uninstall fixpacks

Someone asked me how to troubleshoot fixpack uninstallation process.

Befroe going into that, read the following from UpdateInstaller README. You can find this under Update_Inst_Path/docs/raedme_updateinstaller.txt/pdf/html

3.0 Uninstalling maintenance packages

This topic describes how to use the Update Installer for WebSphere
Software to uninstall interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs. The
Update Installer for WebSphere Software is also known as the update
installer program, the updateInstaller program, and the Update
installation wizard.



Use the proper authorizations to successfully uninstall product updates.
Use the update installer program as the root user on a Linux or UNIX
platform, or as the administrator on a Windows platform.

The Update Installer wizard is an InstallShield for Multiplatforms
wizard that runs with either a graphical user interface or in silent
mode with a response file.

Important: See 4.3, "Known problems and workarounds for the update
command" for information about known problems and workarounds.

The following descriptions contain reference information about
uninstalling interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs on WebSphere
Application Server products:

Overview of the uninstall procedure
To uninstall a maintenance package:
1. Use the update installer to install the maintenance package,
which creates a backup file in the
app_server_root/properties/version/nif/backup directory. IBM
does not support user modifications to backup files.
2. Use the update installer program to remove the maintenance
package as described in this topic.

Viewing the fix level of the node
You can use the 5.0, "versionInfo command" in the
app_server_root/bin directory to display the exact fix and
version level of the product. However, do not use the
versionInfo command while installing or uninstalling a
maintenance package.

Do not launch multiple copies of the Update Installer wizard at one
time: Concurrent launches of the update installer program are not
supported. Performing more than one update at the same time can produce
unpredictable results, which might include a failed or faulty
installation.

Required information

The graphical interface requires the following information that you
must supply:

Table 4. Information required when uninstalling a maintenance package
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Field | Valid values | Description |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| File path of the | Identify the | The Update Installer |
| installation root | installation root | application defaults |
| directory of the | directory for one of | to the last-visited |
| WebSphere product and | the following | product location. |
| the Update Installer | products: | |
| | * IBM WebSphere | |
| | Application Server | |
| | * IBM WebSphere | |
| | Application Server - | |
| | Express | |
| | * Embedded version | |
| | of the IBM WebSphere | |
| | Application Server - | |
| | Express | |
| | * IBM WebSphere | |
| | Application Server | |
| | Network Deployment | |
| | * IBM WebSphere | |
| | Extended Deployment | |
| | * IBM Application | |
| | Client for WebSphere | |
| | Application Server | |
| | * IBM WebSphere | |
| | Business Integration | |
| | Server Foundation | |
| | * Web server | |
| | plug-ins for | |
| | WebSphere | |
| | Application Server | |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| File name of the | Select a maintenance | The default |
| maintenance package | package to uninstall | maintenance package |
| to uninstall. | from the | is the package with |
| | app_server_root/prop | the latest date |
| | erties/version/ | stamp and time stamp |
| | update/backup | in the |
| | directory. | app_server_root |
| | | /properties/version/ |
| | | update/backup |
| | | directory. |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+



The following procedure describes how to uninstall a maintenance
package.

1. Log on to the operating system.

[Linux] In addition, verify that the umask setting is 022. To verify
the umask setting, issue the following command:

umask

To set the umask setting to 022, issue the following command:

umask 022

2. Change directories to the updi_root directory.
3. [Windows] Use the Windows Services panel to stop all services for
WebSphere Application Server processes.
4. Stop all Java processes that use the IBM Software Developer Kit (SDK)
that the WebSphere Application Server product provides.

Before uninstalling interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs on a
machine, stop all Java processes on the machine that use the IBM SDK,
Java Technology Edition that WebSphere Application Server provides.



WebSphere Application Server processes include:
* Application server processes
* The nodeagent process on an application server node when the node
is federated into a deployment manager cell
* The dmgr process for the deployment manager server



Stop all Java processes if necessary. If you uninstall a maintenance
package while a WebSphere Application Server-related Java process
runs, IBM does not guarantee that the product can continue to run
successfully, or without error.

