[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows]

Installing fix packs on distributed operating systems using response files

You can update this product to a later version using Installation Manager response files.

Before you begin

Attention: Starting in version 8.5.5.11, the default versions of Java are Java SE 6 or Java SE 8. As such, you can accept the default and install either Java SE 6 or Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java and /java64 directories in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. Java 8 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates. You can continue to use Java SE 6, but no service can be provided after the end of support in April 2018, which might expose your environment to security risks.
Java SE 7 and Java SE 7.1 (not available for Solaris and HP) are also viable options for installing on WebSphere Application Server version 8.5.5.11.
  • The bit level of Java SE 7.0 is based on the bit level selected during the initial installation of WebSphere Application Server. If a 32-bit WebSphere Application Server is installed, then only the 32-bit Java SE 7.0 can be installed. If a 64-bit WebSphere Application Server is installed, then only the 64-bit Java SE 7.0 can be installed.
  • Installing the optional Java SE 7.0 or Java SE 7.1 does not imply that profiles can take advantage of this new version of Java. The managesdk command can be used to switch Java or the WebSphere Application Server administrative console (wsadmin) can be used to make the switch.

[8.5.5.14 or later]Starting in version 8.5.5.14, Java SE 8 is the default Java. When updating to 8.5.5.14, any existing profile that uses Java SDK 6 is replaced by Java SDK 8. You can continue to use Java SDK Java Technology Edition Version 7.0 and Version 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of support in July 2022, which could expose your environment to security risks.

For more information on Java SE 6, 7, and 7.1 end of service, see Java SE 6, 7, and 7.1 end of service in WebSphere Application Server V8.5.

The com.ibm.websphere.IBMJAVA.v80 offering will be deprecated, and no fix packs or interim fixes will be provided for this offering after March 2020. If this offering is installed with WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5 after March 2020, uninstall it and switch to the default Java SE 8 SDK provided by the WebSphere Application Server package in the same package group. With the default Java SE 8 SDK, you continue receiving Java SE 8 SDK support, including security updates.

[8.5.5.18 or later]Starting in version 8.5.5.18 for Linux on POWER8 Little Endian (LE), the default versions of Java are Java SE 7.1 or Java SE 8. As such, you can accept the default and install either Java SE 7.1 or Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java directory in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. Java 8 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates. You can continue to use Java SE 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of support in July 2022, which might expose your environment to security risks.

You can use the user.wasjava=java8 property only with new installations of the product for Linux on POWER8 LE. The user.wasjava=java8 property does not work for product upgrades through fix packs for Linux on POWER8 LE.

[8.5.5.19 or later]Starting in version 8.5.5.19 for Linux on POWER8 Little Endian (LE), the default version of Java is Java SE 8. As such, you can accept the default and install Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java directory in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. You can continue to use Java SE 7.1 by installing IBM WebSphere Java SDK Version 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of support in July 2022, which might expose your environment to security risks.

The user.wasjava=java8 property is not required for installing and updating to version 8.5.5.19 for Linux on POWER8 LE.

Tip: As an alterative to the procedure that is described in this article, Installation Manager allows you to use the updateAll command in a response file or on the command line to search all of the targeted repositories for recommended updates to all of the package groups that it has installed. The updateAll command will not search for non-recommended fixes for installation. Use this command only if you have full control over which fixes are contained in the targeted repositories. If you create and point to a set of custom repositories that include only the specific fixes that you want to install, you should be able to use this command confidently. If you enable searching service repositories or install fixes directly from other live web-based repositories, then you might not want to select this option so that you can select only the fixes that you want to install using the -installFixes option with the install command on the command line or the installFixes attribute in a response file.
Note: In WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5.0, the Liberty profile was promoted from a feature to an independently installable offering. You cannot make an inplace update of the Version 8.5.0.x Liberty profile feature. The wlp folder includes the Liberty runtime and any user data or server configurations that you have saved in the wlp/usr folder. If you have a combined full-profile and Liberty-profile Version 8.5.0.x installation, the update program will back up the wlp folder for the existing Version 8.5.0.x Liberty profile feature into the wlp.bak_<timestamp> folder and uninstall the feature during an update to Version 8.5.5.0 or higher. You can continue using Liberty from the backed-up location or copy it elsewhere. To update the Liberty profile to Version 8.5.5.0 or higher, you then must install WebSphere® Application Server Liberty Network Deployment with the com.ibm.websphere.liberty.ND.v85 offering ID. After installing the WebSphere Application Server Liberty product, you can move any user data and server configurations from the wlp.bak_<timestamp> folder to the new Liberty installation.

