firststeps command
The firststeps command starts the First steps console.
The First steps console
The First steps console is a post-installation ease-of-use tool for directing WebSphere Application Server elements from one place. Options display dynamically on the First steps console, depending on features you install. With all of the options present, use the First steps console to start or stop the application server, verify the installation, access the information center, access the administrative console, launch the Migration wizard, or access the Samples gallery.
The First steps console for the Network Deployment product has several forms. A First steps console exists for the product itself before the creation of any profiles. This version lets you start the Profile creation wizard to get started defining a deployment manager and application servers for the cell. We can also define stand-alone application servers. Each stand-alone application server has its own First steps console. Each deployment manager has its own First steps console.
A prompt to launch the First steps console displays on the last panel of the Profile creation wizard.
We can also start the First steps console from the command line as described later.
The First steps console for the Network Deployment product has several forms. A console exists for the product itself before the creation of any profiles. Options that display on the First steps console in the core product files of the Network Deployment product include the following entries:
- Profile creation wizard
- This option starts the Profile creation wizard. The wizard lets you create a deployment manager profile, an application server profile, or a custom profile. A profile consists of files that define the run-time environment for the deployment manager or the application server. Each environment has its own administrative interface. A custom profile is an exception. A custom profile is an empty node that one can federate into a deployment manager cell and customize. No default server processes or applications are created for a custom profile.
Each deployment manager or application server profile has its own First steps console. The location of the command to launch the First steps console is within the set of files in the profile. A prompt to launch the First steps console that is associated with a profile displays on the last panel of the Profile creation wizard.
- Information center for WebSphere Application Server
- This option links you to the online information center at the http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ws60help/index.jsp IBM Web address.
- Migration wizard
- This option starts the Migration wizard. The Migration wizard is a new graphical interface to the migration tools. The migration tools are described in WASPreUpgrade command and WASPostUpgrade command.
See Using the Migration wizard for more information about the Migration wizard.
- Exit
- This option closes the First steps console.
In addition to the generic First steps console for the Network Deployment product, other First steps consoles exist for the deployment manager profile and the application server profile that the Network Deployment product can create. Options that display on the First steps console for a deployment manager include the following entries:
- Installation verification
- This option starts the installation verification test. The test consists of starting and monitoring the deployment manager during its start up.
If this is the first time that you have used the First steps console since creating a deployment manager profile, click Installation verification to verify that all is well with your installation. The verification process starts the deployment manager.
If you select the Installation verification option, the Start the deployment manager option is grayed out while the IVT is running.
The IVT provides the following useful information about the deployment manager:
- The deployment manager server name: dmgr
- The name of the profile
- The profile file path
- The type of profile: dmgr
- The cell name
- The node name
- The current encoding
- The port number for the administrative console
- Various informational messages that include the location of the SystemOut.log file and how many errors are listed within the file
- A completion message
- Start the deployment manager
- This option displays when you use the Profile creation wizard to create a deployment manager. This option toggles to Stop the deployment manager when the deployment manager is running.
After selecting the Start the deployment manager option, an output screen displays with status messages. The success message informs you that the deployment manager is open for e-business. Then the menu item changes to Stop the deployment manager.
If you select the Start the deployment manager option, the Installation verification option is grayed out while the deployment manager is running.
- Administrative console
- This option is grayed out until the application server is running.
The administrative console is a configuration editor that runs in a Web browser. The administrative console lets you work with XML configuration files for the deployment manager and all of the application servers that are in the cell. To launch the administrative console, click Administrative console. We can also point your browser to http://localhost:9060/ibm/console to start the administrative console. Substitute your own host name in the address if the localhost variable does not resolve correctly. As the administrative console opens, it prompts you for a login name. This is not a security item, but merely a tag to identify configuration changes that you make during the session. Secure signon is also available.
- Profile creation wizard
- This option starts the Profile creation wizard. The wizard lets you create a deployment manager profile, an application server profile, or a custom profile. A profile consists of files that define the run-time environment for the deployment manager or the application server. Each environment has its own administrative interface. A custom profile is an exception. A custom profile is an empty node that one can federate into a deployment manager cell and customize. No default server processes or applications are created for a custom profile.
Each deployment manager profile has its own First steps console. The location of the command to launch the First steps console is within the set of files in the profile. A prompt to launch the First steps console that is associated with a profile displays on the last panel of the Profile creation wizard.
- Information center for WebSphere Application Server
- This option links you to the online information center at the http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ws60help/index.jsp IBM Web address.
- Migration wizard
- This option starts the Migration wizard. The Migration wizard is a new graphical interface to the migration tools. The migration tools are described in WASPreUpgrade command and WASPostUpgrade command.
See Using the Migration wizard for more information about the Migration wizard.
- Exit
- This option closes the First steps console.
In addition to the generic First steps console and the First steps console for the deployment manager, another First steps console exists for stand-alone application servers that you create with the Profile creation wizard. Options that display on the First steps console for an application server profile include the following entries:
- Installation verification
- This option starts the installation verification test. The test consists of starting and monitoring the application server during its start up.
If this is the first time that you have used the First steps console since creating an application server profile, click Installation verification to verify that all is well with your installation. The verification process starts the application server.
If you select the Installation verification option, the Start the server option is grayed out while the IVT is running.
