Maintain the cluster
Maintaining WebSphere Portal in a cluster typically means applying corrective service...
- fix packs
- interim fixes
...or updating the software release level on each node in the cluster.
Instructions for applying corrective service to a WebSphere Portal cluster are provided with the corrective service package.
Before applying, analyze any impact to the end users and ensure that you are able to provide uninterrupted service.
Fixes are minor if they do not update the underlying WebSphere Portal databases or require version upgrades to other supporting software such as databases servers or WebSphere Application Server. Most of the WebSphere Portal service packs are not considered minor and may require the use of a separate installation procedure to ensure 24x7 availability.
Note that if you have not implemented horizontal scaling in the environment, i.e. you have only vertical nodes in the cluster, any fix that requires a WebSphere Portal re-start will result in temporary outage for the end users. Existing 24x7 install procedures do not apply to these environments.
1: Deploying minor fixes
All minor fixes to WebSphere Portal in a clustered environment can be deployed by simply applying the fix on each cluster node using the install instructions supplied with the fix.
You do not need to remove the node from cluster to apply minor fixes.
When applying minor fixes that might update previously deployed enterprise applications, turn off the auto-synchronization feature of the deployment manager before applying the fix.
After the fix is deployed on all cluster nodes, we can force a manual synchronization using the deployment manager to ensure that all updates are synchronized on the nodes. We can then enable the auto-synchronization feature again.
If the documentation associated with the minor fix requires that WebSphere Portal or WebSphere Application Server be restarted, be sure to apply the minor fix one node at a time. This will enable other nodes to continue to provide service to the end users. However, if the fix requires an update to the WebSphere Portal databases, you might be required to stop the cluster before applying the fix. If this is the case, use a procedure that ensures 24x7 availability.
2: Deploying service packs
To install WebSphere Portal service packs (fix packs) into an existing cluster while maintaining 24x7 availability.
- Remove a node or set of nodes from the flow of user traffic by configuring the IP sprayer and Web server
- Upgrade the node with the service packs
- After upgrading is complete, you return the node or set of nodes to the flow of user traffic
- Repeat the procedure with the next node or set of nodes.
This process continues until you have upgraded all nodes in the cluster.
The document containing the full 24x7 maintenance procedures is available from the WebSphere Portal product documentation page.
Parent topic:
Clustering and WebSphere Portal