Configuring the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) Tomcat Web serving environment

This example is for users that are not familiar with the Web serving environment. It describes all the steps necessary to get iSeries™ Access for Web running in an ASF Tomcat web serving environment. It also describes how to verify that the setup is working. Configuring your Web serving environment consists of these steps:

• Start the IBM^® Web Administration for iSeries interface (also known as IBM HTTP Server for iSeries). See step 1

• Create an HTTP web server and an ASF Tomcat Web application server. See step 2

• Configure iSeries Access for Web. See step 3

• Start the web environment. See step 4

• Use a browser to access iSeries Access for Web. See step 5

1. Start the IBM Web Administration for iSeries interface.

   1. Start a 5250 session to the system.

   2. Sign on with a user profile that has at least these special authorities:  *ALLOBJ, *IOSYSCFG, *JOBCTL, and *SECADM.

   3. Run the following command to start the web administration interface job: STRTCPSVR SERVER(*HTTP) HTTPSVR(*ADMIN)

   4. Minimize the 5250 session.
2. Create an HTTP web server and an ASF Tomcat Web application server:
   1. Open a browser to: http://<system_name>:2001
   2. Log in with a user profile that has, at least these special authorities:  *ALLOBJ, *IOSYSCFG, *JOBCTL, and *SECADM.
   3. Select IBM Web Administration for iSeries.
   4. Select the Setup tabbed page.
   5. Under Common Tasks and Wizards, select Create HTTP Server.
   6. The Create HTTP Server page opens and prompts for the name of the HTTP server to create. For Server name, specify IWATOMCAT. Select Next.
   7. A page opens that prompts for the Server root path. Select Next.
   8. A page opens that prompts for the Document root path. Select Next.
   9. The IP Address and Port page opens. For Port, specify 2016.
   10. The Access log page opens. Select Next.
   11. The Keep logs page opens. Select Next.
   12. Select Finish to create the HTTP server.
   13. The web page is re-displayed.  The Manage/HTTP Servers tabbed page is active. Under Server, IWATOMCAT - APACHE is listed with a status of Stopped.
   14. Under Server Properties, select ASF Tomcat Settings.
   15. The Web page is re-displayed with ASF Tomcat Settings. Specify the following:

       • Select Enable servlets for this HTTP server.

       • De-select Enable an “in-process” servlet engine.

       • Select Enable “out-of-process” servlet engine connections.

       • Add an entry for Out-of-process workers:

         1. Select Add under Out-of- process workers.

         2. For Hostname:Port, change 8009 to 2017.

         3. For URLs (Mount points), specify /webaccess/*.

         4. Select Continue. A warning message is displayed for the worker that was just added.  Ignore the error. The problem will be resolved when the ASF Tomcat Web application server setup is completed. Select OK.
   16. Select the ASF Tomcat Servers tabbed page.
   17. Under Tomcat Tasks and Wizards, select Create ASF Tomcat Server.
   18. The Out-of-Process Engine Creation page opens. For ASF Tomcat server name, specify iwatomcat. Select Next.
   19. The Out-of-Process Engine Configuration page opens. Note the values specified for Server userid and ASF Tomcat home. These values will be used when iSeries Access for Web is configured. Select Next.
   20. The Out-of-Process Communication Settings page opens. Change Port from 8009 to 2017. Select Next.
   21. The Out-of-Process Application Context Definition page opens.  Select Add, then specify these values:

       • For URL path, specify /webaccess.

       • For Application base directory, specify webapps/webaccess.  
       Select Continue. A warning message is displayed for the application context that was just added.  This can be ignored. The problem will be resolved when iSeries Access for Web is configured. Select Next.
   22. The Out-of-Process Summary page opens. Select Finish. You have now created the HTTP server IWATOMCAT, and an ASF Tomcat Web application server called iwatomcat. Minimize the browser window.
3. Configure iSeries Access for Web. iSeries Access for Web provides commands to configure the product. Two different commands are provided, a CL command and a QShell script command.  Both commands provide and perform the same function.  Use whichever version you prefer.

   • To use the CL command, follow these steps:

     1. Configure iSeries Access for Web for your Web application server using the following command:  

        QIWA2/CFGACCWEB2 APPSVRTYPE(*ASFTOMCAT) TCSVRNAME(iwatomcat)
              TCHOMEDIR(‘/ASFTomcat/iwatomcat’)TCUSRPRF(QTMHHTTP) 

        These are the parameters used:

        APPSVRTYPE

        Tells the command which Web application server to configure.

        TCSVRNAME

        Tells the command the name of the Tomcat Web application server to configure.

