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Adding middleware servers to configurations

Using middleware servers, you can manage all of the servers in your environment, including servers that are not created with Intelligent Management, by using the product administrative domain.

Before you begin

If you are configuring representations in the domain of externally created middleware servers, perform the following tasks on the nodes:
  1. Install and configure the middleware software on the nodes.
  2. The node agent on each node must be at the same fix pack level as the deployment manager.
  3. Federate nodes to an Intelligent Management cell.

    You can use the addNode command or the administrative console to federate the node. For more information, read about utilizing the addNode command and the topic on adding, managing, and removing nodes.

  4. Create and configure ODRs. Read about creating ODRs for more details.
  5. Each of your nodes must have the same network view for each endpoint and resource that is related to WebSphere® Application Server. All host entries or host alias entries that are related to WebSphere Application Server within a hosts file must be included in the hosts file on each of the other nodes in the configuration, including any hosts file on nodes that run the node agent. For example, if you define a product-related host alias called xdagentA in the hosts file for the nodeA node, then the hosts file on each middleware node must contain an entry for the xdagentA host alias.

About this task

Middleware servers encompass all servers in the middleware tier that provide the infrastructure for applications or their data. The steps vary depending on if you are configuring complete lifecycle management middleware servers or assisted lifecycle management middleware servers.

Procedure

  • Complete lifecycle servers include any servers that the environment can instantiate, or create. These server types include WebSphere Application Server types such as application servers, generic servers, Web servers, and proxy servers. The product adds complete lifecycle management for PHP servers and WebSphere Application Server Community Edition servers. For more information, read about adding complete lifecycle middleware servers.
  • With assisted lifecycle servers, you use templates to create representations of servers. However, these servers still exist within the administrative domain of their respective middleware platform. These servers can be controlled operationally. Server health and performance are monitored. You can configure the administrative console to display log files and configuration files for these servers. For more information, read about adding assisted lifecycle middleware servers.

What to do next

To easily manage groups of servers to host an application, configure dynamic clusters. You can create clusters of either type of server. However, dynamic application placement is supported only on complete lifecycle servers. When you create a dynamic cluster of assisted lifecycle middleware servers, the same version of middleware software and the same applications must be installed on the servers. If the servers in a dynamic cluster have varying sets of applications installed, routing through the on-demand router might result in failed requests.

The logs and trace views in the administrative console that you access by clicking Troubleshooting > Logs and trace are not supported for externally created middleware servers and PHP servers. You can use the external log viewing service to view the log files for these server types in the administrative console. To configure the external log viewing service, navigate to the configuration panel for the server and click External log service.