best practice to update websphere

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WebSphere® Support Technical Exchange

Best Practices for WebSphere Application Server Product Updates

Joe Mertzlufft

IBM Software Group

WebSphere® Support Technical Exchange 2 of 39

Agenda

Overview of the update process

Choosing and obtaining the correct maintenance packages

Obtaining and installing the UpdateInstaller utility

Using the UpdateInstaller to install maintenance

Locating log files and identifying common issues

Additional tips for avoiding issues

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Overview of the Update Process – Products

The update process discussed in this presentation is applicable to two releases of three products:

Releases V6.1 and V7.0

WebSphere® Application Server

IBM® HTTP Server

WebSphere Plugin

This pertains to distributed operating systemsAIX, HP-UX, Linux®, Solaris, and Windows®

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Overview – maintenance packages

IBM periodically releases code upgrades to fix defects and improve performance and serviceability, called fix packs

Also previously referred to as refresh packs or cumulative fixes

IBM also releases patches to address individual issues, called interim fixes

Collectively refer to these as “maintenance packages” Typically distributed from IBM.com, in the form of a file

with a “.pak” extension

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Overview – fix pack types There are two types of fix packs for each product

Product fix pack

Java™ SDK fix pack Purpose of Java

WebSphere Application Server runs on Java

IBM HTTP Server and Plugin use Java for utilities Fix pack types are intentionally kept separate We typically recommend updating the product with both

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Overview – UpdateInstaller

UpdateInstaller is the utility responsible for applying a maintenance pack to an existing instance of the product

Several versions available – aside from certain limitations, new UpdateInstaller versions can update previous releases of WebSphere products

UpdateInstaller needs to be installed prior to updating a product

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Overview – roll-back features and .pak files

UpdateInstaller automatically creates backups of the product binaries it modifies

The backups are used to roll back a maintenance pack Do not need original .pak file for uninstalling the

maintenance The backups also help recover from update failure

Creating a backup of config data is your responsibility – use a utility such as “backupConfig”

Must have .pak file available for reinstalling a fix, or installing a fix on another instance of the product

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Overview – tools and requirements WebSphere product must be installed Need access to same user which installed product Need an “unzip” utility for unpacking zip files UpdateInstaller (downloaded, then installed) Maintenance pack file downloaded

Ideally, maintenance file should be present on a local filesystem

Ample filesystem space fix packs typically require 500 megabytes in the system's temporary

directory and 600-800 free in the filesystem which contains the product

Time – download time, install time, update time, rollback time, and server downtime

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Choosing the correct maintenance package

WebSphere Application Server products support a number of operating systems and system architecturesLinux: AMD/Intel (x86 / x86_64), PowerPC, OS/390

HP-UX: PA-RISC, Itanium

Solaris: SPARC, x86_64 Some editions of the product have 32-bit and 64-bit

offerings Need to match fix pack to the product offering

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How to determine the product edition

V7.0: versionInfo utility helps determine product edition

Prior to V7.0: Edition not as obvious using commands supplied with the product

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Determining product edition in V6.1

Look for the “version.txt” file, located in the “uninst” directory

The file is plain text and relatively small The “Platform” and “Architecture” information indicates

the product edition (32-bit or 64-bit) Example:

Name: IBM Common Install Engine for WebSphere SoftwareVersion: 6.1.0.0Platform: linuxArchitecture: ia32Build Release: WAS61.IWASBuild Level: b0620.14Build Date: 05/16/2006

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Determining product edition in V7.0

Use the “versionInfo” command Located in the product's “bin” subdirectory

./versionInfo.sh or versionInfo.bat Example:

Installed Product-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Name IBM WebSphere Application Server - NDVersion 7.0.0.0ID NDBuild Level r0835.03Build Date 8/31/08Architecture AMD (64 bit)

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Obtaining the maintenance package Navigate to the appropriate page for the fix pack you

needUse the “Recommended Updates” page

Use tabs at top of fix pack page to navigate to other operating systems

Search for fixes by ID (i.e., PK12345)Use the “fix list” link from the Recommended

Updates page to see if the fix is already rolled into a fix pack

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Example of fix pack listing Excerpt of V6.1 Fix Pack 25 for Linux download page

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Check the file extension

Check the file extension:<filename>.pak: Do not unzip this

<filename>.zip: Unzip this

<filename>.pak.zip: Do not unzip this; renamefile with “.pak” extension only

Most maintenance should not be unzipped (unpacked)Old maintenance packs for V6.0 need to be unzipped

Certain interim fixes for V6.1 need to be unzipped

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Obtain the UpdateInstaller – choose one

These are the WebSphere versions you are updating TO – the new version of the product once the maintenance is installed

