[Linux][AIX][Windows][z/OS][IBM i]

Changing the HTTP plug-in configuration

You can change the HTTP plug-in configuration without having to stop the server and start it again.

About this task

[HP-UX][Solaris]Restriction: The hot deployment and dynamic reloading function is not supported when the product is running on these operating systems. The Java archive (JAR) files within the associated Java Development Kit (JDK) are memory mapped. If these JAR files are updated by the hot deployment and dynamic reloading functionality when they are being used by the Java virtual machine (JVM), the files become inconsistent, which results in an application server crash. When you make changes to an application on these operating systems, do not use the hot deployment and dynamic reloading functionality. Instead, restart the application to reflect the changes.

There are several change that you can make to the HTTP plug-in configuration without stopping the server and starting it again.

Important: See Ways to update enterprise application files and determine whether hot deployment is the appropriate way for you to update your HTTP plug-in configuration. Other ways are easier and hot deployment is appropriate only for experienced users.

The following table lists the changes that you can make to the HTTP plug-in configuration. The table also states whether you use hot deployment or dynamic reloading to make the changes.

Table 1. Available changes to HTTP plug-in configuration files . Available changes using hot deployment or dynamic reloading.
Change Hot deployment Dynamic reloading
Change the application.xml file to change the context root of a web application archive (WAR file). Yes No
Change the web.xml file to add, remove, or modify a servlet mapping. Yes Yes
Change the server.xml file to add, remove, or modify an HTTP transport or change the virtualhost.xml file to add or remove a virtual host or to add, remove, or modify a virtual host alias. Yes Yes
Avoid trouble: The following steps reference the GenPluginCfg.bat/sh script. You must delete the plugin-cfg.xml file in the profile_root/config/cells directory before you use the GenPluginCfg.bat/sh script. Otherwise, configuration changes do not persist to the plugin-cfg.xml file.

Procedure

  • Change the application.xml file to change the context root of a WAR file.
    1. Change the application.xml file.
    2. If the plug-in configuration property Automatically propagate plug-in configuration file is selected for this plug-in, it is automatically regenerated whenever the application.xml file changes.

      See Web server plug-in properties settings for information on how to set this property. You can also run the GenPluginCfg.bat/sh script, or issue a wsadmin command to regenerate the plug-in configuration file.

  • Change the web.xml file to add, remove, or modify a servlet mapping.
    1. Change the web.xml file.
    2. If the plug-in configuration property Automatically propagate plug-in configuration file is selected for this plug-in, it is automatically regenerated whenever the web.xml file changes.

      See Web server plug-in properties settings for information on how to set this property. You can also run the GenPluginCfg.bat/sh script, or issue a wsadmin command to regenerate the plug-in configuration file.

      If the web application has file serving enabled or has a servlet mapping of /, the plug-in configuration does not have to be regenerated. In all other cases a regeneration is required.

  • Change the server.xml file to add, remove, or modify an HTTP transport or change the virtualhost.xml file to add or remove a virtual host or to add, remove, or modify a virtual host alias.
    1. Change the server.xml file or the virtualhost.xml file.
    2. If the plug-in configuration property Automatically propagate plug-in configuration file is selected for this plug-in, it is automatically regenerated whenever the server.xml file changes.

      See Web server plug-in properties settings for information on how to set the this property. You can also run the GenPluginCfg.bat/sh script, or issue a wsadmin command to regenerate the plug-in configuration file.