(Dist) Setting file permissions

When installation is initially performed, the resulting installation is owned by a single user or group. We can change file ownership and permissions after installation using the chutils command.

(Windows) Restriction: The set-permissions feature is not currently available on Windows operating systems.

Verifying file permissions

Installation Manager reports an error when the user does not have appropriate system permissions.

Set file ownership and permissions with the chutils command

Use the chutils command to set the file ownership and permissions for an entire installation to an owner or group that differs from the user that performed the initial installation. The main benefit is the ability to have the initial installation performed by one user and then have different users perform supported operations such as feature installations, edition upgrades, maintenance installations (such as fix packs or refresh packs), and feature-pack installations.

The command can be used for the following:

• Add or remove the ability of other non-root users to update the installation
• Transfer all file ownership of the installation to another user
• Reestablish consistent file permissions for the entire installation

The command can edit the following ownership and permissions:

• File owner
• File group
• Owner permissions

  We can only change owner permissions to the default values set during installation using the -setmod reset parameter.

• Group permissions

  We can elevate group permissions to match the owner permissions using the -setmod grp2owner parameter.

  Limitation: Do not use chutils -setmod=grp2owner to set permissions to update the product with a fix pack using group mode. In this case, use chutils -setowner=user_name.

• Others permissions

  We can only change others, or "world," permissions to the default values set during installation through the -setmod parameter.

For more information on using the chutils command, read chutils command.

Troubleshoot

• Directory existence errors

  If we have not yet created a profile after installing the application server and we run the chutils command, then we might experience a profile-related directory error like the following:

  INFO: (Jul 17, 2008 16:16:35) Initializing permission utility...
  INFO: (Jul 17, 2008 16:16:35) Executing commands...
  INFO: (Jul 17, 2008 16:16:47) The directory does not exist: /data/WebSphere/AppServer/instutils/../properties/fsdb
  INFO: (Jul 17, 2008 16:16:58) The permission utility has completed successfully.
  

  Because the overall process is successful, this message can be safely ignored in this situation.
• (UNIX) Menus and shortcuts

  Existing menus and shortcuts are not transferred after application server-owning users or groups are modified with the chutils command. We must manually recreate the menu items and shortcuts for the new owner of the application server installation. We might need to recreate the following menu items and shortcuts:

  • Profiles
  • Configuration Migration Tool

  • Online support
  • Profile Management Tool

Subtopics

• chutils command
  Use the chutils command to set the file ownership and permissions for an entire installation to an owner or group that differs from the user that performed the initial installation.

chutils command