5. Use the update installer to uninstall the maintenance package.

Uninstall the interim fix on each application server node in a cell
before uninstalling the maintenance package from the deployment
manager node.



Issue one of the following commands to uninstall with the graphical
interface:

Table 5. Update installer commands for uninstalling with the graphical
interface
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| Command example | Type of | Description |
| | installatio | |
| | n | |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| update.bat -W | Graphical | Initializes the |
| update.type="uninstall" | interface | maintenance package |
| | mode | field with the name |
| | | of the maintenance |
| | | package that was |
| | | most recently |
| | | installed. |
| | | Accept all of the |
| | | default values to |
| | | uninstall the |
| | | maintenance package |
| | | with the most recent |
| | | date stamp and time |
| | | stamp. |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| update.bat -W | Graphical | Overrides the |
| product.location="e: | interface | graphical interface |
| \IBM\WebSphere\AppServer" -W | mode | with the location of |
| update.type="uninstall" | | the WebSphere |
| | | software to update. |
| | | The default |
| | | maintenance package |
| | | to uninstall is the |
| | | most recently |
| | | installed |
| | | maintenance package |
| | | for that software. |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| update.bat -W | Graphical | Overrides the |
| backup.package="PQ20029.pak" | interface | maintenance package |
| -W update.type="uninstall" | mode | field with the name |
| | | of the maintenance |
| | | package to |
| | | uninstall. |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| update.bat -W | Graphical | Overrides the |
| product.location="e: | interface | location of the |
| \IBM\WebSphere\AppServer" -W | mode | WebSphere software |
| backup.package="PQ20029.pak" | | to update and the |
| -W update.type="uninstall" | | name of the |
| | | maintenance package |
| | | to uninstall. |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| update.bat -options | Graphical | Overrides all |
| "responsefiles/file_name" | interface | default values with |
| | mode with | values that you |
| | an options | specified in the |
| | file | options response |
| | | file. |
| | | If you omit either |
| | | value from the |
| | | response file, the |
| | | default maintenance |
| | | package is the |
| | | installed package |
| | | with the most recent |
| | | date stamp and time |
| | | stamp. The default |
| | | software is the |
| | | software installed |
| | | in the parent |
| | | directory. |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+



Issue the following command to use the silent interface:

Table 6. Update installer command for uninstalling in silent mode
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| Command example | Type of | Description |
| | installatio | |
| | n | |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+
| update.bat -silent -options | Silent mode | Overrides all |
| "responsefiles/file_name" | with an | default values with |
| | options | values that you |
| | file | specified in the |
| | | options response |
| | | file. |
| | | Always use a |
| | | response file that |
| | | is based on the |
| | | response file under |
| | | updi_root/responsefi |
| | | les. |
+--------------------------------+-------------+----------------------+



This procedure results in uninstalling maintenance packages to update
WebSphere software.



After uninstalling maintenance packages, you can continue to use the
WebSphere software.

Rolling back changes to existing profiles: Some maintenance packages
for WebSphere Application Server products, such as Refresh Pack 2,
update existing profiles. If you roll back a maintenance package that
contains a profile update, also use any undo scripts provided with the
profile update script to roll back changes to the existing profiles.

The readme file for a maintenance package describes scripts that update
and scripts that roll back profile fix levels. For example, Refresh Pack
2 for WebSphere Application Server includes required service for the
JDBC resource provider templates in existing profiles. See the readme
for the profile update and undo scripts for the JDBC-related update for
more information.

Deleting profiles created by a service level that is now rolled back:
See Profiles remain at the Version 6.0.2 level after roll back for a
description of a limitation that requires profiles to be at the same
service level or at a lower service level that the WebSphere Application
Server product.

For example, suppose that you install Fix Pack 1 for Version 6.1
(Version 6.1.0.1), create a new profile, and then roll back Fix Pack 1.
You must delete the profile that you created at the Version 6.1.0.1
level to avoid possible problems.

