Overview of the IBM Installation Manager and WebSphere Application Server Installation

IBM® Installation Manager is a single installation program that uses remote or local software repositories to install, modify, or update certain IBM products. Use this program to install, update, modify, roll back, and uninstall packages on your computer. The program locates and shows available packages, checks prerequisites and interdependencies, and installs or modifies the selected packages. You also use Installation Manager to uninstall the packages that you installed using Installation Manager.

IBM Installation Manager can be installed in three different modes. The primary difference between these modes is which users can launch Installation Manager:

• Administrator Mode
• Non-Administrator Mode
• Group Mode

Installation Manager overview

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSDV2W_1.8.5/com.ibm.cic.agent.ui.doc/topics/t_im_overview.html

IBM Installation Manager Knowledge Center Link

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSDV2W/im_family_welcome.html

Installing the IBM Installation Manager and the WebSphere product:

Preparing the operating system for product installation

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSAW57_8.5.5/com.ibm.websphere.installation.nd.doc/ae/tins_prepare.html

Installation Manager and Packaging Utility Downloads

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27025142

System Requirements for IBM Installation Manager and Packaging Utility

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27036456

Installing IBM Installation Manager (IBM Support TV)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX86M2azNp4

Installing or updating Installation Manager (Knowledge Center link)

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSDV2W_1.8.5/com.ibm.cic.agent.ui.doc/topics/r_install_im_overview.html

Webcast: Best Practices for Install/Update of WebSphere Application Server V8 using Installation Manager

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27046166

Reinstalling Installation Manager in wizard mode (Knowledge Center link)

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSDV2W_1.8.5/com.ibm.cic.agent.ui.doc/topics/t_manually_installing.html

What are the IMShared and Agent data directories created by the IBM Installation Manager?

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/aimsupport/entry/what_are_imshared_and_agent_data_directories_created_during_install_of_websphere_application_server_install_by_installation_manager?lang=en

How to use imcl command to view the list of the packages, updates, and features in a source repository

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/aimsupport/entry/use_imcl_to_view_list_of_packages_updates_features_in_source_repository?lang=en

Installing optional Java 7.x on WebSphere Application Server 8.5

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/aimsupport/entry/installing_optional_java_7_x_on_websphere_application_server_8_5_0_0?lang=en

IBM Installation Manager Backup / Recovery:

Prior to installing new products or updating existing products using the IBM Installation Manager (IM)
you should create a backup of any currently installed products along with a backup of the
IBM Installation Manager directories. Creating backups of these directories at the same date/time will
allow you to recover in the event a problem occurs during the installation process.
The following is a list of directories to backup:

1. The WebSphere product installation location or WAS_HOME, for example:
• /usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer
• /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer
• C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer
2. Installation Manager Agent Data directory
3. Installation Manager Shared Resources directory
4. Installation Manager Installation directory

For details on how to find the locations of the above IBM Installation Manager directories please see the following link:

Backing up and restoring Installation Manager

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSDV2W_1.8.5/com.ibm.cic.agent.ui.doc/topics/t_im_backup.html

Avoid trouble: In order to recover you will need to restore the above four directories from the same date/time to ensure synchronization between the product installations and the IBM Installation Manager Agent Data. If you do not have a backup or if the backup is corrupt you must manually uninstall the products, delete the agent data directory, then re-install the IBM Installation Manager and the products.