Does not matter which version you are updating FROM 32-bit and 64-bit UpdateInstaller editions are both compatible with

the 32-bit and 64-bit products they updateRecommend using the 32-bit edition

WebSphere version updating TO Recommended UpdateInstaller

Other compatible UpdateInstaller

V6.0.0 to V6.0.2.20 V6.0 –V6.0.2.21 and later V7.0 V6.0, V6.1V6.1, all versions V7.0 V6.1V7.0, all versions V7.0 –

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Download and prepare UpdateInstaller

Generally, pages on IBM.com which offer a maintenance pack download will also link to the UpdateInstaller download page

Alternatively, use UpdateInstaller resource page for accessing a page which links to all releases of the UpdateInstaller

Unzip downloaded file to a temporary directory You must have a utility available capable of handling zip files

Do not use the “jar xvf” command to unzip the file

Downloads for some operating systems are available as .tar.gz

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Installing – Prepare the response file

You can install using a graphical wizard, or using a non-interactive silent mode

Once UpdateInstaller is unzipped, the response file is in directory named “UpdateInstaller”, named responsefile.updiinstaller.txt

Make a copy of the response file, open in text editor Comments in response file explain what settings to edit

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Installation response file minimum changes Minimum changes for UpdateInstaller response# 1. Change the "false" to "true" to accept the license agreement-OPT silentInstallLicenseAcceptance="false"

# 2. If you are installing as a non-root user, then un-comment the# "allowNonRootSilentInstall" line below by removing the hash mark.# -OPT allowNonRootSilentInstall="true"

# 3. We recommend disabling the OS prereq check to avoid having the# commonly-seen warnings halt the install.# To do so, uncomment the line by removing the hash mark.# -OPT disableOSPrereqChecking="true"

# 4. This is where you declare the location to which the UpdateInstaller# is installed. In the sample response file, there are several# examples above and below this line. Only one of these lines should# be uncommented. Edit the text and specify the full path to the# installation location between the "double quotation marks".-OPT installLocation="<SPECIFY_INSTALL_LOCATION_HERE>"

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Initiate installation

Run the UpdateInstaller's install command:Windows:install -silent -options responsefile.updiinstaller.txtUnix and Linux:./install.sh -silent -options responsefile.updiinstaller.txt

Note: Some offerings use “./install” instead of “./install.sh”.

Running the command with no parameters brings up the graphical install wizard

“Silent” mode will print little or no text indicating success or failure

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Basic troubleshooting – location of logs

<updateinstaller_target>/logs/log.txt <user_home>/updilogs/log.txt

Name of log.txt may have date stamp in file name (V7.0) or numbers at the end of the file name (V6.1)

user_home:

• Windows cd %userprofile%• Unix and Linux cd ~ (tilde)

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Basic troubleshooting – result of install

Look at the last line of the log (log.txt) file Verify that the timestamp indicates a recent time Look for the following messages:

INSTCONFSUCCESS: Success!

INSTCONFFAILURE: Failure. Read the log from top to bottom, and look for error messages or java exceptions.

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Installing maintenance – preparation

Once UpdateInstaller is installed, you can then use it to apply maintenance packs to the product

You can update using a graphical wizard, or using a non-interactive silent mode

The response file is in the directory named “responsefiles” and is named “install.txt”

Make a copy of the response file, open in text editor Comments in response file explain what settings to edit

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Update response file minimum changes Minimum changes for update response file# 1. This parameter specifies the path to the response files to be# installed. Remove the hash mark at the front, then specify the# FULL PATH AND FILE NAME of the maintenance pack(s) to install.# Keep the value between the “double quotes”.# If you want to install more than one, then separate the full paths# with semi-colons ( ; ). The complete sample response file has# examples of how this should look.#-W maintenance.package="SPECIFY_PATH_TO_MAINTENCE_PACKAGES_HERE"

# 2. AIX only: If you using a non-root user, then uncomment the# line below by removing the hash mark. At some point BEFORE# running the updateinstaller, the root user should run the# command, "slibclean".#-OPT rootUserHasRunSlibcleanCommandSuccessfully="true"

# 3. This is where you specify the full path to the location of the# product which will be updated with the maintenance packs.# Edit the value below. Keep the value between the "double quotes".-W product.location="SPECIFY_PRODUCT_INSTALL_LOCATION_HERE"

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Prepare UpdateInstaller for update

All application servers (or web servers) in all profiles associated with product must be shut down

Log in as the same user that was used to install the product

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Initiate UpdateInstaller for update

Run the UpdateInstaller's install command:Windows:update -silent -options install.txtUnix and Linux:./update.sh -silent -options install.txt

Note: Some offerings use “update” instead of “update.sh”.

