Swinging profiles between product installations

A profile defines the runtime environment and includes all files that the server processes in the runtime environment that you can change. In a typical installation, profiles are associated with a single WebSphere® Application Server installation. As a result, when you change the service level of the installation, the service level of the profile also changes.

Starting with Version 8.5.5.9, you can configure your environment to use a common set of profiles that you associate with multiple installations. Because the profiles are decoupled from any specific installation, you can associate the profiles with different application server installations, or swing the profiles. For example, if updating to a service level in a production environment causes unexpected behavior, you can swing profiles to an installation at a stable service level with little interruption. You can swing profiles to update your installation to a newer service level, to roll back to a previously installed service level, or at the same service level.

WebSphere Application Server follows a V.R.M.F naming scheme, where the letters stand for version, release, modification, and fix pack. You can swing profiles only within a release, such as between product installations at different fix packs or interim fixes. For example, you can swing profiles between V8.5.5.9 and later fix packs, but you cannot swing profiles between different product versions.

An environment that is configured for swinging profiles relies on one or more master installations, which are the installations to which you apply service from fix packs or interim fixes. The master installation is used to create application server copies for production use, and application server profiles are created in a way that enables their service levels to be changed with a symbolic link.