Setting server default bindings for policy sets

You can set server default bindings if you want the policy set attachments for service providers and clients that are deployed to the server to use bindings that are different than those that are specified for the cell. If you use multiple security domains, your default server bindings will also override the security domain default bindings.

Before you begin

Before you can set server default bindings for your Java™ API for XML-Based Web Services (JAX-WS) application, you must first configure at least one general provider policy set binding or general client policy set binding. To define and manage these general bindings, use the administrative console and select Services > Policy sets > General provider policy set bindings or Services > Policy sets > General client policy set bindings .

About this task

For transitioning users: In WebSphere Application Server Version 7.0 and later, the security model was enhanced to a domain-centric security model instead of a server-based security model. The configuration of the default global security (cell) level and default server level bindings has also changed in this version of the product. In the WebSphere Application Server Version 6.1 Feature Pack for Web Services, you can configure one set of default bindings for the cell and optionally configure one set of default bindings for each server. In Version 7.0 and later, you can configure one or more general service provider bindings and one or more general service client bindings. After you have configured general bindings, you can specify which of these bindings is the global default binding. You can also optionally specify general binding that are used as the default for an application server or a security domain.

General service provider and client bindings are not linked to a particular policy set, and they provide configuration information that you can reuse across multiple applications. You can create and manage general provider and client policy set bindings, and then select one of each binding type to use as the default for an application server. Setting the server default bindings is useful if you want the services that are deployed to a server to share binding configuration. You can also accomplish this sharing of binding configuration by assigning the binding to each application deployed to the server or by setting default bindings for a security domain and assigning the security domain to one or more servers.

You can specify default bindings for your service provider or client that are used at the global security (cell) level, for a security domain, for a particular server. The default bindings are used in the absence of an overriding binding specified at a lower scope. The following list is the order of precedence from lowest to highest that the application server uses to determine which default bindings to use:
  1. Server level default
  2. Security domain level default
  3. Global security (cell) default

The sample general bindings that are provided with the product are initially set as the global security (cell) default bindings. The default service provider binding and the default service client bindings are used when no application specific bindings or trust service bindings are assigned to a policy set attachment. For trust service attachments, the default bindings are used when no trust specific bindings are assigned. If you do not want to use the provided Provider sample as the default service provider binding, you can select an existing general provider binding or create a new general provider binding to meet your business needs. Likewise, if you do not want to use the provided Client sample as the default service client binding, you can select an existing general client binding or create a new general client binding. To specify your global security (cell) default bindings, use the administrative console, and click Services > Policy sets > Default policy set bindings. For environments with multiple security domains, you can optionally choose the general provider and general client bindings that you want to use as the default bindings for a domain.

In addition to choosing default bindings for the global security (cell), you can also choose the general provider and general client bindings that you want to use as the default bindings for a server. This is only necessary if you want to use different default bindings for a particular server than those used by the other servers in the security domain or cell.

To choose the default bindings for a server from the administrative console, click Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name and then under Security, click Default policy set bindings. If you do not choose a general binding as the default for a server, the default bindings for the domain in which the server resides is used. If you do not choose a binding as the default for a domain, the default bindings for the global security (cell) are used. You must choose a default service provider and default service client bindings for the cell. The general bindings that are included with the product are initially set as the global security (cell) default bindings. You cannot delete a binding that is used as part of any policy set attachment or specified as the default binding for server, a domain, or the cell. To learn more about defining default bindings for a server, see the server default bindings documentation.

Mixed-version environment:

If you have an application that contains one or more application specific bindings that are configured at the WebSphere® Application Server Version 6.1 level, this application is a V6.1 application. If you have applications that are deployed to V6.1 servers within the Version 7.0 or later application server environment, or you have V6.1 applications that are deployed to V7.0 or later versions of the application server, you can specify Version 6.1 default policy set bindings for the cell. These bindings are used for both client and provider policy set attachments within V6.1 applications and attachments to service applications that are deployed to a V6.1 server. Additionally, these default bindings are used for V6.1 attachments unless they are overridden at the attachment point by an application specific binding or a V6.1 server default binding. You can upgrade V6.1 bindings to the bindings that are used by WebSphere Application Server V7.0 and later versions. Use the upgradeBindings command using the wsadmin tool to upgrade the bindings level, if the V6.1 application is not installed on WebSphere Application Server V6.1.

