Customizing the response file for a Network Deployment CIP
In silent mode, the Installation wizard gathers installation options from a response file instead of from the graphical user interface. This topic describes how to customize the response file for installing a customized installation package (CIP) for the product silently. A silent installation does not use the graphical user interface of the Installation wizard.
Before you begin
Customize the response file to add your selections before attempting to install silently.
Use the response file to supply values to the installation wizard as the wizard runs in silent mode. The wizard does not display interactive panels when it runs in silent mode, but reads values from the response file instead.
Be precise when supplying values in the file: Customize the options response file precisely to let the installation program read the option values that the file contains. Incorrect specifications affect the silent interface of the installation wizard. For example, always enclose values in double quotation marks.
If you customize the response file incorrectly, the installation wizard cannot install the product with the -options or -silent parameters. If the error is an invalid option value, the installer displays a warning message that confirm and stops the installation.
Compare your options response file to the file that is shipped with the product to make the necessary corrections. After correcting the file, reinstall.
About this task
Perform the following procedure to edit the response file.
Procedure
- Locate the sample options response file. The file is named responsefile.nd.txt in the WAS directory on the product CD-ROM or DVD.
- Copy the file to preserve it in its original form. For example, copy it as myoptions on your disc drive.
- Edit the copy in your flat file editor of choice, on the target operating system. Read the directions within the response file to choose appropriate values.
Important: To prepare the file for a silent installation on AIX, use line-end characters (0x0D0A) to terminate each line of the options response file. The safest method of preparing the file is to edit the file on the target operating system.
- Include custom option responses that reflect parameters for your system.
See responsefile.nd.txt for an example response file and a description of each option.
- Save the file.
- Log on to the operating system.
Log on as root on an operating system such as AIX or Linux, or as a member of the administrator group on a Windows system.
In addition, select a umask that would allow the owner to read/write to the files, and allow others to access them according to the prevailing system policy. For root, a umask of 022 is recommended. For non-root users a umask of 002 or 022 could be used, depending on whether or not the users share the group. To verify the umask setting, issue the following command
To set the umask setting to 022, issue the following commandumaskumask 022When installing on a Windows system, a Windows service is automatically created to autostart the application server if your installer user account has the following advanced user rights:
- Act as part of the operating system
- Log on as a service
For example, on some Windows systems, click Administrative Tools > Local Security Policy > User Rights Assignments to set the advanced options. See your Windows documentation for more information.
The installation wizard grants your Windows user ID the advanced user rights, if the user ID belongs to the administrator group. The silent installation does not grant these rights. If you create a new user ID on a Windows platform to perform a silent installation, restart the system to activate the proper authorizations for the user ID before we can perform a successful silent installation.
If you plan to run the application server as a Windows service, do not install from a user ID that contains spaces. A user ID with spaces cannot be validated. Such a user ID is not allowed to continue the installation. To work around this problem, install with a user ID that does not contain spaces.
- Issue the proper command to use your custom response file. For example, issue a command such as the following:
Results
This procedure results in creating a customized response file and using the file to start a silent installation. The silent installation takes some time to complete.
Example
Edit the version of the file that ships with the product. The example in responsefile.nd.txt is not guaranteed to be an accurate representation of what ships with the product.
What to do next
After installing the product from the installation image, the next step is to check for available updates. See Installing maintenance packages for more information.
After updating the product, create a profile if you have not yet done so. Start the Profile Creation wizard, and create a deployment manager cell. The cell contains a deployment manager profile and a federated application server profile.
On Windows systems, use the Start menu to locate IBM WebSphere and select appropriate menu options to display the First steps option for the profile that you intend to verify.
The First steps console, firststeps.sh, is available in the profile_root/firststeps directory. A separate First steps console exists for each profile, except custom profiles. Use the First Steps console of each profile to verify the profile.
Use the installver program to compare the checksum of all installed files against the bill of materials that ships with the product, if you want to perform more installation verification. See Verifying checksums of installed files .
After verifying the product installation and starting the deployment manager or a stand-alone application server, use the administrative console to deploy an existing application. See Fast paths for WebSphere Application Server for more information.
See also
responsefile.nd.txt
Related information
Installing a CIP silently