Web server definition

To administer or manage a web server using the administrative console, create a web server definition or object in the WebSphere Application Server repository.

The creation of this object is exclusive of the actual installation of a web server. The web server object in the WAS repository represents the web server for administering and managing the web server from the administrative console.

The web server object contains the following web server properties:

• installation root
• port
• configuration file paths
• log file paths

In addition to web server properties, the web server contains a plug-in object. The plug-in object contains properties that define the plugin-cfg.xml file.

The definitions of the web server object are made using the wsadmin command or the administrative console. We can also define a web server object in the WAS repository using the profile create script during installation, a .jacl script, and using the administrative console wizard.

There are three types of WAS nodes upon which we can create a web server. The type depends on the version of WAS, as follows:

• Managed node. A node containing a node agent agent. This node can exist only in a deployment manager environment. The importance of defining a web server on a managed node is that the administration and configuration of the web server is handled through the node agent from the administrative console. Support for administration and configuration through the administrative console is limited to IBM HTTP Server only. Non-IBM HTTP Server web servers must be on a managed node to handle plug-in administrative functions and the generation and propagation of the plugin-cfg.xml file.

  (ZOS) For IBM HTTP Server for WAS (powered by Apache) on z/OS and for the v5.3 HTTP Server for z/OS, the administration functions on managed nodes are:

  • Web server status in the web server collection panel or the serverStatus.sh
  • Generation of the plugin-cfg.xml
  • Propagation of the plugin-cfg.xml

  • Start and Stop of the web server for z/OS

  • View and edit of the configuration file view of the logs

• Stand-alone node. A node that does not contain a node agent. This node usually exists in WAS (base) environment. A stand-alone node can become a managed node in a deployment manager environment after the node is federated . A stand-alone node does not contain a node agent, so to administer and manage IBM HTTP Server, there must be an IBM HTTP Server Administration server installed and running on the stand-alone machine that the node represents. IBM HTTP Server ships with the IBM HTTP Server administration server and is installed by default. Support for administration and configuration through the administrative console is limited to IBM HTTP Server only.

• Unmanaged node. A node that is not associated with a node agent. This node cannot be federated. Typically, the unmanaged node represents a remote machine that does not have WAS installed. However, we can define an unmanaged node on a machine where WAS is installed. This node can exist in a WAS (base), or deployment manager environment. An unmanaged node does not contain a node agent, so to administer and manage IBM HTTP Server, an IBM HTTP Server administration server must be installed and running on the stand-alone machine that the node represents. Support for administration and configuration through the administrative console is limited to IBM HTTP Server only.

Web servers, which are not IBM HTTP Servers for WAS, are not fully administered from the WAS administrative console. The administration functions for Web servers, which are not IBM HTTP Servers for WAS, are:

• On managed nodes:
  • Web server status in the web server collection panel or serverStatus.sh
  • Generation of the plugin-cfg.xml
  • Propagation of the plugin-cfg.xml

• On unmanaged nodes:
  • Web server status in the web server collection panel or serverStatus.sh
  • Generation of the plugin-cfg.xml

(ZOS) Special consideration for IBM HTTP Server for z/OS, powered by Apache: To support remote administration and configuration of IBM HTTP Server for z/OS, a web server type IHSZOS must be defined in the WAS repository.

Important: During profile creation, using the z/OS Profile Management Tool, if we select Advanced profile creation and Create a web server definition, we will not be permitted to select the combination of web server type IBM HTTP Server and web server operating system of z/OS. However, we can create the web server type for IBM HTTP Server on z/OS through the administrative console wizard, createWebServerDefintion.jacl, or the wsadmin command after the profile create, using the z/OS Profile Management Tool.

(ZOS) For information about the available service levels that include support for the IBM HTTP Server for z/OS powered by Apache, consult the Profile Management Tool Support website for the z/OS platform.