Setting up a remote web server

You can create a web server definition in the administrative console when the web server and the web server plug-in for WebSphere® Application Server are on the same machine and the application server is on a different machine. This allows you to run an application server on one platform and a web server on another platform.

1. Install IBM Installation Manager.
2. Install your WebSphere Application Server product.
3. Install IBM HTTP Server or another supported web server.
4. Install the web server plug-ins.
5. Install the WebSphere Customization Toolbox.
6. Configure the web server plug-in using the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool.
7. Configure the web server plug-in.
8. Complete the setup by creating the web server definition.
   You can use the WebSphere Application Server administrative console or run the plug-in configuration script:

   • Using the administrative console:
     1. Click System Administration > Nodes > Add Node to create an unmanaged node in which to define a web server in the topology.
     2. Click Servers > Server Types > Web servers > New to launch the Create new web server definition tool. You will create the new web server definition using this tool. The values are as follows:
        1. Select appropriate node
        2. Enter web server properties:
           • Type: The web server vendor type.
           • Port: The existing web server port. The default is 80.
           • Installation Path: The web server installation path. This field is required field for IBM HTTP Server only.
           • WINDOWS Service Name: The Windows operating system service name of the web server. The default is IBMHTTPServer7.0.
           • Use secure protocol: Use the HTTPS protocol to communicate with the web server. The default is HTTP.
           • Plug-in installation location: The directory path where the plug-in is installed.
           • Application mapping to the web server: Whether you want to create a mapping to existing applications that are currently deployed to the web server. Select ALL if you want the mapping created; select None if you do not want the mapping created.
             CAUTION:
             If you have enterprise applications in different security domains when you create a web server, the Key Database (KDB) files for your security configuration might not be created if you have Application mapping to the web server set to All. To resolve this problem, create the web server with Application mapping to the web server set to None. Then map the applications to the web server. All the KDB files for the web server are then created.
        3. Enter the remote web server properties. The properties for the IBM HTTP Server administration server follow:
           • Port: The administration server port. The default is 8008.
           • User ID: The user ID that is created using the htpasswd script.
           • Password: The password that corresponds to the user ID created with the htpasswd script.
           • Use secure protocol: Use the HTTPS protocol to communicate with the administration server. The default is HTTP.
        4. Select a web server template. Select a system template or a user-defined template for the web server you want to create.
        5. Confirmation of web server creation.

   • Run the plug-in configuration script.
9. On the remote web server, run the setupadm script.
   The administration server requires read and write access to configuration files and authentication files to perform web server configuration data administration. You can find the setupadm script in the <IHS_install_root>/bin directory. The administration server has to launchadminctl restart as root to perform successful restarts of IBM HTTP Server. In addition to the web server files, you must manually change the permissions to the targeted plug-in configuration files.

   The setupadm script prompts you for the following input:

   • User ID - The user ID that you use to log on to the administration server. The script creates this user ID.
   • Group name - The administration server accesses the configuration files and authentication files through group file permissions. The script creates the specified group through this script.
   • Directory - The directory where you can find configuration files and authentication files.
   • File name - The following file groups and file permissions change:
     • Single file name
     • File name with wildcard
     • All (default) - All of the files in the specific directory
   • Processing - The setupadm script changes the group and file permissions of the configuration files and authentication files.

   In addition to the web server files, you must change the permissions to the targeted plug-in configuration files. See the topic on setting permissions manually for instructions.

10. On the remote web server, run the htpasswd script.
    The administration server is installed with authentication enabled and a blank admin.passwd password file . The administration server will not accept a connection without a valid user ID and password. This is done to protect the IBM HTTP Server configuration file from unauthorized access.

    Launch the htpasswd utility that is shipped with the administration server. This utility creates and updates the files used to store user names and password for basic authentication. Locate htpasswd in the bin directory.

    • htpasswd -cm <install_dir>\conf\admin.passwd [login name]
    • ./htpasswd -cm <install_dir>/conf/admin.passwd [login name]

    where <install_dir> is the IBM HTTP Server installation directory and [login name] is the user ID that you use to log into the administration server. The [login name] is the user ID that you entered in the user ID field for the remote web server properties in the administrative console.
11. Start IBM HTTP Server.
    Refer to the topic on starting and stopping the IBM HTTP Server Administration server for instructions.