        TCHOMEDIR

        Tells the command where in the server's file system the Tomcat Web application server's directory structure is.  This value was displayed in step 2.s.

        TCUSRPRF

        Tells the command what user profile the Tomcat Web application server uses.  This value was displayed in step 2.s.

        For help on this command and the parameters, press F1.
        Migration

        If you are already using iSeries Access for Web within another Web application server, refer to New Web application server considerations. This topic discusses additional CFGACCWEB2 command parameters that can be input to migrate user data from an existing configuration to this new configuration.

     2. Several messages similar to these will be displayed:  

        • Configuring iSeries Access for Web. 

        • Preparing to perform the configuration changes. 

        • Calling WebSphere to perform the configuration changes.

        • iSeries Access for Web command has completed.

        • The WebSphere instance application server must be stopped and then started to enable the configuration changes.
            

     3. Press F3 when the command completes to exit the display session.

   • To use the QShell script command, follow these steps:

     1. Start the QShell environment using the following command: QSH

     2. Make the iSeries Access for Web directory the current directory.  Run this command:  

        cd /QIBM/ProdData/Access/Web2/install 

     3. Configure iSeries Access for Web portlets using the following command:  

        cfgaccweb2 -appsvrtype *ASFTOMCAT –tcsvrname iwatomcat                -tchomedir /ASFTomcat/iwatomcat –tcusrprf QTMHHTTP

        These are the parameters used:

        -appsvrtype

        Tells the command which Web application server environment to configure.

        -tcsvrname

        Tells the command the name of the Tomcat Web application server to configure.

        –tchomedir

        Tells the command where in the server's file system the Tomcat Web application server's directory structure is.  This value was displayed in step 2.s.

        -tcusrprf

        Tells the command what user profile the Tomcat Web application server uses. This value was displayed in step 2.s.

        For help on this command and the parameters, specify the -? parameter.
        Migration

        If you are already using iSeries Access for Web within another Web application server, refer to New Web application server considerations. This topic discusses additional CFGACCWEB2 command parameters that can be input to migrate user data from an existing configuration to this new configuration.

     4. Several messages similar to these will be displayed:

        • Configuring iSeries Access for Web. 

        • Preparing to perform the configuration changes. 

        • Calling WebSphere to perform the configuration changes.

        • iSeries Access for Web command has completed.

        • The WebSphere instance application server must be stopped and then started to enable the configuration changes.
            
     5. Press F3 when the command completes to exit the QShell session.
   1. If the command were to fail or indicate an error, refer to the log files:

      • /QIBM/UserData/Access/Web2/logs/cmds.log

        High level, cause and recovery information; translated.

      • /QIBM/UserData/Access/Web2/logs/cmdstrace.log

        Detailed command flow for IBM Software Service; English only.

   2. After successfully configuring iSeries Access for Web, the ASF Tomcat Web application server must be started to load the changes to its configuration.  This will be done later.
   3. Signoff the 5250 session window and close the window.
4. Start the web environment.

   1. Return to the browser window that is open to the IBM Web Administration for iSeries server management page.

   2. The Manage ASF Tomcat Servers tabbed page should be active. Under Server is listed IWATOMCAT – ASF Tomcat with a status of Stopped. Select the green icon next to the Stopped status to start the ASF Tomcat Web application server. The status is updated to Running.
   3. Select the HTTP Servers tabbed page.

   4. Under Server, select IWATOMCAT - Apache. The current status of this Apache HTTP server should be Stopped. Select the green icon next to the status to start the HTTP server. The status is updated to Running.
   5. Close the browser window.
5. Use a browser to access iSeries Access for Web.
   1. Open a browser to either of the following addresses to access iSeries Access for Web:

      http://<system_name>:2016/webaccess/iWAHome
      http://<system_name>:2016/webaccess/iWAMain

   2. Log in using an i5/OS^® user ID and password. The initial load of iSeries Access for Web might take a few seconds.  ASF Tomcat is loading Java™ classes for the first time.  Subsequent loads of iSeries Access for Web will be faster.
   3. The iSeries Access for Web Home or Main page displays.
   4. Close the browser window.

• Created an ASF Tomcat Web application server named iwatomcat.

• Created an HTTP server named IWATOMCAT.

• Configured   iSeries Access for Web for the ASF Tomcat Web application server.

• Started ASF Tomcat Web application server and HTTP Web server.   iSeries Access for Web started when the ASF Tomcat Web application server started.

• Verified that iSeries Access for Web can be accessed from a Web browser.

In this example, only the CFGACCWEB2 command is used to configure iSeries Access for Web. For more information about using all the iSeries Access for Web CL commands, use the CL command finder.

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