Options for installing the application server software

Options

You have four options available on how to set up WebSphere Application Server.

Install WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment with the InfoSphere Information Server program

As part of the services tier installation, the installation program creates a server profile that is named InfoSphere and an application server instance that is named server1. This application server is licensed for use only with InfoSphere Information Server.

The advantage of this option is that the installation program does much of the configuration for you and you get a fully functional application server with wider authentication and security options to handle more complex configurations.

Install WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile with the InfoSphere Information Server program

As part of the services tier installation, the installation program installs WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile under the InfoSphere Information Server installation directory in a folder named wlp. This application server is licensed for use only with InfoSphere Information Server.

WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile offers the following benefits:

• The application server uses less memory and disk space.
• The installation is considerably faster.
• There is little post-installation configuration.
• Specialized administration expertise is not required.

Be mindful of the following limitations with using WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile that are not present with WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment:

• You use the application server that is installed with InfoSphere Information Server. You cannot use your own preinstalled version of WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile.
• Updates and patches to the application server are offered through the Liberty profile as well as through InfoSphere Information Server updates or patches. For more information about applying interim fixes to the Liberty profile, see http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/api/content/nl/en-us/SSAW57_8.5.5/com.ibm.websphere.wlp.nd.doc/ae/twlp_inst_interimfix.html. It is critical to back up your InfoSphere Information Server installation directory before applying any patches or fix packs.
• Application server clustering is not supported. (You can, however, use WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile with a clustered database.)
• LDAP authentication is supported, but LDAP attribute mapping is not. (That is, user and group attributes other than the user and group ID, such as name or email address that might be in the LDAP registry, will not made available to populate various interface screens.)
• Local operating system user registry is not supported.
• PAM user registry is not supported.
• Windows desktop SSO for IBM InfoSphere Information Governance Catalog is not supported.

In general, WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile is a good choice for smaller businesses and organizations that do not require the complex configuration options that come with WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment.

Preinstall or use an existing version of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment in a stand-alone configuration

If you use an existing installation of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment in a stand-alone configuration, you must create the profile manually. You must create an empty and unsecure profile that will be solely dedicated to InfoSphere Information Server. The InfoSphere Information Server installation program will secure the profile and do the necessary configuration. However, if you are using an existing installation of WebSphere Application Server that has a clustered configuration, you must create a deployment manager profile that is secured before you start the installation.

The application server that is bundled with InfoSphere Information Server is licensed for use only with InfoSphere Information Server. If you use your own preinstalled separately licensed installation of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, you can run other applications in separate profiles on the same computer as InfoSphere Information Server.

Preinstall or use an existing version of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment in a clustered configuration

If you want to set up a clustered WebSphere Application Server configuration for high availability and scalability, you must preinstall or use an existing version of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment. You configure the cluster, profiles, and optionally the front-end dispatcher before you install InfoSphere Information Server. You can configure the front-end web server after installation. InfoSphere Information Server requires a dedicated cluster (not shared with any other applications). The cell that contains the dedicated cluster can be shared, however.

Version support

WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment (64-bit) 8.5.5.1 and future fix packs are the only supported versions of WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, whether the application server is pre-installed or installed by the installation program.

WebSphere Application Server Liberty Profile 8.5.5.1 is the version that can be installed by the InfoSphere Information Server installation program, if this is the application server that you choose to use.

IBM InfoSphere Information Services Director binding support