Update process: Running the command with no parameters brings up the graphical

install wizard

“Silent” mode will print little or no text indicating success or failure

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Basic troubleshooting – update logs

Check <UpdateInstaller_dir>/logs/tmp# directories Each new set of logs is written to a new “tmp#” directory

# is the highest available number

Focus on “updatelog.txt” Example: /UpdateInstaller/logs/tmp9/updatelog.txt

Log will remain in this location if there is a prerequisite error or if an invalid .pak file name was specified

Log is moved out of this location if UpdateInstaller begins processing the actual fix pack file

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Basic troubleshooting – update logs (ctd)

Check <product_home>/logs/update directory Logs moved to this location once update process begins If only one fix is installed, then set of logs are moved to

subdirectory “<FIXNAME>.install” Example: 6.1.0-WS-WAS-LinuxX32-FP0000035.install

Example: PK12345.install

If multiple fixes are installed, then set of logs are moved to subdirectory named “install”

Full path would be <product_home>/logs/update/install

Not the same as <product_home>/logs/install

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Basic troubleshooting – result of update

Look at the last line of the log (updatelog.txt) file Verify that the timestamp indicates a recent time Look for the following messages:

INSTCONFSUCCESS: Success!

INSTCONFFAILURE: Failure. Read the log from top to bottom, and look for error messages or java exceptions.

INSTCONFPARTIALSUCCESS: “Partial success”

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What do you do if it failed?

Set up a response file to uninstall the most recently installed maintenance packs

Use the “uninstall.txt” sample

Similar to “install.txt” sample, except instead of giving a full path to a “.pak” file, just give the name of the “.pak” file with no path

Invoke the UpdateInstaller again, and using your “uninstall” response file

Upon successfully uninstalling the failed maintenance pack, you can restart the product, or you can attempt to install the maintenance pack again.

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“Partial” success? Maintenance packs can potentially run configuration

scripts for tweaking configuration

A “partial success” means that all code fixes were delivered – this is good news

A “partial success” means that at least one of the scripts for tweaking the configuration failed

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What about the script that failed?

The script would be considered “non-essential”

The configuration scripts can be run again later, without reinstalling the whole maintenance pack

Can safely start and run servers after a “partial success”

Reason for script failure logged in updateconfig.log – usually requires assistance from IBM Support

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Basic troubleshooting – common issues

Double-check response file Filesystem space Check file permissions

Did you unzip the install package properly?

“Access is denied” error writing a file Ensure all servers on all profiles associated with install are shut down

Windows: Turn off Indexing Services

Windows: If servers are set to automatically start up with the system, set them to “manual” start-up. Reboot (make sure no servers are started upon reboot), then use UpdateInstaller again.

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Basic troubleshooting – common issues (ctd)

No log file generated? Try running installer with this parameter, in addition to other parameters:

-is:javaconsole

./install -silent -options test.txt -is:javaconsole

./update -silent -options test.txt -is:javaconsole

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Avoid trouble: Common issues

All servers for all profiles associated with a particular install instance must be shut down

Windows: Some DLL files (such as WASServiceMsg.dll) may be locked by the operating system itself, and shutting down application servers does not resolve the lock. Must reboot system and ensure no server processes automatically start with it.

Network filesystems: Under most circumstances, it is okay to install a fix pack from a file located on a remote filesystem. However, this may be significantly slower than copying the fix pack to the local filesystem and installing it from there

If installing from a system that uses a remote “dial-up” or VPN software to communicate with servers on an isolated network, be sure that you occasionally do something over that connection to be sure that it does not time-out and disconnect during the UpdateInstaller operations.

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Summary

Choose the correct fix pack by identifying your product

Obtain and install the UpdateInstaller

Locate the logs produced from the update

Verify that the fix installed properly

If a failure occurred, use the troubleshooting tips

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Additional WebSphere Product Resources Discover the latest trends in WebSphere Technology and implementation, participate in

technically-focused briefings, webcasts and podcasts at: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/community/

Learn about other upcoming webcasts, conferences and events: http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/events_1.html

Join the Global WebSphere User Group Community: http://www.websphere.org

Access key product show-me demos and tutorials by visiting IBM Education Assistant: http://www.ibm.com/software/info/education/assistant

View a webcast replay with step-by-step instructions for using the Service Request (SR) tool for submitting problems electronically: http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/support/d2w.html

Sign up to receive weekly technical My Notifications emails: http://www.ibm.com/software/support/einfo.html

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/community/

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/community/

http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/events_1.html

http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/events_1.html

http://www.websphere.org/

http://www.websphere.org/

http://www.ibm.com/software/info/education/assistant

http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/support/d2w.html

http://www.ibm.com/software/websphere/support/d2w.html

http://www.ibm.com/software/support/einfo.html



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