Updating a resource adapter archive

Use the resource adapter archive (RAR) update wizard to update RAR files to a newer version. The appserver uses the classes and other code that comprise a resource adapter archive to support the resource adapters that you configure.

A resource adapter must be installed on the appserver, and have a new version of the resource adapter that is compatible with the old version. We can create the new RAR file with an assembly tool, or the vendor for the resource adapter can provide the new version. If the new version of a RAR file is not compatible with the old version of the resource adapter, an update is not possible.

Update a RAR file when you determine that a resource adapter or a set of resource adapters needs to be updated with a different version. Different versions of resource adapters can include different settings, so updating your adapter might be beneficial if we require a certain set of configuration options. We can choose if we would like to update the resource adapter for all of the nodes in a cell or all the nodes in a cluster. If some of the nodes are earlier than V7.0, the RAR update will not be supported until those nodes are migrated to V7.0.

If we prefer to have more than one version of a resource adapter active in a given JVM, the update wizard will not provide the option of creating a new version and keeping the old. In this case, you will need to create an isolated resource adapter and configure it accordingly. Refer to the topic on configuring a resource adapter for more information.

 

1. Save all configuration changes.

2. Backup the settings with the backupConfig tool.

   The backupConfig tool is located in...

   APP_ROOT/bin

   Read the topic on the backupConfig command for more information on how to use this command.

3. Synchronize any of the nodes that will be updated.

4. Verify the node agents are running if they are associated with the resource adapter that we are updating.

5. Stop any servers that contain the RAR file that you will update. Stop all of the servers in the node or cluster to which the RAR file is associated. Refer to the topic, Administering applications and their environment, for information on how to stop or start an appserver.

6. Click Resources > Resource Adapters.

7. Select the checkbox next to the RAR file to update, and click Update RAR.

8. Specify the installation path for the RAR file, and click Next.

   • If the RAR file is located on the same workstation as the browser, select Local file system, and browse to find the file.

   • If the RAR file is located on the server workstation where the application server is installed, select Remote file system, and specify the fully qualified path to the file.

9. Review the configuration information that is provided for the RAR file.

   The following information is displayed for the RAR file:

   • Name

   • Current RAR version

   • New RAR version

   • Scope

   • Any existing copies of the resource adapter. The resource adapters with an asterisk (*) are copies of the resource adapter and must also be updated at the same time.

   Click Next when we are finished.

10. Edit any properties that were added by the new version of the resource adapter. We can also edit these properties after completing the update.

    1. Select a resource in the list to edit the new properties.

       Only resources with new properties are included in the list.

    2. Edit the resource properties. Use the table that is provided to set the values for the selected resource's new properties.

       • Select the Set for all checkbox to apply the property value to all of the resources of the same type.

       • Click the Reset to Default button to reset all of the properties to the default values defined in the RAR file. This only affects the selected resource.

    3. Click Next.

11. Review the summary panel, and click Finish when we are satisfied with the settings. When you click Finish, all of the configuration changes will be automatically saved. To revert to an older version of the resource adapter perform the update process again, and specify the older version of the RAR file.

 

Next steps

If not satisfied with the results, and you backed up the configuration with backupConfig tool, use the restoreConfig tool to restore your backup configuration. Read the topic on the restoreConfig command for more information on how to use this command.

Relational resource adapters and JCA

 

Related tasks

Administer data access applications
Set Resource Adapters
Install a resource adapter archive
Install resource adapters within applications
Set new J2C resource adapters using scripting

 

Related

Resource adapters collection
restoreConfig
backupConfig