Create a dynamic cluster on Linux using WebSphere Virtual Enterprise

After installing and configuring IBM WebSphere Portal on the primary node and all horizontal nodes, we can create a new dynamic cluster. A dynamic cluster monitors performance and load information and is able to dynamically create and remove cluster members based on the workload.

Before creating your dynamic cluster, you should have already installed and configured the dmgr and completed all the tasks under “Preparing the primary node.” On the dmgr system, install WebSphere Virtual Enterprise, apply all required ifixes, and augment the dmgr profile to make it compatible with WebSphere Portal. On the WebSphere Portal primary node, install WebSphere Virtual Enterprise, apply all required ifixes, and augment the wp_profile profile to make it compatible with WebSphere Portal.

Profile augmentation is completed using the pmt.sh GUI on systems that support it or through manageprofiles.sh available on all systems. When using the GUI, select...

Operations Optimization

...when choosing the type of augmentation to complete. Use manageprofiles.sh to augment a stand-alone application server profile from the command-line

Create a dynamic cluster

1. Complete the following steps for on the primary node of the dynamic cluster:

   1. Run...
      ./ConfigEngine.sh cluster-node-config-post-federation -DWasPassword=dmgr_password

   2. The node is federated and using the dmgr cell and its user registry. If the admin user ID and group name are different in the WebSphere Portal and dmgr configurations, choose one of the following options depending on your security policies:

      • Add the existing admin user ID and group to the dmgr security configuration

      • To change the values in the WebSphere Portal configuration to match the dmgr values:

      If the dmgr cell is using a stand-alone LDAP user registry, complete these steps after the cluster-node-config-cluster-setup (static cluster) or cluster-node-config-dynamic-cluster-setup (dynamic cluster) task completes.

      1. Start the WebSphere_Portal server.

      2. Verify the required WebSphere Portal admin user ID and group ID are defined in the dmgr user registry that provides security for the cell.

      3. Run...
         ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-change-portal-admin-user -DWasPassword=foo -DnewAdminId=newadminid -DnewAdminPw=newpassword -DnewAdminGroupId=newadmingroupid

         If the value for newAdminGroupId contains a space; for example Software Group, open wkplc.properties and add the values for newAdminId, newAdminPw, and newAdminGroupId. Save the changes and then run...

         ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-change-portal-admin-user -DWasPassword=dmgr_password
         • WasPassword is set to the administrative password for the dmgr cell
         • newAdminId is set to the fully qualified DN of the WebSphere Portal admin user ID in the cell
         • newAdminGroupId is set to the fully qualified DN of the group for the WebSphere Portal admin user ID in the cell

      4. After the task completes, stop the WebSphere_Portal server.

2. Log on to the dmgr console.
   

3. To create a node group:

   1. Click System administration > Node groups.
      

   2. Click New.
      

   3. Type the node group Name.
      

   4. Optional: Type any information about the node group in the Description text box.
      

   5. Click OK.
      

   6. Click the Save link to save the changes to the master configuration.
      

4. To add members to the node group:

   1. Click System administration > Node groups.
      

   2. Click the name of the node group to add members to.
      

   3. Click Node group members under Additional Properties.
      

   4. Click Add.
      

   5. Select the primary node and then click Add.
      

   6. Click the Save link to save the changes to the master configuration.
      

5. To create a dynamic cluster in the node group:

   1. Click Servers > Clusters > Dynamic clusters.
      

   2. Click New.
      

   3. Select WAS from the Server Type pull-down menu and then click Next.
      

   4. Select the Automatically define cluster members with rules radio button.
      

   5. Type the cluster name in the Dynamic cluster name text box and then click Next. Type the same value that you provided for the ClusterName parameter in wkplc.properties of the primary node.
      
   6. Remove all default membership policies and then click Subexpression builder.
      

   7. Enter the following information in the Subexpression builder window:

      1. Select and from the Logical operator pull-down menu.

      2. Select Nodegroup from the Select operand pull-down menu.

      3. Select Equals (=) from the Operator pull-down menu.

      4. Type the nodegroup name createdd in the previous step in the Value text box.

      5. Click Generate subexpression.

      6. Click Append.

   8. Click Preview membership to verify that all nodes included in the nodegroup display and then click Next.
      

   9. Click the Create the cluster member using an existing server as a template radio button and then select the WebSphere_Portal server for the primary node from the pull-down menu.
      

   10. Click Next.
       

   11. Specify the required dynamic cluster properties for minimum and maximum number of server instances.
       

       T configure vertical stacking to allow multiple server instances on a single node, see Adding vertical cluster members to a dynamic cluster for information on additional required configurations.

   12. When we are done configuring the dynamic cluster properties, click Next.
       

   13. Review the summary page to verify your actions and then click Finish.
       

   14. Click the Save link to save the changes to the master configuration.
       

6. Define or verify the following parameters in wkplc.properties:

   1. Verify that CellName is set to the dmgr cell.
      

   2. Verify that NodeName is set to the local node.
      

   3. Set ServerName to the server used for the dynamic cluster member on this node.
      

      To find the name of the server used for the dynamic cluster...

      Servers | Clusters | Dynamic Clusters | PortalCluster | Dynamic cluster members

   4. Verify that PrimaryNode is set to true.
      

7. Create the dynamic cluster...
   ./ConfigEngine.sh cluster-node-config-dynamic-cluster-setup -DWasPassword=dmgr_password

   
   

   This task may display a warning message since the cluster already exists. The task proceeds to create the new dynamic cluster. Therefore, the warning can be ignored.

8. Run the following tasks to pick up the configuration changes:

   WebSphere_Portal is the name of the node's WebSphere Portal server; but if you customized the server name, the default name changes. If we are uncertain of the server name, run the task...

   serverstatus -all

   ...to get a list of the server names and their status.

   ./stopServer.sh WebSphere_Portal -username wpadmin -password foo
   
   ./startServer.sh WebSphere_Portal
   

Parent: Prepare to create the cluster on Linux
Related:

Middleware nodes and servers

Plan the product installation