What is IBM webMethods Command Central?

IBM webMethods Command Central is a tool that enables you to install, patch, configure, manage, and upgrade IBM webMethods products; create database components; and connect products to database components, remotely from one location. Command Central offers a web based user interface. You can also automate tasks by using commands to remotely execute actions from a terminal or custom script. Command Central supports continuous integration servers, such as Jenkins.

Version 12.1 of Command Central is intended for installing, upgrading, and managing IBM webMethods products of version 12.1 only. To install, upgrade, or manage earlier product versions, use Command Central version 11.1. We recommend always using the latest Command Central with your products, so you can take advantage of the most up-to-date features, as well as stability, usability, and security enhancements. If you have an older Command Central, you can upgrade to the newest release even if you are not upgrading your products. See the IBM webMethods Command Central Feature Support Matrix for the list of products you can manage using Command Central and the features that are supported for each release of those products.

With Command Central, you can work with existing standalone product installations or create new ones. If you are following DevOps practices, you can create software stacks of product runtimes. For each case, you create repositories from which to install products and install fixes.

The upgrade procedure for software stacks is simpler than the procedure for standalone product installations. For stacks, Command Central automatically generates composite templates that you can then use to upgrade a single environment or to automate the upgrade of multiple environments. If you are not yet using stacks, you can create stacks from the installations you want to upgrade. For instructions on all of these topics, see Upgrading IBM webMethods Products On Premises .

When the host servers in your environments do not have internet access, you can install one Command Central on a machine that has internet access. Then you install one or more Command Centrals to manage your development and test environments, and one or more Command Centrals to manage the production environments. The Command Central with internet access can connect to the IBM webMethods repositories on IBM Passport Advantage Online (PAO) website so you can download the products and fixes you have obtained. The hosts in each environment then get the IBM webMethods products and fixes through the mirror repositories registered in the Command Central that manages that environment. The Command Centrals that manage your environments must have access:

• To the Command Central that connects to PAO.

• To the machines that host the products you want to manage.

Platform Manager is the agent for Command Central. Platform Manager is installed with every Command Central and in every product installation. When you submit requests for actions against a product installation, Command Central directs the requests to the Platform Manager in that installation, and the Platform Manager executes the action. Platform Manager is always the same release as the products.

The Command Central graphical user interface provides instructions and tooltips to help you perform tasks. Instructions for performing tasks using the GUI is provided in this online help only when additional information is necessary.