Installing WebSphere Application Server

Use IBM Installation Manager to install the application server product on AIX®, HP-UX, Linux®, Solaris, or Windows operating systems.

Before you begin

Attention: Starting in version 8.5.5.11, the default versions of Java are Java SE 6 or Java SE 8. As such, you can accept the default and install either Java SE 6 or Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java and /java64 directories in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. Java 8 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates. You can continue to use Java SE 6, but no service can be provided after the end of support in April 2018, which might expose your environment to security risks.

Java SE 7 and Java SE 7.1 (not available for Solaris and HP) are also viable options for installing on WebSphere Application Server version 8.5.5.11.

The bit level of Java SE 7.0 is based on the bit level selected during the initial installation of WebSphere Application Server. If a 32-bit WebSphere Application Server is installed, then only the 32-bit Java SE 7.0 can be installed. If a 64-bit WebSphere Application Server is installed, then only the 64-bit Java SE 7.0 can be installed.
Installing the optional Java SE 7.0 or Java SE 7.1 does not imply that profiles can take advantage of this new version of Java. The managesdk command can be used to switch Java or the WebSphere Application Server administrative console (wsadmin) can be used to make the switch.

[8.5.5.14 or later] Starting in version 8.5.5.14, Java SE 8 is the default Java. When updating to 8.5.5.14, any existing profile that uses Java SDK 6 is replaced by Java SDK 8. You can continue to use Java SDK Java Technology Edition Version 7.0 and Version 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of support in July 2022, which could expose your environment to security risks.

For more information on Java SE 6, 7, and 7.1 end of service, see Java SE 6, 7, and 7.1 end of service in WebSphere Application Server V8.5.

The com.ibm.websphere.IBMJAVA.v80 offering will be deprecated, and no fix packs or interim fixes will be provided for this offering after March 2020. If this offering is installed with WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5 after March 2020, uninstall it and switch to the default Java SE 8 SDK provided by the WebSphere Application Server package in the same package group. With the default Java SE 8 SDK, you continue receiving Java SE 8 SDK support, including security updates.

[8.5.5.18 or later] Starting in version 8.5.5.18 for Linux on POWER8 Little Endian (LE), the default versions of Java are Java SE 7.1 or Java SE 8. As such, you can accept the default and install either Java SE 7.1 or Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java directory in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. Java 8 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates. You can continue to use Java SE 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of support in July 2022, which might expose your environment to security risks.

You can use the user.wasjava=java8 property only with new installations of the product for Linux on POWER8 LE. The user.wasjava=java8 property does not work for product upgrades through fix packs for Linux on POWER8 LE.

[8.5.5.19 or later] Starting in version 8.5.5.19 for Linux on POWER8 Little Endian (LE), the default version of Java is Java SE 8. As such, you can accept the default and install Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java directory in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. You can continue to use Java SE 7.1 by installing IBM WebSphere Java SDK Version 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of support in July 2022, which might expose your environment to security risks.

The user.wasjava=java8 property is not required for installing and updating to version 8.5.5.19 for Linux on POWER8 LE.

Read the hardware and software requirements on the Supported hardware and software website.
You can use the launchpad to launch each installation procedure. Read Using the launchpad to start installations for more information.
Prepare for installation and to learn about installation options before you use the installation tools,
The Installation Manager is a single installation program that can use remote or local software repositories to install, modify, or update new WebSphere Application Server products. It determines and shows available packages—including products, fix packs, interim fixes, and so on—checks prerequisites and interdependencies, and installs the selected packages. You also use Installation Manager to easily uninstall the packages that it installed. Before using the installation manager, refer to the Installation Manager documentation for a description of the various Installation Manager options you can specify when you install the Installation Manager.
When using the Installation Manager, you should understand the following directory terminology:
Agent Data Location

The Agent Data Location directory contains the metadata that tracks the history and state of all product installations that the Installation Manager is managing. This directory is created when Installation Manager is itself installed.
The Agent Data Location directory, which is sometimes referred to as the appDataLocation, is critical to the healthy functioning of the Installation Manager. After the directory is created, it cannot be moved. If the Agent Data Location directory becomes corrupt, all product installations that are tracked by the metadata in the Agent Data Location directory become unserviceable and need to be reinstalled if service is needed.

See the Installation Manager documentation for the default location of the Agent Data Location directory. To override the default location specify the -dataLocation (or -dL) command line option when installing the Installation Manager, and then use the -dataLocation (or -dL) command line option to specify a different location.

Shared Resources Directory
The Shared Resources Directory is used for two purposes:
- It might be used to contain resources that can be shared by installed products at run time. WebSphere Application Server products do not have run time dependencies on the contents of this folder.
- It might be used at installation time to stage the payload before it is installed into its target folder. In this scenario, filesum checks are performed on the transferred data to ensure that it is intact. By default, this content remains cached in the Shared Resources Directory after installation so that it can be used for future updates or rollback.
The location of the Shared Resources Directory is set when the first product is installed. Each product repository specifies a default location. Therefore, if this location is not overridden, then the first installed product determines the location.

