Installing WebSphere 7 for Developers

1. Prerequisites and System Information

To use WebSphere with MyEclipse, you must have a MyEclipse Blue or Bling subscription.

This document outlines WAS installation on Windows.  If you are on Unix/Linux, please see the appropriate WebSphere docs to guide you through the exact programs to launch that are synonymous with the ones outlined in this Windows tutorial. If there are comparable executables on Linux, the instructions, except for the directory paths, will be very similar.

Note: There is no WebSphere installation available for Macintosh.

You need a handful of different software programs to complete the steps in this document.

• WebSphere Application Server 7.0 for Developers Installer
• Latest WebSphere Update Installer
• WebSphere Application Server 7.0.0.x Update PAK (.PAK file)
• Java SDK Update for 7.0.0.x (.PAK file)

These are the installers and PAKs used for this tutorial. If you are reading this tutorial at a later date and additional Feature Packs or update PAKs are available, be sure that none of the additional updates interfere with the functions of the Feature Packs outlined in this document. Most likely, there will be no conflicts.

2. Install WebSphere Application Server 7

1. Download the free WebSphere Application Server run time file.
2. After the ZIP file is downloaded, extract the files, and double-click launchpad.exe.
   
   Websphere installer executable file
3. After Launchpad starts, click the link to launch the installer for WebSphere Application Server for Developers.
   
   Websphere Welcome screenNote: If for some reason the link doesn’t work (e.g., for operating system security restrictions), you can close Launchpad and launch the WebSphere Application Server installer by going into the WAS folder, and running install.exe.
4. After the installer has initialized, the Installation wizard screen appears:
   
   Websphere installation wizard
5. For the most part, accepting the defaults through the installation is fine. When you reach the Administrative Security portion of the wizard, disable that feature by deselecting the Enable administrative security checkbox. Click Next.
   Disabling administrative securityThis tutorial is geared towards a development installation of WebSphere Application Server, which is why Administrative Security is not necessary.
6. You are presented with a summary of the installation actions to be performed. Click Next again to begin installation.
7. After the installer is done, click Finish.

3. Disable the Windows System Service

By default, when WebSphere Application Server is installed, the installer adds a Windows System Service that runs WebSphere automatically on boot up. This is typically necessary on a production server, but on a development machine, starting an entire application server on startup not only slows down your startup, but it also conflicts with managing WebSphere from inside MyEclipse. Because of this, you should disable this system service so it doesn’t start on boot up.

1. On Windows XP, click the Start Menu, then Control Panel and then Administrative Tools and Services to find the list of system services. On Vista and 7, open the Start menu, and type Services into the filter box to find the link.
   
   Opening Windows services
2. On the Services window, scroll down to the service named IBM WebSphere Application Server V7.0 and likely the computer node name after that. Right-click the service, and select Properties or double-click the entry to to open its service properties.
3. Select Disabled or Manual from the Startup type drop-down, and click OK.
   
   Changing the service startup type
   
   Note: If the service is running, click the Stop button on this window.

4. Install the WebSphere Update Installer

WebSphere Application Server updates are installed using the WebSphere Update Installer. You need the Update Installer to install PAK files representing updates for the server.

1. Download the WebSphere Update Installer from the IBM download page.
2. After the ZIP file is downloaded, extract the files, and double-click installer.exe in the UpdateInstaller folder.
   
   Drilling down to the WebSphere Update Installer fileThe Welcome screen of the WebSphere Update Installer appears.
   
   Update Installer installation wizard
3. Click Next on each installer page, selecting the defaults. On the last page of the wizard, the installer asks if you want to launch the WebSphere Update Installer, but you have not yet downloaded the PAK files to install, so deselect the checkbox for now, and click Finish.
   
   Final installer page

5. Apply WebSphere 7.0.0.x & Java SDK Updates

1. To apply these PAK files, download them, and place them in the maintenance folder of the WebSphere Update Installer, as this is the default location in which the Update Installer looks. In this case, because you installed the Updater Installer into the C:Program FilesIBMWebSphereUpdateInstaller folder, the folder in which to place PAK files is as shown below.
   
   Location of the maintenance folder for PAK files
2. Run the Update Installer from the Start menu as shown below.
   
   Running Update Installer from the Start menuImportant Note: If you installed WebSphere Application Server to the C:Program Files folder, due to revised permission control on Windows 7 and Vista, we recommend you right-click the Update Installer windows shortcut, and select Run as Administrator to ensure the update doesn’t fail due to permission problems.
   
   Running Update Installer as administrator
3. After launching the Update Installer and clicking Next, you are prompted for the installation folder of WebSphere Application Server. By default the Update Installer should find and display it, but confirm that it is correct.
4. Click Next to install or uninstall a maintenance package; in this case accept the default, which is Install. Click Next to enter the folder containing the maintenance package files (PAK files). You placed them in the maintenance folder below the Update Installer’s installation folder, which is displayed by default.
   
   Entering the maintenance package folder
5. After changing the folder or confirming the default and clicking Next, the Update Installer displays the update packs it found and prompts you to confirm/select the ones you want to install. In this case, you have two update packs listed.
   
   List of available maintenance packages
6. Click Next, and the installer verifies the action you are about to perform and prompts you to confirm it. Click Next again and the update process begins.
   
   Update progressNote: Given the size of the update package being applied, on a fast machine this can take 2-5 mins; on a slower machine it could take up to 10 mins or more to run.
7. After the update is finished, the Update Installer confirms the process is complete.
   
   Installation confirmation

Important Note: If the update process fails at any point, you can try to re-run the Update Installer. It attempts to recover the failed update. If recovery fails, it is possible that a server resource is locked due to a hung server process or running server. Be sure the server is stopped and we recommend rebooting your computer before trying to recover the update process to make sure all open file handles are closed.

6. Manage Your Profile

Now that you have installed all updates for WebSphere 7, you must create a profile to use the WebSphere Application Server.

1. Launch the Profile Management Tool from the Start menu.
   
   Opening Profile Management Tool from the Start menu
2. Click Profile Management Tool , and then click Create.
   
   Profile Management Tool options
3. Select the features on which you want to base the new profile, in this case Application server, and click Next.
   
   Environment Selection window
4. Select either a Typical or Advanced profile creation, and click Next.
   
   Selecting configuration type
5. Deselect the Enable Administrative Security checkbox just as you did when installing the WebSphere Application Server software. Click Next.
6. The wizard displays the profile summary. Click Create to generate the profile based on the platform technology you selected.
7. Click Finish to launch the First Steps console.
8. Click the Installation verification link on the First Steps console. Websphere starts up and a console window appears, displaying the startup log.
   
   First steps – installation verification
9. Look for verification success messages at the end of the console log before the installation is verified. This can take a few minutes to display.
   
   Installation verification console message
10. After the installation is verified, close the console window, and click Stop the Server on the First Steps console. Another console log appears. Close the Console window when complete.
11. Close the First Steps console. Your installation of WebSphere Application Server is complete.

Note: If your default browser is at a path that includes embedded spaces, you might have difficulty during installation. If this is the case, modify the firststeps.bat file (in the firststeps folder of the profile) to add double quotes around all instances of %FirstStepsDefaultBrowserPath%.