Installing and configuring web server plug-ins

WebSphere® Application Server supplies a unique binary plug-in module for each supported web server. The plug-in configuration file, which the WebSphere Application Server products create and maintain, interacts with the binary module to provide information about the application server configuration to the web server. The web server uses the information to determine how to communicate with the application server.

Before you begin

See Web server plug-in policy for WebSphere Application Server for information about how to verify what plug-in versions are installed on local or remote web servers and how to determine if the installation complies with supported configurations.

You must install a supported web server before you can install and configure a plug-in for the web server.

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] The Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool configures the web server for communicating with the application server and creates a web server configuration definition in the application server if possible.

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] Some topologies, such as the web server on one system and the application server on another system, prevent the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool from creating the web server definition in the application server configuration directly on the remote system. In such a case, the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool creates a script that you can copy to the application server system. Run the script to create the web server configuration definition within the application server configuration.

Supported configurations: The Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool is intended for use with the full WebSphere Application Server profile; it is not required or supported for use in generating a web server plug-in for the Liberty profile. For information on generating a web server plug-in for the Liberty profile, read Configuring the Liberty profile with a web server plug-in.

About this task

This article describes installing and configuring web server plug-ins for WebSphere Application Server. WebSphere Application Server products supplies a unique binary plug-in module for each supported web server. The plug-in configuration file, which the WebSphere Application Server products create and maintain, interacts with the binary module to provide information about the application server configuration to the web server. The web server uses the information to determine how to communicate with the application server.

The Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool configures the web server and the application server to allow communication between the servers.

Tip: As an alternative to using the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool, you can use the pct command-line tool with a response file to configure a web server. Read Configuring a web server plug-in using the pct tool for more information.

Select one of the following topology scenarios and follow the steps after the diagram to install the plug-in and configure both the web server and the application server.

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] When multiple profiles exist, you can select the profile that the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool configures. See Plug-ins configuration for a description of the flow of logic that determines how to select the profile to configure.

Procedure

Scenario 1: Local application server profile The application server and the web server are on a single system or logical partition.

See Configuring a web server and an application server profile on the same machine for the procedure that explains how to create this web server topology for an application server profile.
Scenario 2: Remote The application server and the web server are on separate machines or logical partitions.

See Configuring a web server and an application server on separate machines (remote) for the procedure that explains how to create this web server topology.
Scenario 3: Remote Multiple standalone application servers are on one system, and each application server has a dedicated web server on a separate system or logical partition.

See Configuring multiple web servers and remote standalone application servers for the procedure that explains how to create this web server topology.

Results

You can install a web server and the web server plug-ins for various standalone application server topologies by following the procedures described in this article.

What to do next

See Selecting a web server topology diagram and roadmap for an overview of the installation procedure.

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] See Web server configuration for more information about the files involved in configuring a web server.

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] See Editing Web server configuration files for information about how the Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool configures supported web servers.