WAS v8.5 > Deploy applications > Deploy enterprise applicationsInstall enterprise application files by adding them to a monitored directory
We can install an enterprise application file on an application server by dragging or copying an EAR, web application archive (WAR), JAR, or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) archive (SAR) to a monitored directory. An enterprise application file must conform to the Java EE specification.
Develop and assemble the EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file. We can use a supported assembly tool such as an IBM Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software product to specify bindings and assemble the file.
Installing an EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file by adding it to a monitored directory does not change existing Java Naming and Directory (JNDI) and other application bindings. If set binding values during deployment, install the file using the dmgr console application installation wizard, a wsadmin script, or a properties file that sets bindings. See Install enterprise application files by adding properties files to a monitored directory.
By default, monitored directory deployment is not enabled. Before we can use monitored directory deployment, enable it. See Set monitored directory deployment values.
Restriction: Installing an EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file by adding it to a monitored directory is available only on distributed and z/OS operating systems. It is not supported on IBM i operating systems.
Do not use monitored directory deployment in a production environment where the application must remain continuously available. Instead, in production environments, use an automated process that staggers application updates to each application server by first draining requests from each server, updating the application, and then restarting the server. For information about this automated process, see IBM WebSphere Developer Technical Journal: Maintain continuous availability while updating WAS enterprise applications. We can deploy an EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file to an application server by dragging or copying the file to a monitored directory.
For base (stand-alone) application servers, the monitored directory is the monitoredDeployableApps/servers/server_name directory of the application server profile.
WAS v8.5 scans a monitored directory for new applications no more frequently than every five seconds, by default. After finding a new EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file in a monitored directory, the product installs the file on the application server and starts the application or module.
After you add an EAR file to a monitored directory, the product creates a temporary copy of the EAR file in another directory and installs the file on the server. After you add a JAR, WAR, or SAR file to a monitored directory, the product creates a temporary copy of the archive in another directory, wraps the archive in an EAR file named archive_extension.ear, and installs the new EAR file. For example, simpleApp.war is installed as simpleApp_war.ear. The original archive that you added to the monitored directory is not changed.
We can update application files the same way. If you later add an updated EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file to the same monitored directory, the product stops the previously deployed application, installs the updated file on the application server, and starts the updated application or module. For example, suppose you previously deployed my_app.ear by dragging it to a monitored directory. If you later drag a file named my_app.ear to the monitored directory, the product replaces the previously deployed EAR file with the updated EAR file that has the same name. The server must be running for the product to notice changes to files in its monitored directory.
We can use a graphical file browser to drag or copy the EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file. Alternatively, we can use operating system commands to copy a file into a monitored monitoredDeployableApps subdirectory.
- Ensure the application server on which to install the enterprise application file is running.
- Ensure that monitored directory deployment is enabled.
See Setting monitored directory deployment values.
- Browse the file structure of the computer and find the monitored directory.
For base (stand-alone) application servers, the monitored directory is under the application server profile. The directory path is:
- app_server_root/profiles/application_server_profile_name/monitoredDeployableApps/servers/server_name
For stand-alone servers, the product creates a monitored server_name directory automatically.
- Copy the EAR, JAR, WAR, or SAR file to deploy to the monitored directory.
Choose a file not already deployed to the target monitored directory, unless to update a currently deployed file.
Results
WAS v8.5 adds a directory having the same name as the file to the installedApps/cell_name directory of the profile.
Also, the product writes messages about the application deployment to the SystemOut.log file in the app_server_root/logs/server_name directory. The messages start with the CWLDD message key.
The messages indicate the product deployed the application file and the application is running.
IBM recommends using the HPEL log and trace infrastructure. With HPEL, one views logs using the LogViewer command-line tool in PROFILE/bin.
Example
Suppose to install the sample DynaCacheEsi.ear file by copying the EAR file to a monitored directory. We can find the sample EAR file in the app_server_root/installableApps directory.
Deploy an EAR file on a stand-alone application server
- Ensure the application server on which to install the DynaCacheEsi.ear file is running.
To see if the server is running, we can use the serverStatus -all command. To start the server, we can use the startServer server_name command.
For example, suppose the stand-alone application server has a profile name of AppSrv02. Run the serverStatus command from a command prompt at the app_server_root/profiles/AppSrv02/bin directory:
serverStatus -all
If the server is not running, start the server.
For example, to start an application server named server1 on AppSrv02, run the startServer command from a command prompt at the app_server_root/profiles/AppSrv02/bin directory:
startServer server1
The Server server1 open for e-business message indicates the server is running.- Locate the monitored directory.
For the stand-alone AppSrv02 profile, the monitored directory is app_server_root/profiles/AppSrv02/monitoredDeployableApps/servers/server1.
- Copy the DynaCacheEsi.ear file in the app_server_root/installableApps directory to the monitored directory.
- Verify the directory for installed applications exists.
- app_server_root/profiles/AppSrv02/installedApps/cell_name/DynaCacheEsi.ear
- Verify that DynaCacheEsi.ear is in the list of installed enterprise applications and is running.
Test the deployed application or module. For example, point a web browser at the URL for a deployed application and examine the performance of the application.
If the deployment is not successful, read messages in the SystemOut.log file, fix the error condition, and add the application or module to the monitored directory again.
Subtopics
- Set monitored directory deployment values
Before we can use monitored directory deployment, enable it. We can optionally change the default monitored directory and polling interval values. By default, monitored directory deployment is not enabled, the monitored directory is app_server_root/monitoredDeployableApps, and the polling interval is 5 seconds.
Related
Install enterprise application files by adding properties files to a monitored directory
Install enterprise application files
Set monitored directory deployment values
Uninstall enterprise application files by dragging them from a monitored directory
Troubleshoot applications with HPEL
Reference:
Directory conventions
Related information:
Rational Application Developer documentation