Procedure

  1. For a list of interim fixes and fix packs that are available for WebSphere Application Server Version 8.x and specific information about each fix, perform the following actions.
    1. Go to Fix Central.
    2. Select WebSphere as the product group.
    3. Select WebSphere Application Server as the product.
    4. Select 8.x as the installed version.
    5. Select your operating system as the platform, and click Continue.
    6. Select Browse for fixes, and click Continue.
    7. Click More Information under each fix to view information about the fix.
    8. Recommendation: Make a note of the name of the fix pack that you would like to install.
  2. Update WebSphere Application Server Version 8.x with the fix pack using one of the following procedures.
    • Access the live service repository that contains the fix pack, and use web-based updating.
      Use Installation Manager on your local system to update WebSphere Application Server Version 8.x with the interim fixes from the live web-based service repositories.
      • For the live service repositories, use the same URLs as those used for the generally available product-offering repositories during installation. These URLs are based on the following pattern:
        https://www.ibm.com/software/repositorymanager/offering_ID
        where offering_ID is the offering ID that you can find in WebSphere Application Server product offerings for supported operating systems.
      • These locations do not contain web pages that you can access using a web browser. They are remote web-based repository locations that you specify for Installation Manager so that it can maintain the product.
      Perform the following actions:
      1. Log on to your system.
      2. If you do not already have an Installation Manager credentials file containing your IBM software user ID and password, create one that will allow you to access the repository.
        Note: These are the credentials that you use to access protected IBM software websites.
        For information on creating a keyring file for Installation Manager, read the IBM Installation Manager documentation.
        Tip: When creating a keyring file, append /repository.config at the end of the repository URL location if the imutilsc command is unable to find the URL that is specified.
        Supported configurations:

        Starting in Installation Manager Version 1.6.2, the -keyring and -password options that were used to access credentials in a key ring file are deprecated. For Installation Manager Version 1.6.2 and later, use the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options to store credentials in a credential storage file.

        In Version 1.7, the format of the secure storage file is revised, and is no longer compatible with versions of Installation Manager before version 1.7. Update Installation Manager to version 1.7 or higher and then re-create and replace any secure storage files that you created with earlier versions.

        There is no migration path from key ring files to storage files because of the differences in the file structures. You must create a storage file to replace a key ring file. For more information about using the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options to store credentials in a credential storage file, see the IBM Installation Manager documentation.

      3. Stop all servers and applications on the WebSphere Application Server installation that is being updated.
      4. Change to the Installation_Manager_binaries/eclipse/tools directory, where Installation_Manager_binaries is the installation root directory for the Installation Manager.
      5. Install the fix pack using a response file.
        For example:
        • [Windows] Administrator or non-administrator:
          imcl.exe -acceptLicense 
            input C:\temp\update_response_file.xml 
            -log C:\temp\update_log.xml 
            -keyring C:\IM\im.keyring
        • [Linux][AIX][HP-UX][Solaris]Administrator:
          ./imcl -acceptLicense 
            input /var/temp/update_response_file.xml 
            -log /var/temp/update_log.xml 
            -keyring /var/IM/im.keyring
        • [Linux][AIX][HP-UX][Solaris]Non-administrator:
          ./imcl -acceptLicense 
            input user_home/var/temp/update_response_file.xml 
            -log user_home/var/temp/update_log.xml 
            -keyring user_home/var/IM/im.keyring
    • Download the file that contains the fix pack from Fix Central, and use local updating.
      You can download a compressed file that contains the fix pack from Fix Central. Each compressed fix-pack file contains an Installation Manager repository for the fix pack and usually has a .zip extension. After downloading and extracting the fix-pack file, use Installation Manager to update WebSphere Application Server Version 8.x with the fix pack.
      1. To download the fix pack, perform the following actions:
        1. Go to Fix Central.
        2. Select WebSphere as the product group.
        3. Select WebSphere Application Server as the product.
        4. Select 8.x as the installed version.
        5. Select your operating system as the platform, and click Continue.
        6. Select Browse for fixes, and click Continue.
        7. Select the fix pack that you want to download, and click Continue.
        8. Select your download options, and click Continue.
        9. Click I agree to agree to the terms and conditions.
        10. Click Download now to download the fix pack.
        11. Transfer the compressed file in binary format to the system on which it will be installed.
        12. Extract the compressed repository files to a directory on your system.
      2. Perform the following actions:
        1. Log on to your system.
        2. If the repository requires a username and password, create a keyring file to access this repository.
          Tip: When creating a keyring file, append /repository.config at the end of the repository URL location if the imutilsc command is unable to find the URL that is specified.
          Supported configurations:

          Starting in Installation Manager Version 1.6.2, the -keyring and -password options that were used to access credentials in a key ring file are deprecated. For Installation Manager Version 1.6.2 and later, use the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options to store credentials in a credential storage file.

