Install and uninstall add-ons using the Configuration Wizard

We can install add-on functionality to the WebSphere Portal using the solution installer through the Configuration Wizard. The add-ons accepted by the configuration options are .paa files.

1. Access the Configuration Wizard...
   http://your_server:10200/ibm/wizard

   ...log on with the cw_profile ID, then go to...

   Add On New Capability

2. To interact with the solution installer through the configuration wizard, select either...
   • Install Add-ons
   • Uninstall Add-ons

3. Provide information about the environment.

4. Save the wizard selections to use the same values entered later.

5. To run the steps remotely, click...
   Download Files

6. To run the steps locally, click...
   Run All Steps

Typical versus advanced installation scenarios

Two different installation scenarios are supported through the Add On New Capability options in the Configuration Wizard. These scenarios are the typical and advanced installation scenarios.

Typical

The typical scenario is for simple paa files that often contain only one component, but is not limited to it, and can be installed directly without any additional configuration. The typical scenario installs/registers the paa file with the configEngine and then automatically deploys the content to WebSphere Portal.

Advanced

If we select Advanced Install on the Install type screen, when the workflow completes, the paa file is installed to the ConfigEngine, but is not deployed to portal. Instead, a new configuration option specific to that paa file is generated. Use the generated instructions to configure the deployment settings. Finally, a Launch configuration button displays so we can continue with the deployment. After you click Launch configuration, follow the steps to ensure the paa file is deployed.

We can select the components to install, if there is more than one component from the information presented in this additional configuration option. This step is useful where demonstration content is included in the paa file. Or, if one of the components is designated as virtual portal content only.

In addition, if there are Web Content Manager libraries found in the paa file that exist on the server, we can select to replace them from the libraries in the paa file. A list of virtual portals available at the time of the creation of the configuration option are also presented so we can choose where the selected content is deployed.

In the advanced scenario, the additional configuration called Deploy-Remove-PAA-assemblyName is also the mechanism in which content is removed from the portal. Depending on what is required, we can select the type of function from the configuration option.

The Deploy-Remove_PAA-*.* option is added to the Add-on new capability section of the configuration wizard. After the configuration option is added to the configuration wizard, we can add modifications to the paa file. When we uninstall using the Uninstall Add-ons with the Advanced setting the Deploy-Remove-PAA-*.* option is removed from the configuration wizard repository. However, the option still displays in the list of active configuration options under the Add On New Capability section of the wizard. To remove these items, restart server1 in the cw_profile. Restarting refreshes the repository and ensures the items no longer show up.

If we install and deploy a paa file using the advanced scenario, also remove the content that uses the paa-specific option before you uninstall. We can remove this content using the advanced selection during the Uninstall add-ons option.

Parent Install add-ons

Related tasks:

Access the Configuration Wizard