next.

    After federation, the process in the custom profile is the nodeagent process. The nodeagent process is the agent of the deployment manager for the custom node. The nodeagent 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

    • Delete application server processes

     

    Should you federate the node?

    Federate the custom node at this time if the deployment manager is running. Select the check box to federate the node at a later time if the deployment manager is not running.

    If you are unsure whether the deployment manager is running, do not federate now. Federate the node later.

    If security is enabled on the deployment manager node, federate later using the addNode command to enter a user ID and password on the command. A possibility exists that the deployment manager is reconfigured to use the non-default RMI as the preferred 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, use the addNode command to federate the custom profile at a later time. Use the addNode command so that one 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 one 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 available because of security being enabled or for other reasons, the installation indicator in the logs is INSTCONFFAIL to indicate a complete failure. The resulting custom profile is unusable. You must move the custom profile directory out of the profile repository (the profiles installation root directory) before creating another custom profile with the same profile name.

    Click Next to display the Profile name panel.

  6. Specify a name for the profile, then click Next.

    Profile naming guidelines: 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

    • Illegal special characters that are not allowed within the name of a directory on your operating system, such as *&?

    • Slashes (/) or (\)

    Double-byte characters are allowed.

    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 issued from the bin directory in the product installation root. When only one profile exists on a machine, every command works on the only server process in the configuration.

    Addressing a profile in a multi-profile environment

    When two or more 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 in the bin directory of each profile.

    A command in the directory...

    profiles/profile/bin

    ...has two lines. The first line sets the WAS_USER_SCRIPT environment variable for the command window. The variable sets up the command environment to address the profile. The second line calls the actual command in the install_root/bin directory.

    The actual command queries the command shell to determine the calling profile and to autonomically address the command to the calling profile.

    The wizard then displays the Profile directory panel.

  7. Specify a location for the profile and click Next.

    If you click Back and change the name of the profile, manually change the name on this panel when it displays again.

    The wizard displays the Node and host names panel.

  8. Specify the node and host characteristics for the custom profile and click Next.

    Migration considerations

    If you plan to migrate an installation of V5.x Network Deployment to V6, use the same cell name for the V6 deployment manager as you used for the V5.x cell.

    After migrating the cell, the V5 managed nodes are now managed by the V6 deployment manager in compatibility mode. We can migrate individual V5 managed nodes in the cell to V6. To do so, create a V6 profile with the same node name as the V5 managed node.

    Avoid using reserved folder names as field values. The use of reserved folder names can cause unpredictable results. The following words are reserved:

    The custom profile has the following characteristics:

    Field name Default value Constraints Description
    Node name The name of your machine, or a unique derivation of the machine name. Avoid using the reserved words.

    Use a unique name within the deployment manager cell.

    If you plan to migrate a V5 managed node, use the same node name for this V6 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 V5 deployment manager cell to a V6 deployment manager, one can migrate the V5 custom profiles that are running in compatibility mode in the V6 deployment manager.

    Host name The DNS name of your machine. 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.

    Node name considerations

    The profiles directory path must be no longer than 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 to communicate with this node. Selecting a host name that other machines can reach within your network is extremely important. Do not use the generic localhost identifier for this value.

    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 servers (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 advantage of being totally unambiguous and also 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 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 being dependent 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 ability 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 to 127.0.0.1 (local loopback) in the hosts file to run disconnected. A format disadvantage is being dependent 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 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 one cannot use the node if the host is disconnected from the network.

    After specifying custom profile characteristics, the wizard displays the Port value assignment panel.

  9. Specify port assignments that do not conflict for the custom profile and click Next.

    When federating a custom profile, the addNode command uses non-conflicting ports. This means that one can take the default port assignments as you create the profile, and let the addNode command specify non-conflicting ports as you federate the node. Port assignments must be unique on a machine. application server processes on different machines can use the same port assignments without conflict.

    After specifying non-conflicting port assignments, the wizard displays the Profile summary panel.

  10. Click Next to create the custom profile or click Back to change the characteristics of the custom profile. The wizard displays a Status panel as the wizard creates the custom profile.

    At the end of the installation, the wizard displays the Profile creation is complete panel.

  11. Click Finish to exit the Profile creation wizard.

 

Result

We can create a custom profile. The node within the profile is empty until you federate the node and use the deployment manager to customize the node. Refer to the description of the wasprofile command to learn about creating this type of profile using a command instead of a wizard.

 

What to do next

Federate the node into the deployment manager cell if you have not already done so as you created the node. Then use the deployment manager to create an application server on the node. Then you are ready to deploy an application. Deploy an application to get started! See Fast paths for WebSphere Application Server to get started deploying applications.

 

See also


responsefile.pct.NDmanagedProfile.txt

 

Related Information


wasprofile command