          In Version 1.7, the format of the secure storage file is revised, and is no longer compatible with versions of Installation Manager before version 1.7. Update Installation Manager to version 1.7 or higher and then re-create and replace any secure storage files that you created with earlier versions.

          There is no migration path from key ring files to storage files because of the differences in the file structures. You must create a storage file to replace a key ring file. For more information about using the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options to store credentials in a credential storage file, see the IBM Installation Manager documentation.

        3. Stop all servers and applications on the WebSphere Application Server installation that is being updated.
        4. Change to the Installation_Manager_binaries/eclipse/tools directory, where Installation_Manager_binaries is the installation root directory for the Installation Manager.
        5. Install the fix pack using a response file.
          For example:
          • [Windows] Administrator or non-administrator:
            imcl.exe -acceptLicense 
              input C:\temp\update_response_file.xml 
              -log C:\temp\update_log.xml 
              -keyring C:\IM\im.keyring
          • [Linux][AIX][HP-UX][Solaris]Administrator:
            ./imcl -acceptLicense 
              input /var/temp/update_response_file.xml 
              -log /var/temp/update_log.xml 
              -keyring /var/IM/im.keyring
          • [Linux][AIX][HP-UX][Solaris]Non-administrator:
            ./imcl -acceptLicense 
              input user_home/var/temp/update_response_file.xml 
              -log user_home/var/temp/update_log.xml 
              -keyring user_home/var/IM/im.keyring

Example

[Windows]The following is an example of a response file for updating the product to a later version.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<agent-input>
<server>
  <repository location='https://www.ibm.com/software/repositorymanager/com.ibm.websphere.ND.v85'/>
</server>
<profile id='IBM WebSphere Application Server V8.5' 
  installLocation='C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer'>
  <data key='eclipseLocation' value='C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer'/>
  <data key='user.import.profile' value='false'/>
  <data key='cic.selector.nl' value='en, fr, it, zh, ro, ru, zh_TW, de, ja, pl, es, cs, hu, ko, pt_BR'/>
</profile>
<install modify='false'>
  <offering profile='IBM WebSphere Application Server V8.5' id='com.ibm.websphere.ND.v85' 
    version='8.5.0.20101025_2108' features='core.feature'/>
</install>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.eclipseCache' value='C:\Program Files\IBM\IMShared'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.connectTimeout' value='30'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.readTimeout' value='30'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.downloadAutoRetryCount' value='0'/>
<preference name='offering.service.repositories.areUsed' value='true'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.ssl.nonsecureMode' value='false'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.http.disablePreemptiveAuthentication' value='false'/>
<preference name='http.ntlm.auth.kind' value='NTLM'/>
<preference name='http.ntlm.auth.enableIntegrated.win32' value='true'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.preserveDownloadedArtifacts' value='true'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.keepFetchedFiles' value='false'/>
<preference name='PassportAdvantageIsEnabled' value='false'/>
<preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.searchForUpdates' value='false'/>
</agent-input>
Tips:
  • The profile ID (<profile . . . id='profile_ID' . . . .> and <offering . . . profile='profile_ID' . . . .>) can be found when you run the imcl listInstallationDirectories -verbose command from the eclipse/tools subdirectory in the directory where you installed Installation Manager. It is the same as the package group’s name.
  • The offering ID (<offering . . . id='offering_ID' . . . .>) can be found in the Install Manager Offering ID section of the report that is generated when you run the historyInfo or genHistoryReport command from the app_server_root/bin directory.
  • The version is a specific version of the offering to install (8.5.0.20101025_2108 for example). This specification is optional.
    • If version is not specified, the latest version of the offering and all interim fixes for that version are installed.
    • If version is specified, the specified version of the offering and no interim fixes for that version are installed.
    The offering version can be found attached to the end of the offering ID with an underscore when you run the following command against the repository:
    ./imcl listAvailablePackages -repositories source_repository
  • If you are using Installation Manager Version 1.4.4 or later, you can also specify none, recommended or all with the installFixes argument to indicate which interim fixes you want installed with the offering.
    • If the offering version is not specified, the installFixes option defaults to all.
    • If the offering version is specified, the installFixes option defaults to none.
  • When updating a product, your response file must contain the features that were used in the initial install of the product; otherwise, your update will not occur as intended. If you do not add these features to your response file, the Installation Manager assumes you are removing them.