Server default binding settings

Use this page to specify the server default bindings if you want to override the default bindings that are specified for the cell (global security) or the security domain to which the server is deployed.

This administrative console page applies only to Java™ API for XML Web Services (JAX-WS) applications.

Policy set bindings for servers

To understand default policy set bindings, it is important to first understand policy set bindings.

Policy set bindings contain platform-specific information, such as keystore, authentication information or persistent information that is required by a policy set attachment. A policy set attachment is a policy set that is attached to an application resource. In WebSphere® Application Server Version 7.0 and later, there are two types of bindings, general bindings and application specific bindings.

There are two types of general bindings, general service provider bindings and general service client bindings. You can configure one or more general service provider bindings and one or more general service client bindings across a range of policy sets. Additionally, you can re-use these general bindings across applications and for trust service attachments. To define and manage general bindings, in the administrative console click Services > Policy sets > General provider policy set bindings or Services > Policy sets > General client policy set bindings. The general service provider and client bindings have independent settings that you can customize to meet the needs of your environment. To learn more about general bindings, read about defining and managing policy set bindings.

You can create application specific bindings when you attach a policy set to an application resource. These bindings are specific to and defined to the characteristics of the policy. Application specific bindings are capable of providing configuration for advanced policy requirements, such as multiple signatures; however, these bindings are only reusable within an application. Furthermore, application specific bindings have limited reuse across policy sets. To assign application specific bindings to an application for service providers, in the administrative console click Applications > Applications Types > WebSphere enterprise applications > application_name > Service provider policy sets and bindings > Assign Binding > New Application Specific Binding. To assign application specific bindings to an application for service clients, in the administrative console click Applications > Applications Types > WebSphere enterprise applications > application_name > Service client policy sets and bindings > Assign Binding > New Application Specific Binding.

Default policy set bindings for servers

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 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 assigning a security domain with a default binding to your server.

The general bindings that are provided with the product are initially set as the cell (global security) 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. 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 a cell (global security) default bindings, in the administrative console 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. To learn more about default policy set bindings for the cell (global security), see the default policy set bindings documentation.

In addition to choosing default bindings for the cell (global security), you can also choose the general provider and general client bindings that you want to use as the default bindings for a server. Use this page to choose the default bindings for a server from the administrative console. Click Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name and then from 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 cell (global security) is 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 cell (global security) default bindings. You cannot delete a binding that has been selected as the default binding for server, a domain, or the cell. Before you delete the binding, you must select a different binding as the default or choose to use the defaults for the cell (global security).

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.