Mode selection

Mode selection

Use this panel to specify whether to work in connected or disconnected mode, and to specify the target operating system for the customized installation package (CIP).
When the Build Definition wizard has access to the product installation image, maintenance packages, and other components required to create the CIP, then you can use it in what is called connected mode. In this mode, the Build Definition wizard can validate the files that are provided as input and optionally generate the CIP in addition to creating the build definition file. If the product installation image, maintenance packages, and other components are not accessible because they are on a separate machine, the Build Definition wizard can only be used in disconnected mode. In disconnected mode, the Build Definition wizard can be used to create a build definition file for a target platform but it is not able to validate any of the input nor actually generate a CIP. The build definition file can then be copied to the target machine and used as input to the ifcli command to actually generate the CIP, at which time all of the input that was provided in the Build Definition wizard is validated

Modes

Mode in which you are working with the build definition file.
Connected mode
Select connected mode to work with a build definition file on this computer, and to optionally create a customized installation package. Connected mode requires direct access to the product installation image and any optional assets you specified, which must match the operating system and architecture of this computer.
Disconnected mode
Select disconnected mode to work with a build definition file for use on another computer. The build definition file is saved to a location that is relative to this computer. Specify all other directory paths and file names that are relative to the computer where the processing engine creates a customized installation package.
For example, suppose that the product installation image is on the target machine in the /tmp/IBM/WASimage directory. Specify the location in terms of the target machine where the processing engine must find the product image to include in the CIP.
The mode affects component validation.
When running in connected mode the Build Definition wizard can validate connected installation images, maintenance packages, and other components while creating the build definition file because everything is on the same machine.
In disconnected mode the Build Definition wizard does not attempt to access components and cannot verify the components. In such a case, the Installation Factory relies on the processing engine to verify all components. The processing engine verifies each component as it includes the component in the customized installation package.

Platforms

Platform for which to build the CIP.
The available platforms vary depending on whether you choose connected mode or disconnected mode. In connected mode you can only choose from those installers which are supported on your current platform. In disconnected mode, you may choose from the entire list of supported platforms. Choose the operating system and hardware platform where the processing engine runs to create the CIP.
The command-line invocation tool (ifcli) runs on 32-bit kernels and 64-bit kernels.
There are different lists of supported platforms for running the Installation Factory GUI (ifgui) and the ifcli tools.
See IBM Installation Factory for WAS V6.1 releases for a current list of all supported platforms for the Installation Factory.

Related information

Developing and installing customized installation packages
Build Definition wizard panels Product selection
Package Identification

Reference topic