3.1 uninstall.txt

The Update Installer for WebSphere Software can use an options response
file to uninstall maintenance packages from a command line interface.

The uninstall.txt file has one directive that identifies the backup file
for uninstalling a service update. Comments in the file describe how to
set the string value.

The Update Installer for WebSphere Software wizard reads the options
file to determine uninstall choices. The Update Installer uninstalls the
maintenance package in silent mode, instead of displaying a graphical
user interface.

3.1.1 Location of the response file

The sample options response file is named uninstall.txt. The file is in
the updi_root/responsefiles directory after you unzip the Update
Installer for WebSphere Software into the installation root directory of
the WebSphere software product.

3.1.2 Uninstalling silently

The options file supplies the values to the Update installer wizard when
uninstalling silently. The wizard reads the options file to determine
responses and does not display the graphical user interface.

The following command uses a copy of the options file named
myresponsefile.txt to provide uninstall option responses during a silent
uninstall:

./update.sh -options "responsefiles/myresponsefile.txt" -silent

If you do not use the -silent option, the wizard uses the response file
to provide initial values for the graphical interface:

./update.sh -options "responsefiles/myresponsefile.txt"

3.1.3 Response file user entry validation

In a silent uninstall, response file validation has been coded into the
uninstall process. If the validation does not pass, the failure is
recorded in the log files in the app_server_root/logs/update/tmp
directory.

Location of the maintenance package to be uninstalled


Default directive setting
-W backup.package=""

Valid setting
You must set this directive to the location of the
backup file. The backup file reverses the application
of the maintenance. For example, you might specify the
following location on a Linux system:
/opt/properties/version/nif/backup/maintenance_package_to_uninstall


Error identifiers:

* The maintenance package cannot be uninstalled.
Uninstalling the maintenance would break the
following superseding maintenance packages.
Uninstall the superseding maintenance packages
first: list_of_superseding_maintenance_packages
* This maintenance package cannot be uninstalled. The
following maintenance packages are dependent on the
package that you are attempting to uninstall:
list_of_dependent_maintenance_packages
* This maintenance package cannot be uninstalled. The
following maintenance packages are dependent on the
APARs you are attempting to uninstall:
list_of_dependent_maintenance_packages
* No installation backup packages are available for
uninstalling maintenance.


Product location


Although uninstalling maintenance from another product is
possible, always use the Update installer wizard from the
directory structure of the product that you are updating if
possible. Problems can occur when a mismatch between product
SDKs occurs, for example.



Do not use this directive unless absolutely necessary.



Default directive setting
-W
product.location="SPECIFY_PRODUCT_INSTALL_LOCATION_HERE"

Valid setting
You must set this directive to the installation root
directory of the alternate product. For example, you
might specify the following location on a Linux
system:
/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer2


Error identifiers:

* The maintenance package cannot be uninstalled.
Uninstalling the maintenance would break the
following superseding maintenance packages.
Uninstall the superseding maintenance packages
first: list_of_superseding_maintenance_packages
* This maintenance package cannot be uninstalled. The
following maintenance packages are dependent on the
package that you are attempting to uninstall:
list_of_dependent_maintenance_packages
* This maintenance package cannot be uninstalled. The
following maintenance packages are dependent on the
APARs you are attempting to uninstall:
list_of_dependent_maintenance_packages
* No installation backup packages are available for
uninstalling maintenance.
*

3.1.4 Usage notes

* The file is not a read-only file.
* Edit this file directly with your flat file editor of choice, such as
Kate on SLES or WordPad on a Windows platform.
* The file must exist to perform a silent uninstall. The Update
installer wizard reads this file to determine uninstall parameters.
Provide the fully qualified file path to the backup file.
* Save the copy of the options file in the responsefiles directory for
best results.

3.1.5 Example uninstall.txt file

Edit the version of the file that is included in the Update Installer
for WebSphere Software ZIP file. The following example is not guaranteed
to be an accurate representation of the actual file.