The IVT provides the following useful information about the application server:
- The server name: server1
- The name of the profile
- The profile file path
- The type of profile: default
- The cell name
- The node name
- The current encoding
- The port number for the administrative console
- Various informational messages that include the location of the SystemOut.log file and how many errors are listed within the file
- A completion message
- Start the server
- This option toggles to Stop the server when the application server is running.
After selecting the Start the server option, an output screen displays with status messages. The success message informs you that the server is open for e-business. Then the menu item changes to Stop the server.
If you select the Start the server option, the Installation verification option is grayed out while the application server is running.
- Administrative console
- This option is grayed out until the application server is running.
The administrative console is a configuration editor that runs in a Web browser. The administrative console lets you work with XML configuration files for the deployment manager and all of the application servers that are in the cell. To launch the administrative console, click Administrative console. We can also point your browser to http://localhost:9060/ibm/console to start the administrative console. Substitute your own host name in the address if the localhost variable does not resolve correctly. As the administrative console opens, it prompts you for a login name. This is not a security item, but merely a tag to identify configuration changes that you make during the session. Secure signon is also available.
- Profile creation wizard
- This option starts the Profile creation wizard. The wizard lets you create a deployment manager profile, an application server profile, or a custom profile. A profile consists of files that define the run-time environment for the deployment manager or the application server. Each environment has its own administrative interface. A custom profile is an exception. A custom profile is an empty node that one can federate into a deployment manager cell and customize. No default server processes or applications are created for a custom profile.
Each application server profile has its own First steps console. The location of the command to launch the First steps console is within the set of files in the profile. A prompt to launch the First steps console that is associated with a profile displays on the last panel of the Profile creation wizard.
- Samples gallery
- This option starts the Samples gallery. The option is grayed out until you start the application server. The option displays when you have installed the Samples during installation.
From the First steps console, click Samples gallery to explore the application Samples. Alternatively one can point your browser directly to http://localhost:9080/WSsamples. Substitute your own host name in the address if the localhost variable does not resolve correctly. The Web address is case sensitive. Substitute your own host name in the address.
- Information center for WebSphere Application Server
- This option links you to the online information center at the http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ws60help/index.jsp IBM Web address.
- Migration wizard
- This option starts the Migration wizard. The Migration wizard is a new graphical interface to the migration tools. The migration tools are described in WASPreUpgrade command and WASPostUpgrade command.
See Using the Migration wizard for more information about the Migration wizard.
- Exit
- This option closes the First steps console.
The First steps console for a managed node has the same options as the generic First steps console for the Network Deployment product.
Location of the command file
The location of the firststeps.sh or firststeps.bat script for any profile is:
- install_root/profiles/profile/firststeps/firststeps.sh
- install_root\profiles\profile\firststeps\firststeps.bat
The location of the firststeps command for the generic First steps console for the Network Deployment product is:
- install_root/firststeps/firststeps.sh
- install_root\firststeps\firststeps.bat
Parameters
No parameters are associated with this command.
Syntax for the firststeps command
Use the following syntax for the command:
- ./firststeps.sh
- firststeps.bat
Usage tips
The following links exist on one of the First steps consoles for the Network Deployment product. Not all links display on each First steps console. For example, the First steps console for the deployment manager does not have the Samples Gallery option or the Start the server option.
Option Link Installation verification Calls the ivt command. The location of the installation verification test varies per platform:
- install_root/profiles/profile/bin/ivt.sh
- install_root\profiles\profile\bin\ivt.bat
Start the server Calls the startServer command. The location of the startServer command varies per platform:
- install_root/profiles/profile/bin/startServer.sh server1
- install_root\profiles\profile\bin\startServer.bat server1
When you have more than one application server on the same machine, the command starts the same application server that is associated with the First steps console.
Stop the server Calls the stopServer command. The location of the stopServer command varies per platform:
- install_root/profiles/profile/bin/stopServer.sh server1
- install_root\profiles\profile\bin\stopServer.bat server1
Start the deployment manager Calls the startManager command. The location of the startManager command varies per platform:
- install_root/profiles/profile/bin/startManager.sh
- install_root\profiles\profile\bin\startManager.bat
When you have more than one deployment manager on the same machine, the command starts the same deployment manager that is associated with the First steps console.
Stop the deployment manager Calls the stopManager command. The location of the stopManager command varies per platform:
- install_root/profiles/profile/bin/stopManager.sh
- install_root\profiles\profile\bin\stopManager.bat
Administrative console Opens the default browser to the http://localhost:9060/ibm/console Web address. When you have more than one application server on the same machine, the port varies. The First steps console starts the administrative console that is associated with the First steps console.
Profile creation wizard Calls the pctplatform command. The command is in the install_root/bin/ProfileCreator directory. 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
Samples Gallery Opens the default browser to the http://localhost:9080/WSsamples Web address. If you do not install Samples, the option does not appear on the First steps console. If you do not install the Samples during the initial installation of the product, the option does not display on the First steps console. You can perform an incremental installation to add the Samples feature. After adding the Samples, the options displays on the First steps console.
When you have more than one profile on the same machine, the port varies. The First steps console starts the Samples gallery that is associated with the First steps console.
Information center for WebSphere Application Server products Opens the default browser to the online information center at the http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ws60help/index.jsp Web address. Migration wizard Calls the migration command. The location of the migration command is:
- install_root/bin/migration.sh
- install_root\bin\migration.bat
The migration tools are also in the /migration folder on the product disc.
Related Tasks
Using the Migration wizard
Using the installation verification test
Using the Profile creation wizard