Installing silently using a response file

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This topic only applies to BAW, and is located in the BAW repository. Last updated on 2025-03-13 12:15

You can install IBM® Business Automation Workflow silently by creating a response file and then running a command to use that response file to install the product.

Before you begin

If you do not have the prerequisite base products necessary for IBM Business Automation Workflow installation, you must install them as part of the silent installation. The required base products are:

IBM Installation Manager. If you are installing IBM Business Automation Workflow in group mode, you must use an instance of IBM Installation Manager that is installed in group mode. For more information, see the Installation Manager documentation topic Administrator, nonadministrator, and group mode .
WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment, including the ejbdeploy and thinclient features.

When you install the product, also install any available cumulative fixes or fix packs by adding the repository where you downloaded the fix. Additionally, install security fixes as they become available.

If you are installing from downloaded images from Passport Advantage®, ensure that you download all required images. For UNIX, you need to download both required disk images for your operating system. For Linux® systems on Intel, you need three disk images. For Linux systems other than Intel, you need two disk images. If you are installing from the DVD images, obtain the compressed files from the DVDs. In both cases, extract all of the files from the compressed files to the same location on your hard disk.

Note:

To extract files on AIX®, use the GNU tar program instead of the AIX tar program. The AIX tar program might truncate long file names, which can cause installation errors. To install the GNU tar program, see Use GNU tar to extract server installation images on AIX External link opens a new window or tab .

Restrictions:

Extract the installation files to a directory that does not contain spaces or special characters.

About this task

By using response files, you can simplify the silent installation and reduce errors in the process because you set up your installation options once in a saved, sharable file that can be used on one or more machines. The installation software provides sample response files for each supported operating system. You can use an unmodified sample response file to perform a silent installation using default settings, or you can modify the response file to set particular values. The comments in the sample response files provide detailed instructions and information about setting the values.

During the silent installation, the following tasks are performed:

Installation Manager is installed or updated to the appropriate level.
The required base products and IBM Business Automation Workflow are installed.

Only one IBM Installation Manager is required to install multiple instances of IBM Business Automation Workflow.

Procedure

Optional: Run the following command to generate encrypted passwords using IBM Installation Manager to securely connect to Db2® and the administrative console.
```
extract_directory/IM64/tools/imutilsc -silent -nosplash encryptString password_to_encrypt
```
Note: If you already have Installation Manager installed, run the command from the IM_installation_directory/eclipse/tools directory.
Create the response file that will install the required base products and IBM Business Automation Workflow.
Copy a sample response file, suitable for your user access level, from the following directory:
- extract_directory\responsefiles\BPM\
Alternatively, you can create a response file by recording your actions in Installation Manager. When you record a response file, the selections that you make in Installation Manager are stored in an XML file. When you run Installation Manager in silent mode, Installation Manager uses the data in the XML response file to perform the installation.
The default values that are provided in the sample response files will perform a basic installation, but you should review the file and its comments, and modify the parameters as needed for your environment and the access level of your user ID.
Review the following parameters and values:
- Permissions - For non-root and installation group user IDs, check that all location variables point to locations that the user or group has permissions for.
- Repository location - If you are not installing directly from the extract_directory/responsefiles/BPM/ directory, point to the location of your installation repository. The repository can be local or remote.
- Installation location - The installLocation directory where IBM Installation Manager is or will be installed.
- Product installation location - The directory where the product will be installed. To install the product into an existing supported instance of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, specify its directory.
- Eclipse location - The eclipseLocation directory. If you want to install into an existing supported instance of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, specify its Eclipse location directory.
- The list of features for the product
- Production or non-production use - Your selection is recorded in the product tag for inventory purposes, so select the license feature that matches the license you have purchased and want to use.
  Important:
  - Workflow Server is most often considered a production server. Check the license for verification.
  - Do not mix production and non-production servers in the same cell.
- If you are installing , follow the instructions in the response file to provide the necessary user IDs and passwords. Use the instructions in step 1 for generating the encrypted passwords to include in the response file.
Read and accept the license terms before installing. Adding -acceptLicense to the command line means that you accept all licenses.

Run the following command:

Note: If you already have Installation Manager installed, use the command IM_installation_directory/eclipse/tools/imcl input instead of installc, userinstallc, or groupinstallc.

Root user:

extract_directory/IM64/installc -acceptLicense input  
  extract_directory/responsefiles/BPM/response_file_name.xml 
  -log preferred_log_location/silent_install.log

Non-root user:

extract_directory/IM64/userinstc -acceptLicense input 
  extract_directory/responsefiles/BPM/response_file_name.xml 
  -log preferred_log_location/silent_install.log

Installation group user:

extract_directory/IM64/groupinstc -acceptLicense input 
  extract_directory/responsefiles/BPM/response_file_name.xml 
  -log preferred_log_location/silent_install.log

Results

Installation Manager installs the required prerequisites and IBM Business Automation Workflow, and writes a log file to the directory that you specified.

What to do next

After you install Business Automation Workflow, you must configure the product by creating profiles, setting up database tables, and configuring the network deployment environment. To do these configuration tasks in one step, use the BPMConfig command. Alternatively, you can do each configuration step separately using the Profile Management Tool, if it is supported on your operating system, and the Deployment Environment wizard.

Important: If you are migrating business data and applications from a previous version, use the configuration instructions in the Migrating to IBM Business Automation Workflow section.