################################################################################
#
# This is the silent install response file for uninstalling maintenance packages
# using the update installer.
#
# A common use of an options file is to run the wizard in silent mode. This lets
# the options file author specify wizard settings without having to run the
# wizard in graphical or console mode. To use this options file for silent mode
# execution, *uncomment* and modify the parameters defined within.
#
# Use the following command line when running the wizard from the update
# installer directory:
#
# update -options responsefiles/uninstall.txt -silent
#
# Please enclose all values within a single pair of double quotes.
#
################################################################################


################################################################################
#
# Used to input the maintenance backup package filename to be uninstalled.
# This is the same filename as the package that was originally installed.
# A maintenance package can only be uninstalled if a backup package exists.
#
# ie. -W backup.package="PQ20029.pak"
#
# Note: If no package is specified, a default of the last installed maintenance
# package will be used.
#
#-W backup.package=""


################################################################################
#
# Used to modify the product install location that will be updated.
# This value should be left commented out if the Update Installer is
# being run from the recommended location
#
# ie. -W product.location="C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer"
#
# Note: The product install location should always been specified, and it should
# always be the full path.
#
-W product.location=""



################################################################################
#
# Do not edit these values.
#
-W update.type="uninstall"

.....................................................................


So, according to documentation,
1. uninstall process requires you to log in as correct privileges.
2. you need to make sure that you are using correct UpdateInstaller.
3. in general, if the uninstallation fails, may mean that, installation is partial success.
4. check the dependencies.
5. you need to tail app_server_root/logs/update/maintenance_package.uninstall this log for any issues and act accordingly
6. Sometimes, this could be a reason -
(Sep 27, 2006 12:33:10 PM), UpdateInstaller, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.PopulateTitleBarAction, msg1, IBM Update Installer for WebSphere Software V6.0.2.7
(Sep 27, 2006 12:33:11 PM), UpdateInstaller, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.PopulateUninstallMaintenancePanelAction, err, CWUPI0024E: /software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/updateinstaller/maintenance/6.0.2-WS-WAS-SolarisSparc-FP0000005.pak is not a valid maintenance package or may be corrupted.
(Sep 27, 2006 12:33:11 PM), UpdateInstaller, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.SetExitCodeAction, msg1, CWUPI0000I: EXITCODE=1
(Sep 27, 2006 12:33:11 PM), UpdateInstaller, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogSuccessMessageAction, msg1, INSTCONFFAILED

In such cases, you can manually remove the pack and update corresponding maintenance files.

Log Rotation

What is log rotation?

WebSphere Application Server process writes different logs to log different events and errors.
They are
1. Diagnostic Trace


You can set the max file size to say, 20MB, and when ever the file maxes out, the server rotates it taking historical number. Maximum number of Historical Files Specifies the maximum number of rolled over files to keep. If historical number is 1, means that, when trace.log maxes out, it renames the trace.log with trace_currentdate.log and keep on writing into trace.log and so on.

Here is the
${SERVER_LOG_ROOT}/trace.log

2. JVM Logs

These are SystemOut.log and SystemErr.log
You can rotate the with Size and time.

3. Process Logs

These are native_stdout.log and native_stderr.log
If you verbose gc, gc information will be written into native_Stdout.log. If you dump threads on a live process, this is file which dump thread process dumps the thread information. If you have any process related errors, native_stderr.log is the location to find them. You cannot rotate these files.
4. Service Log

IKEYMAN

ikeyman is a UI tool comes with IHS/WAS with which one can create certificates, extract them, import them, export them, create self signed certificates and so on.

When to use ikeyman?
When your certificates expire, you need to have new certificates. You use ikeyman to import the new certificates
When you want create self signed certificates. You use ikeyman.
You have to eshtablish trust between different clients and your server. You use ikeyman.

Here is a technote on Creating Custom Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Key Files using a CA Certificate

Here is the ikeyman doc. Click here


Install SSL Certificate using IBM ikeyman

Websphere Migration

Migration
This term has many definitions and a broad scope. In this document, the meaning of migration is limited to the actions associated with moving Java™ 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE™) applications (EARs) and Application Server configuration data (such as resources and security settings) from a previous version of Application Server to V6.