Depending on your assigned security role when security is enabled, you might not have access to text entry fields or buttons to create or edit configuration data. Review the administrative roles documentation to learn more about the valid roles for the application server.

Procedure

  1. Open the administrative console.
  2. To set default policy set bindings for your server, selectServers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name > Default policy set bindings.
  3. Select the server default provider binding.

    If you specify a server default provider binding, the selected binding overrides the default provider bindings that are specified for the cell or the security domain to which the server is deployed. The default setting is None.

    If multiple security domains are in use, the name of the security domain to which each binding is scoped displays next to the name of each available provider binding. Only the bindings that are scoped to the global security level or to the security domain to which the server is deployed are displayed.

  4. Select the server default client binding.

    If you specify a server default client binding, the selected binding overrides the default client bindings that are specified for the cell or the security domain to which the server is deployed. The default setting is None.

    If multiple security domains are in use, the name of the security domain to which each binding is scoped displays next to the name of each available provider binding. Only the bindings that are scoped to the global security level or to the security domain to which the server is deployed are displayed.

  5. Click Apply or OK to submit your changes.
  6. Click Save to save your changes to the master configuration.
  7. (optional) If you are using a Version 6.1 application, you can specify server V6.1 default policy set bindings. To set these bindings, select Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name > Default policy set bindings > Version 6.1 default policy set bindings.
    Mixed-version environment: Select the V6.1 default bindings for this server. If your application contains one or more application specific bindings that are configured at the WebSphere Application Server V6.1 level, this application is a V6.1 application. These default bindings are used for client and provider policy set attachments for applications that are deployed to V6.1 servers, and for V6.1 applications that are deployed to V7.0 and later servers. These bindings are used for both client and provider policy set attachments within V6.1 applications and attachments to service applications that are deployed to a V6.1 server. Additionally, these default bindings are used for V6.1 attachments unless they are overridden at the attachment point by an application specific binding or a V6.1 server default binding.

Results

When you complete these steps, the server default bindings are defined and all policy set attachments that specify use of the default binding for your web service applications that are deployed to the server will use server level default bindings.

Example

Suppose you have configured an application server, server1, and you have deployed several web service applications to the server1 application server. Because these applications have similar security and quality of service requirements and you plan for them to share security configuration, you want to define the default bindings for policy set attachments to service providers and clients using the server1.

Suppose also that you want to modify the provided general provider binding, Provider sample. You can copy and modify this provided sample to take advantage of existing bindings.

  1. Copy and modify the provided Provider sample and Client sample to meet your security and quality of service requirements. Include binding configuration for all policy types.
    • Click Services > Policy sets > General provider policy set bindings. Select Provider sample > copy. Name the new general provider binding, MyServiceProviderbinding , and provide a description for the new binding.
    • Click Services > Policy sets > General client policy set bindings. Select Client sample > copy. Name the new general client binding, MyServiceClientbinding, and provide a description for the new binding.
  2. Locate server1 in the Application servers collection and click the instance. From the administrative console, select Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers , and click the server1 instance.
  3. Click Default policy set bindings.
  4. Select the bindings that you want to use for your provider and client policy set attachments. In this example, select your customized general bindings, MyServiceProviderbinding and MyServiceClientbinding.
  5. Click Apply or OK to submit your changes.
  6. Click Save to save your changes to the master configuration.
Each time you attach a policy set to a service or client deployed to the server1 application server, it is initially set to use the specified bindings.
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What to do next

After setting server default bindings, you can start deploying services to the server and start attaching policy sets. Alternatively, you might already have services deployed to the server, and the server is using the global default bindings because there is no server default binding. Now that you have set server default bindings, ensure that the server default bindings are used for the service messages as specified.