Plug-ins configuration

 

 

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Overview

The Web Server Plug-ins installation wizard installs...

...and creates a webserver definition in the configuration of the appserver.

The Plug-ins installation wizard can be started using the install media. For example...

The Plug-ins installation wizard resolves all configurations of webserver and WAS to three scenarios:

 

Default appserver with existing webserver definition

If the default profile is an appserver with an existing webserver defined, the installation is considered remote.

You cannot have more than one webserver definition in a stand-alone appserver.

Use the same name for the webserver to configure a new webserver to use the existing webserver definition.

Use a different webserver name to create a script that creates a new webserver definition in a federated appserver profile.

Default profile

If WAS is installed but the Profile Management tool has not yet created a profile, the scenario is considered to be remote.

When multiple profiles exist, the plug-ins installer configures only the default profile.

Default profile_type The Plug-ins installation wizard can configure only one profile at a time. The wizard always works with the default profile.
Federated If the appserver node is federated, the Plug-ins installation wizard configures the webserver definition on the managed node.

This has advantages. Suppose the webserver and the managed node are on a separate machine. The plugin-cfg.xml file is automatically propagated to the remote node during node synchronization because the webserver definition is part of the node configuration.

Installation type

The installation type is either remote or local.

Non-default distributed profile

If the deployment manager has a federated custom node (custom profile), the Plug-ins installation wizard configures the webserver definition on the managed node.

This has advantages. Suppose the webserver and the managed node are on a separate machine. The plugin-cfg.xml file is automatically propagated to the remote node during node synchronization because the webserver definition is part of the node configuration.

If a custom profile is not found, the Plug-ins installation wizard looks for and configures the first federated appserver node (appserver profile) that it finds. So, the logic is:

  1. Look for a federated managed (custom) profile and configure the first one found.

  2. If no federated managed profile is found, look for a federated appserver profile and configure the first one found.

 

Scenario 1. Remote plug-in configuration

The Plug-ins installation wizard does not automatically create a webserver definition within the default distributed profile on a remote machine. The wizard creates the script...

configurewebserver

...which you can run on the remote machine.

The Plug-ins installation wizard configures the webserver to use the plugin-cfg.xml file that will be maintained on the webserver machine in...

plugins_root/config/webserver

This file requires periodic propagation. Propagation is copying the current plugin-cfg.xml file from the Application Server machine to replace...

plugins_root/config/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml

After installing the binary plug-in for the local webserver, you do not have to run the script before you can start the appserver and the webserver. However, you do not have the benefits of a webserver definition in the appserver node until you run the script.

 

Test the appserver without a webserver definition:

The following overview shows the procedure for verifying the temporary...

plugins_root/config/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml

The webserver communicates with the remote Application Server using the temporary plugin-cfg.xml file.

If the appserver has an HTTP Transport port assignment other than 9080, the test is not successful. Continue to the next section to create the webserver definition on the appserver and complete your test of the configuration.

  1. Start the webserver with the proper procedure for your webserver. For example, start the IBM HTTP Server from a command line:

      ./IHS_root/bin/apachectl start

  2. Start the appserver on the remote machine

  3. Point your browser to...

    http://localhost:9080/snoop

    ...to test the internal HTTP transport provided by the appserver. Point your browser to...

    http://Host_name_of_Web_server_machine/snoop

    ...to test the webserver plug-in.

  4. Verify that both Web addresses display the Snoop Servlet - Request/Client Information page.

 

Configure a webserver definition

  1. Start the deployment manager if you are configuring the deployment manager or a managed node.

  2. Federate a remote appserver node or custom node now if you are planning to federate the node at some point.

    If a webserver definition already exists when you federate a node, the definition is lost.

  3. Create the webserver definition in the appserver.

    Use the script option for a deployment manager node without managed nodes.

    For managed nodes you have two options:

    • Use the console of the deployment manger to create a webserver definition for a managed node.

      Click...

      Servers | webservers | New

      ...and use the...

      Create new webserver entry

      ...wizard to create the webserver definition.

    • Run the script to manually create the webserver definition within the configuration of the appserver node:

      1. Copy the script from...

        plugins_root/bin

        ...to the remote directory...

        app_server_root/bin

      2. Open a command window and run the script:

          ./configurewebserver.sh

      If you have enabled security or changed the default JMX connector type, edit the script and include the appropriate parameters.

  4. Open the console of the deployment manager if the node is federated.

    Wait for node synchronization to occur on the managed node and save the changed configuration that includes the new webserver definition.

    If the remote node is not federated, open the console of the appserver and save the changed configuration.

  5. Copy the plug-in configuration file...

    profile_root/config/cells/cell/nodes/node/servers/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml...

    ...and paste the file to...

    plugins_root/config/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml

    ...on to the webserver machine.

    The IBM HTTP Server supports automatic propagation. Other webservers require manual propagation.

  6. Start the webserver

  7. Point your browser to...

    http://localhost:9080/snoop

    ...to test the internal HTTP transport provided by the Application Server. Point your browser to...

    http://Host_name_of_Web_server_machine/snoop

    ...to test the webserver plug-in.

  8. Verify that both Web addresses display the Snoop Servlet - Request/Client Information page.

 

Scenario 2. Local distributed plug-in configuration

The Plug-ins installation wizard does not automatically create a webserver definition within a federated appserver profile. The wizard creates the...

...instead in the...

plugins_root/bin

The Plug-ins installation wizard configures the webserver to use the plugin-cfg.xml file that will be created within the appserver profile when you run the script. The deployment manager regenerates the plugin-cfg.xml file in...

profile_root/config/cells/cell/nodes/node_name/servers/webserver

Regeneration occurs whenever a change occurs in the appserver configuration that affects deployed applications on the managed node.

