Propagating the plugin-cfg.xml file to the front-end Web server

The plugin-cfg.xml file is used by the front-end Web server at runtime to perform workload management across the cluster. You must update and propagate this file to the Web server when a new member is added to the cluster or when a new Java™ EE application is deployed in the cluster.

Before you begin

If you are unfamiliar with HTTP servers in an IBM® WebSphere® Application Server Network Deployment environment, read the following IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment Knowledge Center topic:

About this task

The plugin-cfg.xml file is a configuration file that is generated by IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment. It is in the <webserver_plugin_install_path>/config/<webserver_definition> path, for example, C:/IBM/HTTPServer/Plugins/config/webserver1.

It is used at run time by the front-end Web server to perform workload management across the cluster. The file is on the computer where the Web server is installed. This file must be kept up-to-date at all times in order for Workload Management to be correctly implemented at the Web level. Regenerate and propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file when the following events occur:
  • The services tier of the suite is installed for the first time.
  • A product of the suite is newly installed as an add-on.
  • A product of the suite is removed after an uninstallation.
  • A new member is added to the cluster.
  • A new IBM InfoSphere® Information Services Director application is generated and deployed in the cluster.
  • The front-end Web server is replaced by another Web server.
To facilitate the management of this configuration file, IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment can automatically propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file to the Web server. Depending on your Web server topology, this automation might not always be possible. You might have to regenerate and propagate this file to the Web server computer manually. There are three possible scenarios:
  • Scenario 1: The Web server is installed in a managed node.

    In this case, the plugin-cfg.xml file is automatically regenerated and propagated by the IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment to the managed node hosting the Web server. It might take a few minutes for WebSphere Application Server to regenerate and propagate the plugin file to the Web server. You do not need to propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file because this step is completed for you.

  • Scenario 2: The Web server is installed in an unmanaged node (in other words, there is no node agent to manage the Web server definition).

    In this case, IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment can not automatically propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file to the Web server, so you need to manually propagate it.

  • Scenario 3: The Web server is installed in an unmanaged node and is the IBM HTTP Server (IHS).

    In this special case, the plugin-cfg.xml file also is automatically propagated by IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment to the unmanaged node that hosts IHS. This functionality is achieved because of the IHS administration process that runs on the Web server computer, which can act as a node agent for the Web server.

Procedure

To manually propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file:

For the appropriate topology (either a remote distributed installation scenario or a local distributed installation scenario), refer to the sections about regenerating the plugin-cfg.xml file and propagating the plugin-cfg.xml file in the following topics:
For more information about managed and unmanaged nodes in IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, see the following resource: