Example: Automating WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment

This example shows how you can use the deployment planning tools to automate the deployment of WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment. You can create a workflow that installs and configures a cell and multiple nodes and servers through a Rational® Build Forge® library and Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere actions.

Before you begin

Deployment automation with Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere requires the IBM® Rational Deployment Automation Content Pack for RAFW and WAS.
Configure your environment to run automated tasks as described in Preparing the environment for automated tasks, including the step of putting the WebSphere Application Server installation media in the media tree on the framework server.

About this task

An example topology and workflow that illustrate WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment are available in the sample Deployment automation topologies and workflows sample.

Procedure

In a topology, model the existing system on which you want to install WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment and set the install state of the units to Installed. At minimum, this topology includes one or more server units and one or more operating system units. The following figure shows a topology with three server units that host three Linux operating system units.
Create units that represent the WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment installation and host those units on the operating system units. In most cases, use the templates named WebSphere 7.0 ND + Application Server Profile and WebSphere 7.0 ND + Deployment Manager Profile or the version 6.1 equivalents. In most cases, the topology also includes a cluster that groups the application server units.
Group the node units on the deployment manager cell and on the deployment manager node group.
Optional: Add the servers to a cluster.
Set the install state of these new WebSphere Application Server units to To be installed. The topology looks similar to the following figure:
Optional: To add IBM HTTP Server nodes to the workflow, follow these steps:
1. Add one or more IBM HTTP Server installations to the topology. The palette contains templates with names such as IBM Server Installation for this purpose.
2. Specify the properties for the units, such as the node name. These units contain several errors and warnings with resolutions. These resolutions can help you create the correct links and specify the correct properties.
3. From the palette, add an IBM WebSphere Plug-in unit to the operating system for the IBM HTTP Server node.
4. On the IBM HTTP node unit, on the IBM HTTP Node capability, set the Profile Type to none.
5. Set the install state of the units to Installed or To be Installed, as appropriate. The new units look similar to the following figure:
6. Make the node units members of the deployment manager cell and of the deployment manager node group.
The topology including the IBM HTTP Server units looks similar to the following figure:
Click a blank space in the topology diagram to set focus to the topology and then open the Properties view to the Workflow Creation tab.
Click Analyze topology for possible automation signature matches and verify that the units in your topology match the automation signatures.
When you are ready to generate the workflow, click Create Automation Workflow. The new workflow opens in the workflow editor.
The list of automated tasks under Workflow tasks includes several automation signatures that match the topology:
1. The first task, which is named rafw_generate_new_cell, sets up the Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere cell definition with the information to run the other tasks.
2. The second task, which is named RAFW_WAS_70_ND_Install_Library or RAFW_WAS_61_ND_Install_Library, installs the WebSphere Application Server and IBM HTTP Server software.
3. The third task, which is named RAFW_start_cell, starts the servers in the cell.
You can add other automated tasks from the Task tab of the Properties view, or change the order of the tasks by dragging and dropping them. However, in this case, the task named rafw_generate_new_cell must be the first task.
Specify values for the global parameters and the parameters on each task. Many of the parameters are already filled in with values from the topology. You might need to specify values for parameters that are not available in the topology. For information about the parameters for these tasks, see the reference information for each task.
Save the workflow.
At the top right corner of the workflow editor, click Publish Topology > Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere publisher. For more information on publishing the workflow, see Publishing a workflow to Rational Build Forge.
Select the connection to the Rational Build Forge console and specify a name for the new project.
Click Next.
Select the Generate configuration files for actions check box and select a method of uploading files to the framework server.
Click Finish. The publishing process creates a project in the console that runs the Rational Automation Framework for WebSphere actions for this automated task. You can now run the new Rational Build Forge project to install the WebSphere Application Server software.

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