Installing snapshots onto an offline server using wsadmin commands and custom installation packages

You can install snapshots with a custom package to an offline server by using wsadmin commands in a set of scripts or installation services. A custom installation package is for installing a snapshot to a specific IBM® Workflow Server.

Before you begin

See the prerequisites in Installing snapshots.

If you plan to migrate running instances, check that there is a migration policy for the snapshot. The migration policy defines how to handle orphaned tokens if any exist. If a migration policy is not listed for the source snapshot, notify the owner of the snapshot that your are installing to create the migration policy. The snapshot owner can use Workflow Center to generate the migration policy file and use the migration policy editor to modify it. For information, see Defining the migration policy by using the Workflow Center.

Procedure

  1. On IBM Workflow Center, create the installation package by running the BPMCreateOfflinePackage command in the profile_root/bin directory, for example
    AdminTask.BPMCreateOfflinePackage('[-containerAcronym HSS -containerSnapshotAcronym SHSV856 -containerTrackAcronym Main -serverName "Dev1" -skipGovernance false]')
    The result of the command is a server-specific installation package file (.zip).
  2. Export the installation package by using the BPMExtractOfflinePackage command, for example
    AdminTask.BPMExtractOfflinePackage('[-containerAcronym HSS -containerSnapshotAcronym SHSV856 -containerTrackAcronym Main -serverName Dev1 -outputFile C:/myProcessApps/SHSV856.zip]')
    

    For information about the command, see BPMExtractOfflinePackage command.

  3. For each snapshot you want to migrate instances from, export the migration policy by running the BPMExtractMigrationPolicy command.
    The migration policy file is a standard XML file that you can open and edit if necessary, for example
    AdminTask.BPMExtractMigrationPolicy('[-containerAcronym HSS -containerSourceSnapshotAcronym V1 -containerTargetSnapshotAcronym V2 -outputFile C:\migrationPolicy\V1_to_V2.xml]')
    For information about the command, see BPMExtractMigrationPolicy command.
  4. Using FTP or a similar utility, transfer the installation package (.zip) and any migration policy files (.xml) to the server that hosts the new snapshot or to a central location that the server can access.
  5. On the workflow server, install the snapshot by running the BPMInstallPackage command in the profile_root/bin directory.
    For example:
    AdminTask.BPMInstallPackage('[-inputFile C:/myProcessApps/SHSV856.zip -showSnapshotInfo true]')
    Instead of using the BPMInstallPackage command, you can also use the BPMInstallOfflinePackage command. While BPMInstallPackage handles both custom and generic installation packages as input, BPMInstallOfflinePackage handles only custom installation packages. BPMInstallOfflinePackage exists to support scripts that were created for Business Automation Workflow V8.5.5 or earlier. For information about the commands, see BPMInstallPackage command and BPMInstallOfflinePackage command.
  6. To migrate running instances to the new snapshot, run the BPMMigrateInstances command on the server.
    In the command, identify an old snapshot as the source and the new snapshot as the target. If you exported a migration policy file for the source snapshot, add the path to that file as the orphanTokenPolicyFile parameter. For information about the command, see BPMMigrateInstances command.
    Tip: You can also delete all orphaned tokens in Process Inspector. However, with Process Inspector, you cannot choose to delete individual orphaned tokens or move any tokens, for example
    AdminTask.BPMMigrateInstances(’[-containerAcronym HSS -sourceContainerSnapshotAcronym V1 -targetContainerSnapshotAcronym V2 C:\logFiles\V1_to_SHSV856.xml]')
  7. Optional: If necessary, set environment variables.
    For example, the correct value for a particular environment (such as test or production) might not be known during the design phase. In these situations, provide the value after installing the snapshot in the new environment.
  8. Optional: If necessary, establish runtime teams.
    For example, after you install a snapshot in a new environment (such as test or production), you might need to add or remove users in the teams for that project. That is, users in the test environment might not have been available in the development environment.
    For information, see Configuring runtime teams.
  9. Optional: If necessary, control exposed processes and services.
    For example, after you install a snapshot in a new environment (such as test or production), you might need to disable a particular exposed process or service within that process application

What to do next

If you experience problems with your installation, check the process-installer.log file. For more information about what issues can occur, see Troubleshooting snapshot installations.