Add middleware servers to configurations
Use middleware servers, we can manage all of the servers in the environment, including servers that are not created with Intelligent Management, using the product administrative domain.
If we are configuring representations in the domain of externally created middleware servers, perform the following tasks on the nodes:
- Install the middleware software on the nodes.
- The node agent on each node must be at the same fix pack level as the deployment manager.
- Federate nodes to an Intelligent Management cell.
We can use the addNode command or the administrative console to federate the node. For more information, read about utilizing the addNode command and the topic on adding, managing, and removing nodes.
- Create and configure ODRs. Read about creating ODRs for more details.
- Each of the nodes must have the same network view for each endpoint and resource that is related to WebSphere Application Server. All host entries or host alias entries related to WebSphere Application Server within a hosts file must be included in the hosts file on each of the other nodes in the configuration, including any hosts file on nodes that run the node agent. For example, if you define a product-related host alias called xdagentA in the hosts file for the nodeA node, then the hosts file on each middleware node must contain an entry for the xdagentA host alias.
Middleware servers encompass all servers in the middleware tier that provide the infrastructure for applications or their data. The steps vary depending on if you are configuring complete lifecycle management middleware servers or assisted lifecycle management middleware servers.
- Complete lifecycle servers include any servers that the environment can instantiate, or create. These server types include WebSphere Application Server types such as application servers, generic servers, Web servers, and proxy servers. The product adds complete lifecycle management for PHP servers and WebSphere Application Server Community Edition servers. For more information, read about adding complete lifecycle middleware servers.
- With assisted lifecycle servers, you use templates to create representations of servers. However, these servers still exist within the administrative domain of their respective middleware platform. These servers can be controlled operationally. Server health and performance are monitored. We can configure the administrative console to display log files and configuration files for these servers. For more information, read about adding assisted lifecycle middleware servers.
What to do next
To easily manage groups of servers to host an application, configure dynamic clusters. We can create clusters of either type of server. However, dynamic application placement is supported only on complete lifecycle servers. When creating a dynamic cluster of assisted lifecycle middleware servers, the same version of middleware software and the same applications must be installed on the servers. If the servers in a dynamic cluster have varying sets of applications installed, routing through the on-demand router might result in failed requests.
The logs and trace views in the administrative console that you access by clicking Troubleshooting > Logs and trace are not supported for externally created middleware servers and PHP servers. We can use the external log viewing service to view the log files for these server types in the administrative console. To configure the external log viewing service, navigate to the configuration panel for the server and click External log service.
Subtopics
- (dist)(zos) Intelligent Management: middleware server creation administrative tasks
We can use administrative tasks to write a script that can recreate the middleware server configuration.
- (dist)(zos) Intelligent Management: middleware application administrative tasks
We can use the Jacl or Jython scripting languages to create and manage middleware applications with wsadmin.sh.
- (dist)(zos) Intelligent Management: node agent custom properties
We can use custom properties to modify the node agent configuration, and to configure timeout values for the node agent.
- (dist)(zos) Add complete life-cycle middleware servers
We can configure complete life-cycle middleware servers so that the dynamic operations environment can govern all aspects of server operations, create and remove server instances, and deploy applications to the servers.
- (dist)(zos) Add assisted lifecycle middleware servers
By configuring assisted lifecycle middleware servers, we can manage representations of externally created middleware servers that were created outside of the administrative domain.
- (dist)(zos) Manage middleware servers
To define middleware servers, we can use middleware server templates and middleware descriptors. To manage middleware servers defined, we can view the middleware server log files and configuration files and configure server operations to run on the middleware servers.
Related concepts
Middleware nodes and servers
Related tasks
Add, managing, and removing nodes Create ODRs Add assisted lifecycle middleware servers Add complete life-cycle middleware servers Create dynamic clusters Configure the external log viewing service
addNode command Intelligent Management: middleware server creation administrative tasks