Working with server configuration files

This topic show how to manage application server configuration files.

About this task

Application server configuration files define the available application servers, their configurations, and their contents.

A configuration repository stores configuration data.

By default, configuration repositories reside in the config subdirectory of the profile root directory.

Avoid trouble: Do not store any non-default XML or XML backup files under the profile_root/config directory. Limit the config directory and subdirectories to valid default WebSphere Application Server configuration files. A variety of symptoms and exceptions are possible if non-default files are stored in this directory.

A cell-level repository stores configuration data for the entire cell and is managed by a file repository service that runs in the deployment manager. The deployment manager and each node have their own repositories. A node-level repository stores configuration data that is needed by processes on that node and is accessed by the node agent and application servers on that node.

When you change a WebSphere Application Server configuration by creating an application server, installing an application, changing a variable definition or the like, and then save the changes, the cell-level repository is updated. The file synchronization service distributes the changes to the appropriate nodes.

You should periodically save changes to your administrative configuration. You can change the default locations of configuration files, as needed.

Procedure

Edit configuration files.
The master repository is comprised of .xml configuration files

You can edit configuration files using the administrative console, scripting, wsadmin commands, programming, or by editing a configuration file directly.

The configuration files are in ASCII format. You cannot edit them in the Hierarchical File System (HFS). Instead, transfer the files to your workstation, edit them, and then transfer them back to the HFS.
Save changes made to configuration files. Using the console, you can save changes as follows:
1. In the navigation select System administration > Save changes to master repository.
2. Put a check mark in the Synchronize changes with Nodes check box.
3. Click Save.
Handle temporary configuration files resulting from a session timing out.
Change the location of temporary configuration files.
Change the location of backed-up configuration files.
Change the location of temporary workspace files.
Back up and restore configurations.