IBM Http Server (IHS) Install Blueprint

Project overview.

Here is a summary of what this project will achieve.

This project is designed to install IBM HTTP Server using RapidDeploy.

The server in the project is Windows. It can be cloned to Linux but it will need different configuration in RD Project.

The project is preconfigured with one target environment.

Specific application configuration items can be changed between environments, by use of Data Dictionary items.

Prerequisites

• A remote Windows server with firewall configuration that allow connection from the machine when RapidDeploy instance is installed (for testing purposes we suggest to turn the firewall off).
• RapidDeploy Agent should be downloaded and running on a remote Windows server
• In order to automatically download IBM IHS binaries RapidDeploy you will need to have your IBM ID and password
• In this example we assume also that IBM Installation Manager is already installed. If you don’t have it yet, please use this RapidDeploy project to install IBM IM first
• IBM IHS installation is based on task that is included in  rapiddeploy-core-plugins-prd-generic-environment-filesystem.jar   and   rapiddeploy-orchestration.jar  – so make sure these jars are in your RapidDeploy agent  lib   folder or they are added to your project classpath
• Make sure you have correct values in your hosts file (http://www.rackspace.com/knowledge_center/article/how-do-i-modify-my-hosts-file).

What is preconfigured and demonstrated

• One target server for Windows. The user will need to configure the actual hostname for this logical server definition.
• Use of the RapidDeploy agent. If deploying to Linux then you’ll probably want to change this to use the SSH.
• LocalCommandRunnerTask  task to run imutilsc command from Installation Manager and specify access to the IHS online repository using your IBM ID and password
• IBMInstallationManagerExecuteCommandTask task to run imcl command with arguments based on task resources (see the task specification and investigate task resources on Orchestration tab )

How to use this project.

1. Download the project to your desktop by clicking on one of the links. The file will be saved as InstallIHS.zip
2. Log into your RapidDeploy instance as mvadmin.
3. Navigate to Resources-> Projects.
4. In the top right hand corner click on the Upload Project button.
5. Select the zip file you downloaded in step 1.
6. You are guided through a project import wizard. The important thing to check and change (if necessary) here is the path to the project storage directory (you will need to check it in SCM Repository tab, Artifact Repository tab and File System tab). Look at the example below:
   For example you are running RapidDeploy on Windows and your MV_HOME is set to C:/MV_HOME/midvision. Usually all RapidDeploy projects are stored in the  MV_HOME\projects directory. After importing our project, if you noticed that Project Root Directory path on the  SCM Repository  tab is   /rd/projects/InstallIHS,  then in this case you will need to change the path to C:\mv_home\midvision\projects\InstallIHS

   Change paths in Artifact Repository and File System in similar way

7. Once the project is imported, there are a couple of things you’ll need to do.
   • Firstly, you will need to change the server configuration. In order to do that navigate to  Resources -> Targets -> Servers and find aws-ihs-windows-server   (this is the name we used in our sample project). Edit this server – put correct Hostname then navigate to Transport tab and check if it is possible to connect to your remote Windows server by clicking Test Connection.
     Note that Successful connection is mandatory to go further!
   • Secondly, in sample project C:\IBM\IHS is set as a installation path – if you need to change this – please go to Orchestration  tab and change DirectoryWriteCheckTask property and also put the same path in EnvironmentInstallation (Resources  ->   Targets   ->    Installations), make sure that path to Installation Manager specified in IBMInstallationManagerExecuteCommandTask task and LocalCommandRunnerTask task is correct.
   • You need to create deployment package. Go to  Packages tab, click  Create Package button.
8. Navigate to Project -> Targets Tab.
   • Select the Play button next to the target.
   • Select the package you want to deploy from the droplist.
   • Since there is only one package, it is preselected. The latest package will always be preselected by default.
   • Click on the  Yes  button in this dialog.
   • The deployment is started and you are taken to the running jobs panel where you see the tasks executed and job log in real time.