This topic describes how to create run-time environments for WebSphere Application Server. Each run-time environment is created within a profile. A profile is the set of files that define the run-time environment. The Profile creation wizard creates the profile for each run-time environment.
Before you begin
Before using the Profile creation wizard, install the core product files.
The Profile creation wizard is the wizard interface to the profile creation tool, wasprofile. See the description of the wasprofile command for more information.
An error can occur when you have not provided enough system temporary space to create a profile. Verify that you have a minimum of 40 MB of temp space available before creating a profile.
You must have 200 MB of available disk space in the directory where you create an Application Server profile.
Manually verify
that the required space for creating a profile is available on AIX. A known
problem in the underlying InstallShield for Multiplatforms (ISMP) code prevents
proper space checking on AIX systems at the time that the product disc was
created.
Why and when to perform this task
See Using the Profile creation wizard to create a deployment manager. Create this run-time environment first, to create the administrative node for a multinode, multimachine group of application server nodes that you create later. This logical group of application server processes is known as a cell.
See Using the Profile creation wizard to create an application server.
When you create the application server profile, a default server1 process is created. The process has all of the Sample applications and its own administrative console. You can federate the server1 node into the deployment manager cell with the addNode command or from the administrative console of the deployment manager. The server1 process must be running to begin the federation from the deployment manager.
If you include all of the applications from the application server, the act of federation installs the applications on the deployment manager where they can be redeployed.
Optionally, you can create stand-alone application servers by creating an application server profile and not federating the node. If you remove a federated application server node from a deployment manager, the application server returns to its original configuration, which is a stand-alone application server.
See Using the Profile creation wizard to create a custom profile. A custom profile is an empty node that you can customize through the deployment manager to include application servers, clusters, or other Java processes, such as a messaging server. Create a custom profile on a distributed machine and add the node into the deployment manager cell to get started customizing the node.
Each use of the Profile creation wizard or the wasprofile command line tool creates one profile.
Steps for this task
Several ways exist to start the wizard. The initial way to start the wizard is at the end of installation by selecting the check box to launch the Profile creation wizard.
One way to start the wizard is to issue the command directly from a command line.
Another way to start the Profile creation wizard is to select the wizard from the First steps console.
The Profile creation wizard is an InstallShield for Multiplatforms application. The wizard loads the Java 2 SDK and then displays its Welcome panel.
See the description of the firststeps command for more information.
You can create profiles in any order. However, to create a functioning cell in the shortest possible time, create a deployment manager profile first. Then create an application server profile and add it to the deployment manager cell. You now have a functioning cell with a managed node that you can manage from the administrative console of the deployment manager.
A custom profile requires a greater amount of customization. When you create a custom profile, you must use the addNode command to federate it into the deployment manager cell. In contrast to an application server profile, a custom profile does not have a default application server on its node. The server1 application server does not exist by default on the custom node. Nor are there any default applications on the custom node. Use the administrative console of the deployment manager to customize the empty node for production or other uses. You can create application servers or clusters on the node, for example.
See Using the Profile creation wizard to create a deployment manager.
Create a deployment manager to establish a cell. Although you can create an application server profile and use it as a stand-alone application server, you must have a deployment manager to use a custom profile. So there is no point in creating a custom profile until you have created a deployment manager.
Federate the application server into the deployment manager cell to create a federated server1 application server. A stand-alone application server has default applications. You can include the applications as you federate the application server to install the default applications on the deployment manager.
The first part of the process is to install the Network Deployment product to create the core product files. Then you can use the Profile creation wizard to create a managed profile.
The next part of the process is to federate the managed profile into the deployment manager cell. This changes the custom profile into a managed node.
After federation, a custom profile has a nodeagent process but does not have an application server process. Contrast this situation to an application server profile that has a server1 process, but does not have a nodeagent process until you federate the node.
Start the nodeagent process to allow the administrative console of the deployment manager to create server processes on the managed node.
The deployment manager must be running and accessible at the host address you supply. The deployment manager must also use the default JMX connector type, which is SOAP. The deployment manager must not have security enabled. If any of these conditions are not met, do not federate the custom profile as you create it, but federate it later with the addNode command. Otherwise, you create a faulty profile that you must move or delete from the profiles repository directory before creating another profile.
After federation, go to the administrative console of the deployment manager to customize the empty node.
The SOAP port is identified in the install_root/profiles/profile_name/config/cells/cell_name/nodes/node_name/serverindex.xml file. You can also use the administrative console of the application server to view its SOAP port setting. Click Servers > Application servers > server1 > Ports. The SOAP port is usually the second port in the list.
Select the check box to include applications that are installed on the application server. The default application has the snoop servlet and the hitcount servlet, which are useful for testing.
Adding the stand-alone application server node to the deployment manager node changes the server1 process into a managed node. Use the administrative console of the deployment manager to configure the server1 process.
You can also create a custom profile and federate the node during profile creation, or use the addNode command to federate the empty node into the cell after the custom profile exists. A managed node created from a custom profile requires customization to create an application server and install applications. Use the administrative console of the deployment manager to configure the custom node.
What to do next
See the description of the wasprofile command to learn more about the command-line alternative method of creating a profile, and to see examples of using the command.
See Planning the installation (diagrams) for examples of configurations that you can create by creating profiles.
Related tasks
wasprofile command
Installing silently
Related information
responsefile.pct.NDdmgrProfile.txt
responsefile.pct.NDmanagedProfile.txt
responsefile.pct.NDstandAloneProfile.txt