After installing the binary plug-in for the local webserver, run the script before you can start the webserver. The webserver has already been configured to use the plugin-cfg.xml file in the appserver configuration. That file does not exist until you run the...

configurewebserver

...script.

The following overview shows the procedure for completing the configuration and verifying the webserver configuration:

  1. Start the deployment manager.

  2. If you are planning to add an appserver node into a deployment manager cell but have not done so yet, federate the node before installing the plug-ins. If the webserver definition exists when you federate the node, the webserver definition is lost when you federate.

  3. Create the webserver definition in the appserver. You have two options:

    • Use the console of the deployment manger to create a Web server definition for a managed node. Click...

      Servers | webservers | New

      ...and use the Create new webserver entry wizard to create the webserver definition.

    • Run the script to manually create the webserver definition within the configuration of the deployment manager.

      Run the script from the plugins_root/bin directory. The script can address the deployment manager on the same machine. Open a command window to run the appropriate script:

        configurewebserver.bat

      If you have enabled security or changed the default JMX connector type, edit the script and include the appropriate parameters.

  4. Start the webserver with the proper procedure for your webserver. For example, start the IBM HTTP Server from a command line:

      ./IHS_root/bin/apachectl start

  5. Start the appserver

    profile_root/bin
    ./profile_root/bin/startServer.sh server1

  6. Open the console of the deployment manager. Wait for node synchronization to occur and save the changed configuration that includes the new webserver definition.

  7. Point your browser to...

    http://localhost:9080/snoop

    ...to test the internal HTTP transport provided by the appserver. Point your browser to...

    http://Host_name_of_Web_server_machine/snoop

    ...to test the webserver plug-in.

  8. Verify that both Web addresses display the Snoop Servlet - Request/Client Information page.

 

Scenario 3. Local stand-alone plug-in configuration

The Plug-ins installation wizard creates a webserver definition within the appserver profile.

The Plug-ins installation wizard configures the Web server to use the plugin-cfg.xml file that is within the appserver profile. The stand-alone appserver regenerates...

profile_root/config/cells/cell/nodes/node/servers/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml

...whenever a change occurs in the appserver configuration that affects deployed applications.

After installing the binary plug-in for the local webserver, you can start the Application Server and the webserver immediately upon completion of the installation.

Suppose that you create a webserver definition on a stand-alone appserver and then federate the node. The webserver definition is not federated into the cell because the webserver definition is defined as a separate node in a stand-alone Application Server. You must recreate the webserver definition on the managed node. See Scenario 2. Only one configuration qualifies for the local stand-alone appserver scenario:

Profile type Federation status Automatic creation of webserver definition webserver already defined in Application Server configuration
Application server Not federated Yes No

 

Redirection to Scenario 1

An unfederated default standalone appserver that has an existing webserver definition is processed as a remote plug-in configuration.

An existing webserver definition on a stand-alone appserver causes the Plug-ins installation wizard to follow the remote installation path. A stand-alone appserver can have just one webserver definition. Specify the same nick name for the webserver if you want to configure a new webserver.

You can use the plugin-cfg.xml file that is within the webserver definition in the configuration of the Application Server. Simply click Browse on the appropriate panel in the Plug-ins installation wizard to select the file. This file must exist. Otherwise, the Plug-ins installation wizard displays a warning and prevents you from proceeding until you select an existing file. The webserver is configured to use this existing plugin-cfg.xml file.

See Scenario 1 for a description of this type of node.

 

Redirection to Scenario 2

A federated default standalone Application Server is processed as a local distributed plug-in configuration. See Scenario 2 for a description of this type of node.

 

Overview of the verification procedure

The following overview shows the procedure for verifying the webserver configuration after installing the binary plug-in module:

  1. Start the webserver with the proper procedure for your webserver. For example, start the IBM HTTP Server from a command line:

      ./IHS_root/bin/apachectl start

  2. Start the appserver

    profile_root/bin
    ./profile_root/bin/startServer.sh server1

    Open the console and save the changed configuration.

  3. Point your browser to...

    http://localhost:9080/snoop

    ...to test the internal HTTP transport provided by the appserver. Point your browser to...

    http://Host_name_of_Web_server_machine/snoop

    ...to test the webserver plug-in.

  4. Verify that both Web addresses display the Snoop Servlet - Request/Client Information page.

 

Summary

Three scenarios exist for webserver plug-ins for WAS. Each scenario revolves around a unique location for plugin-cfg.xml.

The appserver generates the plug-in configuration file. The purpose of the file is to publish the location of all of the appserver elements that are relevant to a webserver. Such elements include...

If the webserver cannot get to the file on the appserver machine, take the file to the webserver. That process is called propagation. Propagation is reserved for the remote plug-in configuration scenario.

In each of the local scenarios, the webserver can get to the plugin-cfg.xml file because it is on the same machine as the file. Two local scenarios exist because of two distinct locations for a local plugin-cfg.xml file.

The configuration scheme for V6 of WAS puts the plug-in configuration file in a webserver definition that is either within a webserver node or a managed node. The type of node is the difference between Scenario 2 and Scenario 3 in this topic. All Scenario 2 configurations require the webserver definition to exist within a managed appserver node. All Scenario 3 configurations have the webserver definition within its own webserver node.

In a stand-alone appserver you cannot use the console to create or delete the webserver definition. This inability is the reason that webserver configuration scripts are generated by the webserver plug-ins for WAS.

plugins_root plugins_root/config/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml
profile_root within the managed node profile_root/config/cells/cell/nodes/node/servers/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml
profile_root within the webserver node profile_root/config/cells/cell/nodes/node/servers/webserver/plugin-cfg.xml



 

Related concepts


webserver configuration

 

Related tasks