dxctl

Learn how to use dxctl with custom resource DxDeployments with HCL WebSphere Portal 9.5 container deployments. Administrators can use the dxctl tool provided with Container Update CF19 and higher releases to define and configure custom DX container deployments. See the following guidance:

• Video : Use dxctl to Deploy DX Portal on OpenShift

General help help for the dxctl tool or help related for subcommands (create, update, collect, and destroy) and the command syntax is found with --help.

dxctl can be used to deploy DX using a properties file. Sample properties files are included in the dxctl/properties directory.

The properties files function as follows:

• For a full deployment:

  ./linux/dxctl --deploy -p properties/full-deployment.properties

• For a hybrid deployment:

  ./linux/dxctl --deploy -p properties/hybrid-deployment.properties

  This creates a hybrid deployment with Experience API, Content Composer, and Digital Asset Management. We can disable any of these features by making a copy of the hybrid file and setting the value to false to disable it.

Example: composer.enabled: false disables Content Composer.

Note: Experience API is a dependency of Content Composer and Digital Asset Management and must be enabled to deploy the two components.

Create a deployment

Follow these steps to create a deployment.

1. We must copy the properties file once a deployment is created.

2. Use the copied file to perform a deployment and maintain and update a deployment.

   For example:

   mkdir -p /home/$USER/deployments/

   cp dxctl/properties/full-deployment.properties /home/$USER/deployments/myfirst_deployment.properties

3. Change the settings. For example, change dx.namespace: to myfirst-dx-deployment.

   ./linux/dxctl --deploy -p /home/$USER/deployments/myfirst_deployment.properties

Update a deployment

Follow these steps to update a deployment.

1. Edit the properties file.

   vi /home/$USER/deployments/myfirst_deployment.properties

2. Change the min/max replicas or enable/disable services and then save the file.

   ./linux/dxctl --update -p properties/hybrid-deployment.properties

3. Change the settings. For example, change dx.namespace: to myfirst-dx-deployment.

   ./linux/dxctl --deploy -p /home/$USER/deployments/myfirst_deployment.properties

With this updated deployment, if you were switching to a next release, we can use the properties file to replace the repository, image, and tag as required and perform the update command.

Delete a deployment

There are two ways to delete a deployment.

• Method 1: Remove the deployment but allow for redeployment with the same volumes.

  ./linux/dxctl --destroy -p properties/hybrid-deployment.properties

• Method 2: Remove the entire namespace/project.

  ./linux/dxctl --destroy -p properties/hybrid-deployment.properties -all true

  Note: -i interactive mode provides the ability to interactively provide some or all variables.

Main usage

Usage information for dxctl, for additional information, use --help with an action.

• DeployRun to deploy a DX deployment.

  dxctl --deploy --help

• UpdateRun to update a DX deployment.

  dxctl --update --help

• CollectRun to collect support data for a given deployment.

  dxctl --collect --help

• DestroyRun to destroy a DX deployment.

  dxctl --destroy --help

Main help

Subcommand required: deploy, update, collect, or destroy.

• --deploy or --updateUsage of deploy/update:
  • Update existing DX deployment. Default: update

    action string

  • The database type: oracle, db2, etc. Default: derby

    dx.database string

  • The DX core image. This is required.

    dx.image string

  • Deployment name. Default: dx-deployment

    dx.namespace string

  • The target namespace/project. This is required.

    dx.operator.image string

  • The HCL cloud operator image. This is required.

    dx.operator.tag string

  • The HCL cloud operator repository image. This is required.

    dx.repository string

  • The DX core tag. This is required.

    dx.tag string

  • The file name to write into dx-tests.dx-deployment.txt. This contains test and deployment logs. Default filename: namespace For example, NAMESPACE.txt.

    filename string

  • dxctl always prompts for required fiels, -i allows further customizations of the deployment. Default: false

    i

  • The ambassador image. This is required. Not used in OpenShift deployments.

    ingress.image string

  • The ambassador tag. This is required. Not used in OpenShift deployments.

    ingress.tag string

  • dxctl can be run from a properties file, -p namespace.properties. No default.

    p string

  • Display messages on the command line. Default: false

    verbose

• --collectUsage of collect:
  • Collect deployment information about an existing deployment. Default: collect

    action string

  • Deployment name. Default: dx-deployment

    dx.name string

  • The target namespace/project. This is required.

    dx.namespace string

  • The file name to write into dx-tests.dx-deployment.txt. This contains test and deployment logs. Default filename: namespace For example, NAMESPACE.txt.

    filename string

  • Display messages on the command line. Default: false

    verbose

• --destroyUsage of destroy:
  • Destroy a DX deployment. Default: destroy

    action string

  • Delete the project/namespace and all artifacts. Default: false

    all

  • Deployment name. Default: dx-deployment

    dx.name string

  • The target namespace/project. This is required.

    dx.namespace string

  • The file name to write into dx-tests.dx-deployment.txt. This contains test and deployment logs. Default filename: namespace For example, NAMESPACE.txt.

    filename string

  • Display messages on the command line. Default: false

    verbose

Parent topic: Deployment