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Response files to be used with Installation Manager for WebSphere Application Server offerings

Technical Blog Post


Abstract

Response files to be used with Installation Manager for WebSphere Application Server offerings

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If Graphical capabilities are not available on the system, then the response file in silent mode can be used to install/uninstall/rollback. Installation Manager (IM)  itself can be installed in silent mode, and then subsequent operations (such as installing or uninstalling) can also be performed in silent mode.

Silent mode uses XML-formatted response files as input and can perform multiple operations in a single operation. Here is a sample command to run response file:

imcl -acceptLicense input <RESPONSEFILE>.xml -log /tmp/log.xml -sP

The same command is used for running any operation with response file. You only need to change the options in the response file in order to perform different operations.

 

To get or create response file you can use any of three options below:

1. Sample response files are available in the WebSphere Application Server product documentation.

 

2. Response file can be recorded using IBMIM graphical options. When running IM in recording mode, the graphical interface will indicate the mode on the title bar.

IBMIM -skipInstall C:\RECORDRESPONSE -record install.xml

C:\RECORDRESPONSE -- Dummy agent location used for recording and is not actual Agent Data.

install.xmlis the response file which will be created.

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“skipInstall” mode allows IM to simulate installations without actually installing IBM software products. By using the “-skipInstall agentDataLocation” argument along with the “-record responsefile.xml” argument, you can create a response file for an installation process without performing the installation. The agentDataLocation location stores the data for the dummy installation data. You can use that same agentDataLocation later to perform subsequent operations such as simulating fix pack installs or uninstalling products. SkipInstall should only be used for record operation.

Important: Do not specify IM's default agent data directory for the agentDataLocation with “-skipInstall”, because this will cause dummy data to be added (or removed) from the agent data which keeps track of real product installations on the system. Useful when response file needed to record multiple offerings in one install attempt. Please review the blog entry "What are the IMShared and Agent data directories created by the IBM Installation Manager?" for an understanding of the Agent Data directory.

Useful when response file needed to install multiple offerings in one install attempt.

 

3. Response file can be created using GenerateResponseFile option (starting with IM 1.7.0) from packages in repository or currently installed by IM.

Generating a response file from packages in a repository

• Run either the -repositories or -connectPassportAdvantage command with these options:

imcl generateResponseFile -repositories source_repository

imcl generateResponseFile -connectPassportAdvantage

imcl generateResponseFile [packageId[_Version]]... -repositories source_repository

imcl generateResponseFile [packageId[_Version]]... -connectPassportAdvantage

•The generated response file installs all packages and fixes that are found in the source repositories or in Passport Advantage.

Generating a response file from installed packages

When you do not specify the -repositories or the -connectPassportAdvantage option, the generateResponseFile command generates a response file that is based on the packages that are currently installed. The following command generates a response file for every installed package and fix in every package group: imcl generateResponseFile.

Note: To limit your response file to a single package group, use the -installationDirectory command. This command generates a response file for the packages that are installed in the installation_directory: imcl generateResponseFile -installation_directory installation_directory
imcl generateResponseFile [packageId[_Version]]...[-installationDirectory]

The following options are common to both methods of generating a response file:

  • To filter the packages included in the generated response file, you must specify one or more package IDs on the command line after the generateResponseFile option. Only packages or fixes with one of those IDs are included in the output.
  • By default, the generated response file is displayed on the console. To include the output in a file, use the -output output_file command.

 

Here is an example of a Response file showing the different sections:

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[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU053","label":"Cloud & Data Platform"},"Product":{"code":"","label":""},"Component":"","Platform":[{"code":"","label":""}],"Version":"","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}}]

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ibm11080933