Deploy unmanaged Web applications

We can create representations of unmanaged Web applications so that the on demand router (ODR) can route requests to applications installed outside of the product environment to assisted life cycle middleware servers.

• Create and configure the middleware servers and dynamic clusters.

• Deploy the application to the assisted life cycle middleware servers, using the steps specified for the software that the middleware server runs. Be sure that we know or have access to the deployment information for the application, including the module name, context root, virtual host name, and the server or cluster names on which to deploy the application.

To route HTTP requests to applications deployed on other middleware servers and classify these requests to service policies, the runtime environment needs information about the application. By creating an unmanaged Web application, we create a representation of the application installed on the middleware server that includes this information. Intelligent Management does not manage the life cycle of the application in any way, but can route requests to the application. The status of unmanaged Web applications is directly linked to the status of the server to which the unmanaged Web applications are deployed. The ODR can only route HTTP requests to these applications.

An unmanaged application for WebSphere Application Server Community Edition is a representation of an application that has been installed in the WebSphere Application Server Community Edition Version 1 console, specifically. With middleware discovery, an unmanaged WebSphere Application Server Community Edition application can also be a representation of a discovered application. Middleware discovery locates existing installations of WebSphere Application Server Community Edition servers and their installed applications, and creates the corresponding configuration to include servers and applications in the Intelligent Management cell.

1. Navigate to the unmanaged Web application installation wizard. In the administrative console, click...
   Applications > Install new middleware application > Unmanaged web applications > New

2. Enter the general properties for the application.

   Specify a name for the application that is unique among all of the applications in the cell, and edition information about the application.

   
   About application editions for unmanaged Web applications:

   Because the application is unmanaged, we cannot perform edition control commands such as rolling out or validating new editions. However, if you install another edition on the externally created servers, then we can create a new edition of the application in the administrative console by creating a new representation of the unmanaged Web application with a different edition name. We can then specify routing policies to control how to route the requests to the multiple editions.

3. Define the deployment properties of the application.

   Specify module, context root, and virtual host information for the application. Choose the servers and clusters on which the application is deployed by selecting deployment targets. We can filter the list of deployment targets by only clusters, only servers, or by entering a name. Click Add or Remove to specify which servers and clusters run the application. Click Apply to add the module and deployment targets to the module list.

   The dynamic cluster to which we deploy an unmanaged Web application must be homogenous, which means the same application must be deployed to all the members of the dynamic cluster, and all members must be running the same middleware software, including the same version. When we add a cluster member that does not contain the same application as the cluster, the status of the application becomes partially deployed. The application is not automatically deployed to the newly added cluster member.

4. Confirm the new unmanaged Web application representation, and save the changes.

5. Start the application.

   With middleware applications, applications display as started in the administrative console when the middleware server on which the application runs is started. If the server or node agent stops, the application might still show as started or partially deployed in the administrative console.

What to do next

Define service policies and routing policies for the application.

Related

Middleware nodes and servers
Add middleware servers to configurations
Create dynamic clusters
Define a service policy
Deploy PHP applications
Deploy WebSphere Application Server Community Edition applications
Configure middleware server operations
Add assisted lifecycle middleware servers
Intelligent Management: middleware application administrative tasks
Intelligent Management: middleware server creation administrative tasks