Migrate web server configurations

Migrate a web server so that it supports the latest version of WebSphere Application Server. This topic is about configuration migration, such as migrating deployment managers and federated nodes in a network deployment environment. The Application Migration Toolkit for WAS provides support for migrating applications from previous versions of WebSphere Application Server to the latest product version. For information about migrating applications, read more about the Application Migration Toolkit.

1. Migrate web server configurations:

   When we upgrade IBM HTTP Server (IHS) from a previous version, complete the following steps to install the new version in the same directory location as the previous version. If the new version is installed in a different directory, we do not need to complete Steps 1 - 4. Whether we need to complete the remaining steps depends on how similar to make the v8.0 configuration to the configuration of a previous version of IBM HTTP Server.

   1. Stop the IBM HTTP Server and the IBM HTTP Server administration server.

   2. Copy the existing installation directory to a new location.

      This action preserves the configuration, keys, and content.

      Issue the following command to copy the previous installation:

      cp -rp current_install_directory new_directory_name
      xcopy current_install_directory new_directory_name /s /e /k /i

   3. Uninstall the previous IBM HTTP Server version.

   4. Remove the previous installation directory.

      Because the uninstall leaves behind some files, such as modified and added files, fix pack files, and uninstall files, manually remove the previous installation directory to complete the uninstall process. If we had any uninstall issues, review and backup the uninstall log files in the http_server_install/logs/uninstall directory before proceeding.

      Enter the following command to remove the installation directory:

      rm -r current_install_directory
      rd /s current_install_directory

   5. Install the v8.0 IBM HTTP Server.

      If we are upgrading the existing version, install into the directory where the previous installation was located.

      If we are installing the new version alongside an existing version, install the new version into a different directory.

   6. Run the Plug-ins Configuration Tool, the pct tool, to configure the web server plug-ins. Refer to the "Configuring a web server plug-in using the pct tool" topic for information on running the pct tool.

   7. Restore any custom configurations that were made to your previous version of IBM HTTP Server and IBM HTTP Server administration server.

      • Identify the previous customizations.

        If we used the httpd.conf configuration files provided with the previous version of IBM HTTP Server as the starting point for the configuration files, compare the content of each configuration file, with its corresponding .default file, within the directory containing the previous IBM HTTP Server installation. For example, if you compare the content of the httpd.conf file with the httpd.conf.default file we should see any customization that were made to the httpd.conf file since the original installation. Then perform similar comparisons for the other configuration files.

        If we did not use the httpd.conf configuration files provided with the previous version of IBM HTTP Server as the starting point for the configuration files, we will need to perform a manual analysis to determine the previous settings. In this situation, we might want to compare the settings in the httpd.conf.default file provided with the new IBM HTTP Server, with the settings in the httpd.conf.default file provided with the previous IBM HTTP Server version. Use this comparison to identify configuration differences in the two httpd.conf.default files. We can then use this information to modify the customized configuration file to work with the v8.0 IBM HTTP Server.

        Compare the bin/envars file to the bin/envars-std file within the directory containing the previous IBM HTTP Server installation. This identifies what customizations, if any that was made to this file.

      • Merge the customizations into the newly installed IBM HTTP Server configuration and envars files.

        After we identify the configuration customizations you made to the previous version of IBM HTTP Server, make these same changes, when applicable, to the configuration files for the v8.0 IBM HTTP Server.

        If the configuration files contain WebSphere Application Server plug-in statements from previous versions, remove them to not cause duplicates. If we do not remove these statements, when the HTTP Server attempts to start the v8.0 plug-in binary module, an error might occur that indicates the module is already loaded.

        The configuration file might also contain duplicate entries for accessing WebSphere Application Server samples. Remove any aliases for previous versions and retain the v8.0 entries.

   8. Restore HTML content. If the web page content was previously stored under the IBM HTTP Server installation directory, copy those content files from the directory containing the prior version of IBM HTTP Server into the installation directory for the new version.

   9. Copy any SSL KeyFiles that might be within the installation directory of the previous IBM HTTP Server, into the new installation directory

2. Change port assignments for coexisting IBM HTTP Servers.

   If we installed the IBM HTTP Server into a new directory and retained the previous version of the IBM HTTP Server, by default the administration server and the web server use the same ports as the previous version administration server and web server. If we ever run both versions of the IBM HTTP Server simultaneously, port conflicts occur unless we change the port numbers for one of the server versions.

   To modify the port numbers for one of the IBM HTTP Servers, edit the server configuration files for that IBM HTTP Server. These files are in the http_server_install/conf directory.

3. Upgrade Apache plug-in modules.

   There are no Apache API changes from the previous major release so there should be no need to rebuild modules that worked with the previous release. However, if we use modules from third-party vendors, then we should contact the vendors to verify they support the module with the version of IBM HTTP Server to which we are upgrading.

   Apache plug-in modules from sources other than the IBM HTTP Server 8.0 installation must be built to support Apache 2.2. The distributors of modules used with older versions of IBM HTTP Server might need to recompile the modules to support Apache 2.2.

   • WAS provides a new plug-in for Apache 2.2 and IBM HTTP Server 8.0.

   • If we use modules from third-party vendors, contact the vendor for a version of the module that works with the Apache 2.2 API (application programming interface).

   • If we use modules developed in-house, we must rebuild the modules to support Apache 2.2. The modules might also require some modifications.

4. Update the IHS service name.

   Update the IHS service name in the WAS web server definition if (1) this is a Windows server and (2) we installed IHS into the same directory where an earlier version was located, and (3) we are using a web server definition from that prior installation.

   For a IBM HTTP Server on a Windows server system, use 'Services' to determine the name used for the new IBM HTTP Server service, and then update the web server definition to use this service name.

5. Migrate web server definitions A web server definition is used to manage the web server from a stand-alone profile or the deployment manager.

   • If we have updated IBM HTTP Server on the same host and in the same directory, no action is required. The current web server definition suffices.

   • If the updated IBM HTTP Server is on the original host but in a new directory, update the path by selected the web server: Servers > Server Types > Web Servers in the WAS administration console.

   • If the updated IBM HTTP Server is on a new host, follow the Plug-ins roadmap to create a new web server definition. We can remove the old web server definition when we have confirmed the new web server is working properly. See "Selecting a web server topology diagram and roadmap" for a full description.

Parent Administrative tasks

Related information

Configure a web server plug-in using the pct tool