WAS v8.0 > Install the application serving environment > Distributed operating systems > Centralized installation manager (CIM) > Use the centralized installation manager (CIM) to manage v6.1.x and 7.x > Centralized installation manager (CIM) v6.1.x and 7.x usage scenarios
Create and managing v6.1.x and 7.x Network Deployment cells using the centralized installation manager (CIM)
Use the centralized installation manager (CIM) to create and manage a WebSphere Network Deployment cell.
New feature: Supported configurations: This topic applies to WAS v6.1.x and 7.x only. For information about using centralized installation manager (CIM) for v8.0, see Submit Installation Manager jobs.
To create a multiplatform cell using the CIM, you need the following items:
- The CDs of all the WAS node platforms within the cell. For example, if your cell is running on Windows, Linux and AIX operating systems, then you need the CDs for those platforms in the WAS Network Deployment edition.
- For the CIM repository, you require approximately 3 GB for each platform that we have in the cell. If you plan to create custom installation packages (CIP) for use with CIM, then factor in additional disk space required for CIPs. We can delete images that are no longer needed from the repository to make more space available.
The CIM is capable of creating nodes on remote hosts by installing WAS Network Deployment and federating them to the existing dmgr.
Prior to CIM, you had to log in to every machine in the potential cell, install the servers manually, create a profile for each node, and federate the nodes to the dmgr. Now, these steps are all done for you by the CIM. You only select the machine host name, and provide the login credentials.
Procedure
- On the dmgr machine, install WAS Network Deployment with management profile and dmgr server type.
- Install WAS v8.0.
- Use the profile management tool to create a dmgr profile.
- Use the Installation Factory to create a CIM repository.
- Start the dmgr. This can be done from the command line. From WAS_HOME/profiles/Dmgr01/bin, run:
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./startManager.sh
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startManager.bat
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- Log in to the admin console.
- Add other platform images for WAS Network Deployment to the CIM repository. See Adding installation packages of previous versions to the centralized installation manager (CIM) repository using the Installation Factory.
- Launch installations of WAS Network Deployment on the remote machines. Refer to "Installing packages" for more details.
- We can monitor the status of the installations using CIM. Refer to "Monitoring requests" for more details.
Results
The installation requests are sent via the centralized installation manager to install WebSphere application servers on the remote machines to create the cell.
What to do next
The cell is now ready for management. We can add servers, install applications, and so on.
Centralized installation manager (CIM) v6.1.x and 7.x usage scenarios
Update v6.1.x and 7.x cells to a new maintenance level using the centralized installation manager (CIM)
Add installation packages of previous versions to the centralized installation manager (CIM) repository using the Installation Factory
Install packages using the centralized installation manager (CIM) for previous versions
Monitor requests to the centralized installation manager (CIM) for previous versions