Network Deployment (Distributed operating systems), v8.0 > Set up the application serving environment > Administer application servers > Manage application servers


Configure an application server, a node, or a cell to use a single network interface

Application servers, by default, are configured to use all of the network interfaces that are available for them to use. We can change this configuration such that an application server only uses a specific network interface. However, you cannot configure it to use a subgroup of interfaces. For example, if we have three ethernet adapters, you cannot configure an application server to use two of the three adapters.

When an application server is configured to use all network interfaces, if it opens a socket on port 9901 on a machine with two TCP/IP addresses, it opens port 9901 on both IP addresses.

On a Microsoft Windows operating system, the netstat output displays *.9901 in the Local Address field, indicating that port 9901 is bound to all network interfaces in the system.

When an application server is configured to use a specific network interface, it only communicates on that one network interface. For example, on a Windows operating system, if an application server opens a socket on port 7842 on an ethernet adapter with an address of 192.168.1.150, the netstat output displays 192.168.1.150.7842 in the Local Address field, indicating that port 7842 is only bound to 192.168.1.150.

If we have more than one network interface and to use each one separately, have a separate configuration profile for each interface. When network interfaces are used separately, a separate node agent is required for each network interface that has an application server running on it. Two application servers bound to two separate network interfaces on the same machine cannot be in the same node because they have different TCP/IP addresses.


Procedure

  1. Update the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost and com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome ORB custom properties.

    1. In the admin console, navigate to the indicated panel.

      • For an application server, click...

            > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name

        > Container Settings > Container services > ORB Service. Then in the Additional Properties > Custom properties.

      • For a dmgr, click System Administration > Deployment manager . In the Additional Properties > ORB Service. Then, under Additional properties on the ORB Service panel, click Custom properties .

      • For a node agent, click System Administration > Node agents > node_agent . In the Additional Properties > ORB Service. Then, under Additional properties on the ORB Service panel, click Custom properties.

    2. Select the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost custom property and specify an IP address or hostname in the Value field. Do not set this property to either localhost or *.

      If the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost property is not in the list of already defined custom properties, click New and then enter com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost in the Name field and specify an IP address or hostname in the Value field.

    3. Select the com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome custom property and specify false in the Value field. If the com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome property is not in the list of already defined custom properties, click New, and then enter com.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome in the Name field and specify false in the Value field.

  2. Update the Java virtual machine (JVM) com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome custom property for discovery and SOAP connections.

    1. In the admin console, navigate to the indicated page.

      • For an application server, click...

            > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name

        > Java process management > Process definition > JVM > Custom properties .

      • For a dmgr, click System Administration > Deployment manager > Java process management > Process definition > JVM > Custom properties .

      • For a node agent, click System Administration > Node agent > node_ agent > Java process management > Process definition > JVM > Custom properties .

    2. Select the com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome custom property and specify false in the Value field. If the com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome property is not in the list of already defined custom properties, click New and then enter com.ibm.websphere.network.useMultiHome in the Name field and specify false in the Value field.

  3. Update the host name for TCP/IP connections.

    1. In the admin console, navigate to the indicated page.

      • For an application server, click...

            > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name

        > Additional Properties section, click Ports.

      • For a dmgr, click System Administration > Deployment manager > Additional Properties > Ports.

      • For a node agent, click System Administration > Node agents > node_ agent > Additional Properties > Ports.

    2. Update the Host field for each of the listed ports to the value specified for the com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost ORB custom property in the first step. When you finish, none of the entries listed in the Host column should contain an * (asterisk).

  4. Change the Initial State setting for each of the v5 JMS servers to Stopped .

    1. In the admin console...

      Servers > Server Types > v5 JMS servers.

    2. Click one of the listed JMS servers, and change the value specified for the Initial State field to Stopped.
    3. Repeat the previous step until the Initial State setting for all of the listed JMS servers is Stopped.

  5. Change the Initial State setting for each of the listener ports to Stopped .

    1. In the admin console...

      Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name

      .

    2. Under Communications, click Messaging > Message Listener Service > Listener Ports.

    3. Click one of the listed listener ports and change the value specified for the Initial State field to Stopped.
    4. Repeat the previous step until the Initial State setting for all of the listed listener ports is Stopped.

  6. Save your changes.

    1. In the admin console, click System administration > Save Changes to Master Repository.

    2. Select Synchronize changes with nodes, and then click Save.

  7. Stop and restart all the affected servers, node agents, and the dmgr.


Results

You have configured an installation of WAS to communicate on one, and only one network interface on a machine that has more than one network interface.


Example

This example creates two nodes, each using a separate network interface, on a machine that has at least two network interfaces:

  1. Use the Profile Management tool to create an application server and federate it into the desired cell.

  2. Use the Profile Management tool to create an application server profile, specifying a host name that is different than the host name used for the previously created application server. Federate this application server into the desired cell.

  3. Start the node agent and application server that are configured to the first network interface. Follow the preceding steps for the node agent and application server to prepare this node to communicate on the network interface you specified when you configured this application server.

  4. Start the second node agent and application server. Follow the preceding steps for the node agent and application server to prepare this node to communicate only on the network interface specified when you configured the second application server.
  5. Stop all of the node agents and application servers that you created in this example.

  6. Restart all of these node agents and application servers.

You have two separate nodes running on two different network interfaces.


What to do next

If you are using a stand-alone Java client or server to communicate with WAS, and you are using the WAS Software Development Kit (SDK), add the following properties to your Java command to enable the ORB for the application to communicate with a specific network interface. 
-Dcom.ibm.ws.orb.transport.useMultiHome=false
-Dcom.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost=host_name

host_name is the TCP/IP address or hostname of the network interface for the ORB to use. Do not set host_name to localhost, a loop back address, such as 127.0.0.1, or an * (asterisk).

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