The -sharedResourcesDirectory command line option can be used the first time the Installation Manager installs a product to specify the location of this directory. The location of the Shared Resources Directory cannot be changed after it is initially set.
Because product payloads are cached in this directory, space requirements can grow very large over the lifetime of the product, as service updates are applied. The WebSphere Application Server product image is large, so if this content is permitted to accumulate, then this directory will grow to be many gigabytes in size over the course of multiple fix pack applications. You should never manually delete the content in this folder. Instead, during any installation or maintenance operation, you can specify the following preference to remove some of the content in this folder:
-preferences com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.preserveDownloadedArtifacts=false
When this preference is set to false, all data that is no longer needed is removed after the operation completes. You must still ensure you have enough space to stage the payload during the installation and maintenance operations, but data no longer accumulates over time. If you have previously not used this preference, all old payloads are removed the first time you use this preference. You can also specify this preference by selecting the Delete Saved Files option on the Preferences panel in the Installation Manager GUI. You can also use this panel to indicate that download artifacts are not to be preserved.
Important: Installation Manager can install any fix-pack level of the product directly without installing the interim fix packs; in fact, Installation Manager installs the latest level by default. For example, you can skip fix-pack levels and go from Version 8.0.0.1 directly to Version 8.0.0.5. Keep in mind, however, that later you can not roll back to any level that was skipped. If you directly install to Version 8.0.0.5, for example, you cannot roll back to Version 8.0.0.4. If you skip from Version 8.0.0.1 to Version 8.0.0.5, you can only roll back to Version 8.0.0.1. You should plan your installations accordingly.

About this task

Use the information in this article to learn about the types of installation available. This article has links to more detailed installation articles.

You can install a product using the Installation Manager GUI, command line, or response files. Installation Manager performs the following actions:

Automatically checks prerequisites
Looks for a previous WebSphere Application Server installation to determine whether to let you add features to the product binaries or to install a new set of product binaries
Looks for a previous installation to determine whether to let you upgrade from a trial installation to the real product
Installs the necessary product binaries

Restriction:

Installation Manager console mode, which is included in Installation Manager Version 1.4.3 and later, does not work with WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5 offerings on systems other than z/OS®.
The Installation Manager web interface, which is included in Installation Manager Version 1.8.0 and later, does not work with WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5 offerings.

Procedure

Plan your installation as described in Planning the WebSphere Application Server product installation.
Prepare your operating platform for installation as described in Preparing the operating system for product installation.
Review the roadmap for installing the Network Deployment product as described in Roadmap: Installing the Network Deployment product.
Install the product and any optional components.
- Install Application Client for IBM WebSphere Application Server.
  Application Client for IBM WebSphere Application Server provides resources and clients to aid development of client applications for use with WebSphere Application Server.
  
  You do not need to install the Application Client for IBM WebSphere Application Server unless an application that you are deploying was designed to run as a client application.
- Install DMZ Secure Proxy Server for IBM WebSphere Application Server.
  Use DMZ Secure Proxy Server for IBM WebSphere Application Server to install your proxy server in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) while reducing the security risk that might occur if you choose to install an application server in the DMZ to host a proxy server.
- Install IBM HTTP Server for WebSphere Application Server.
  IBM HTTP Server is a web server based on the Apache HTTP Server developed by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). This product provides advanced web server capabilities and a consistent cross-platform build of the Apache HTTP Server.
  
  After installing a WebSphere Application Server product, you can use the application server to serve applications over the Internet. It is not necessary to install the IBM HTTP Server or another web server.
  
  The installation solution diagrams in Planning the WebSphere Application Server product installation show the components that are present in different types of environments.
- Install the Web Server Plug-ins for IBM WebSphere Application Server.
  If you install the IBM HTTP Server or another web server, you must then install a binary module for the web server to enable it to communicate with WebSphere Application Server products.
  
  After installing a web server plug-in, you can use the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool to create a new element in the application server configuration called a web server definition. You can then manage applications for the web server using the administrative console.
- Install the WebSphere Customization Toolbox.
  The WebSphere Customization Toolbox includes tools for customizing various parts of your WebSphere Application Server environment. For example, you can use the WebSphere Customization Toolbox graphical user interface (GUI) to launch the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool to configure your web server plug-ins for any operating system on which the WebSphere Customization Toolbox can be installed.
  
  Install the Profile Management Tool (z/OS only) on a Windows or Linux operating system to generate jobs and instructions for creating profiles for WebSphere Application Server on z/OS systems, or install the z/OS Migration Management Tool on a Windows or Linux operating system to generate definitions for migrating WebSphere Application Server for z/OS profiles.
- Install the IBM WebSphere SDK Java™ Technology Edition.
  IBM WebSphere SDK Java Technology Edition Version 6.0 is installed by default with WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5. Optionally, you can install IBM WebSphere SDK Java Technology Edition Version 7.0 as well.
  
  WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5.2 and later also support IBM WebSphere SDK Java Technology Edition Version 7.1.
  
  WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5.9 and later also support IBM WebSphere SDK Java Technology Edition Version 8.0.
  
  The IBM Software Development Kit (SDK) provides a full-function SDK for Java that is compliant with Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) application programming interfaces (APIs). The SDK contains the Runtime Environment, which allows users to run Java applications. The SDK also contains other tools that enable developers to create Java applications.

What to do next

Read the migration overview for information about migrating from a previous version of WebSphere Application Server.