Changing or adding application files

You can change or add application files on application servers without having to stop the server and start it again.

Overview

See Ways to update application files and determine whether hot deployment is the appropriate way for you to update your application files. Other ways are easier and hot deployment is appropriate only for experienced users. You can use the update wizard of the administrative console to make the changes without having to stop and restart the server.

The following table lists the changes that you can make by manipulating an application file on the server where the application is deployed. The table also states whether you use hot deployment or dynamic reloading to make the changes.

Change	Hot deployment	Dynamic reloading
Update an existing application on a running server by providing a new EAR file.	Yes	Yes
Add a new application to a running server.	Yes	No
Remove an existing application from a running server.	Yes	No
Change or add files to existing EJB or Web modules.	Yes	No
Change the application.xml file for an application.	Not applicable	Yes
Change the ibm-app-ext.xmi file for an application.	Not applicable	Yes
Change the ibm-app-bnd.xmi file for an application.	Not applicable	Yes
Change a non-module Jar file contained in the EAR file.	Yes	Yes

Procedure

• Update an existing application on a running server by providing a new EAR file.

  Reinstall an updated application using the administrative console or the wsadmin $AdminApp install command with the -update option.

  Both reinstallation methods enable you to update an existing application using any of the other steps listed in this file, including changing classes, adding modules, removing modules, changing modules, or changing metadata files. The application reinstallation methods detect the changes in your application and prompt you for additional binding data that might be needed to install the application. The reinstallation process automatically stops and restarts your application on the appropriate servers.

• Add a new application to a running server.

  Install an application using the administrative console or the wsadmin install command.

• Remove an existing application from a running server.

  Stop the application and then uninstall it from the server. Use the administrative console to stop the application and then uninstall it. Or use the stopApplication attribute of the AdminControl object and then the uninstall command with the wsadmin tool.

• Change or add files to existing EJB or Web modules.

  1. Update the application files in the application_root location.

  2. Restart the application.

     Use the administrative console to restart the application. Or use the startApplication and stopApplication attributes of the AdminControl object with the wsadmin tool.

• Change the application.xml file for an application.

  Restart the application. Automatic reloading will not detect the change. Use the administrative console to restart the application. Or use the startApplication and stopApplication attributes of the AdminControl object with the wsadmin tool.

• Change the ibm-app-ext.xmi file for an application.

  Restart the application. Automatic reloading will not detect the change. Use the administrative console to restart the application. Or use the startApplication and stopApplication attributes of the AdminControl object with the wsadmin tool.

• Change the ibm-app-bnd.xmi file for an application.

  Restart the application. Automatic reloading will not detect the change. Use the administrative console to restart the application. Or use the startApplication and stopApplication attributes of the AdminControl object with the wsadmin tool.

• Change a non-module Jar file contained in the EAR file.

  1. Update the non-module Jar file in the application_root location.

  2. If automatic reloading is not enabled, restart the application. Use the administrative console to restart the application. Or use the startApplication and stopApplication attributes of the AdminControl object with the wsadmin tool.

     If automatic reloading is enabled, you do not need to take further action. Automatic reloading will detect the change.