Install plug-ins to specific locations

 

Overview

Depending on the operating system, when you run the WebSphere Application Server installation program and select to install the Web server plug-in for the IBM HTTP Server, the plug-in might install silently if the Web server is installed in the standard location for this Web server. In this case, the WebSphere Application Server installation program does not prompt you for the configuration file location.

However, if you are using another brand of Web server or if you have installed two IBM HTTP Servers, on the same machine, you will have to specify a location for the plug-in for these other Web servers and for the second IBM HTTP Server.

For example, suppose the IBM HTTP Server "installation 1" is installed in the standard directory in which the IBM HTTP Server is installed on Solaris, /opt/IBMHTTPD. When the plug-in for this first Web server is installed, it silently modifies the httpd.conf file in /opt/IBMHTTPD/conf, which is appropriate.

But if there is a second IBM HTTP Server "installation 2" installed at /opt/IHS2, when the Web server plug-in for this second Web server is installed, it too modifies the httpd.conf file in /opt/IBMHTTPD/conf, modifying the same information that the first plug-in had changed.

One way to avoid this conflict is to manually edit the httpd.conf file of the second IBM HTTP Server installation, instead of using the install process. (If you have not customized the configuration file of the second server, and find it acceptable for its configuration to match that of the first server, you can copy the modified configuration file from the first Web server and replace the configuration file of the second server.)

Another way is to install both Web servers in some non-standard place, such as /opt/IHS1 and /opt/IHS2. When the WebSphere Application Server installation program cannot find either httpd.conf file, you are prompted for the one to edit. You can then specify the location of one of the Web server files. Then repeat the plug-in installation, this time specifying the other location.

Installing WebSphere Application Server plug-ins on non-default IIS servers

When the product installs the WebSphere Application Server plug-in for Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), it assumes the user wants to attach the plug-in to the default IIS server. The following instructions explain how to attach the plug-in to an IIS server other than the default.

The procedure might be necessary for a user implementing multiple Web sites that separate the pages they serve along some logical boundary, such as security level. Follow the steps to allow a newly defined site (using an IIS instance other than the default) to exercise servlets in conjunction with an existing site or sites.

The instructions apply to IIS Versions 4.x and 5.x.

  1. Use the Internet Service Manager (from Microsoft IIS) to create a new site with a name, port number, and base subdirectory.

  2. Go to the WebSphere Application Server administrative console and configure the virtual host to contain an alias for the port number used by the site.

  3. Create a virtual directory for the new site.

    1. Open the Internet Service Manager for IIS.

    2. Select the new site in the tree view.

    3. Right-click to display a menu. Select New > Virtual Directory.

    4. Ensure that the values are set appropriately:

      • The name of the virtual directory should be set to SEPLUGINS (using all capital letters).

      • The physical path should be set to the WebSphere Application Server bin directory (such as c:\WebSphere\AppServer\bin on Windows NT).

        Note, the directory must have the EXECUTE permission set, but setting any other permissions (or allowing it to inherit other permissions) is a security risk.

  4. Start the new site.

  5. The administrator must ensure that the SEPLUGINS retains its EXECUTE permission.It is possible for virtual directories under a site to inherit properties from the site. Ensure that the SEPLUGINS virtual directory does not inherit permissions from changes to the site, if those changes involve withdrawing the EXECUTE permission.
Related tasks
Configuring Web server plug-ins
Configuring virtual hosts