Methods of propagation of a web server plugin-cfg.xml file and related custom properties

Propagation provides a means to copy a newly generated plugin-cfg.xml file to a location that is predefined in the web server configuration file.

Automatic propagation methods for these application-centric (web server level) generated plugin-cfg.xml files when using a supported management method.

The legacy topology-centric (cell level) plugin-cfg.xml file that is generated at the global cell level does not support propagation. In that case, you must do a manual copy.

Supported Management Mechanism Types

There are two management mechanism types for propagation. In most cases, these are the pipelines to move the plugin-cfg.xml file from the deployment manager to the web server or plug-in location.

  • Unmanaged framework

    The unmanaged framework is available only when you use IBM® HTTP Server. This framework uses the IBM HTTP Server Administration Server to propagate the plug-in. IBM HTTP Server Administration Server configuration is required when you deploy this web server type to the application server.

  • Managed framework

    The managed framework requires that the deployed web server is associated with a node and uses a node agent to propagate the plug-in. Within this framework, the web server plug-in can either be local or remote to the deployment manager.

Methods of propagation

The method of propagation varies depending on the location of the web server plug-in relative to the deployment manager.

  • Remote method

    Depending on the management type, the plugin-cfg.xml file is propagated to the remote location either through the IHS Administration Service or doing a node sync to the remote node.

    Note: When going through the managed pipeline, the propagation goes through two steps.
    1. Node synchronization copies the plugin-cfg.xml file to the configuration repository of the remote node.
    2. A local file system copy is performed from the node's repository to the final location that is defined by the web server.
      Important: This step can be problematic if the automatic propagation feature is disabled. To correct this situation, apply the Java virtual machine (JVM) custom property, overrideAutoProp, to the node and then restart the node. Usage information for overrideAutoProp can be found in Java virtual machine custom properties.
  • Collocated method
    The collocated method indicates that the web server and plug-in coexists on the same platform as the deployment manager or the stand-alone WebSphere® Application Server when not using network deployment. When the web server and WebSphere Application Server console profile exist together on the same instance of operating system, the default propagation method is used. The operating system's file system copy function is used to propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file.
    Important: Situations can occur when the local file system copy fails due to the operating system's security. In these cases, you can use the localWebServerUseNodeSync property to force behavior of a network deployment managed node. Use of this property allows the node sync process to propagate the plugin-cfg.xml file. Usage information for localWebServerUseNodeSync can be found in Java virtual machine custom properties.

    If you are running a WebSphere Application Server (base) or WebSphere Application Server Express environment, there are special considerations. These considerations use stand-alone processing and do not provide a node agent for propagation. The only remote method is to use IBM HTTP Server with the Administration Service; otherwise, manual propagation is necessary.