WASPreUpgrade (tool)
Refers to the first step of the two-step migration process. The tool associated with this step will extract information from the previous version of Application Server and store it in a backup directory. This tool can be run by itself from the command line or as part of the migration wizard.

WASPostUpgrade (tool)
Refers to the second step of the two-step migration process. The tool associated with this step will take information from a directory created by the WASPreUpgrade tool and import it into a V6 profile. This tool can be run by itself from the command line or as part of the migration wizard.

Backup directory
Refers to a directory structure created by the WASPreUpgrade tool that contains all the information necessary for migration from the previous version of Application Server.

Migration wizard
Refers to the graphical user interface (GUI) that interactively performs the migration. This GUI tool performs the WASPreUpgrade and WASPostUpgrade steps.

FirstSteps (tool)
Tool provided in V6 to simplify and organize many actions that customers may wish to perform with a newly installed system. It can be found in the firststeps directory under each profile and can be used to launch the migration wizard.

Profiles
This concept expands on the idea of "instances" in V5. It refers to the collection of all the configuration data for an Application Server in V6. Application Server V6 provides for multiple profiles with only one install of the binaries. A single profile is required as the destination for the data being migrated from a previous version. (See Installing Application Server V6.)

Cell
Refers to the collection of one or more nodes controlled by a single deployment manager.

Federate or Federated
Refers to the action of adding a node to a cell; also refers to a node that is part of a cell. This term has been expanded to also refer to a node in a multi-node V4 domain.

Deployment manager profile (dmgr profile)
This profile acts as the deployment manager, and is the destination for the migration of the V5 deployment manager, and as a new deployment manager for V4 migrations. There can be only one deployment manager profile for each cell.

Standalone or Application Server profile
Refers to a profile that is analogous to a single node install of Application Server. This type of profile is the destination for the migrations of a node either in a cell or not in a cell.

Clusters
This term replaces the idea of ServerGroups from V4. Clusters are sets of servers that are used for distributing workload within a cell.


A quick guide for migrating to IBM WebSphere Application Server V6

security.xml file is corrupted

If security.xml file is corrupted how will restore it?
First, what is file corruption?
Corrupted files are files that suddenly become inoperable or unusable. There are several reasons why a file may become corrupted. In some cases, it is possible to recover and fix the corrupted file, while at other times it may be necessary to delete the file and replace it with an earlier saved version.

What are the chances of security.xml becoming corrupted? There are chances for any config file to become corrupted.

Things to understand:-
1. How to avoid this?
2. What to do when this happens?

1. How to avoid this?
When you plan to edit Security.xml or any configuration file, better to take a hard copy back up or run backupConfig script. Hard copy backup, cp file as security_bak.xml, then make make changes to security.

2. What to do when this happens?
Say, on 5th, Tuesday, Feb you made changes to your security, it got fat fingured or corrupted, goto your system admin, revert it back to last working copy.
I would do like this. I would talk to my system admin and ask him to load security.xml from lastnights backup. We at our office, have nightly backups and weekly backups. We retain a months historical backups.

OR - If you know your security model completely, you can manually goto security.xml file, set security to false. save and recycle your server. It sets secutiy to false means no security. Now, set your security again.

Again, When will you modify security.xml? This is not an every day task. You will edit your security at the time of setting up new installation, or when you have a change in LDAP info or, when there is a need to add a new user or group etc. So, its always a good practice to take security.xml backup before you modify it.

There is even a better way to do this, specially in Production Environments. Let your versioning system take care of it. Meaning, check in your configuration into a version control system. If you make any change, it can be tracked.

Backups in WebSphere

How we take backups in WebSphere?
To know this one should understand what is backup?, how it can be done?, what to backup?, when to backup?.
What is backup? A Backup is a routine runs everyday/week/month per your schedule, takes a copy of the file system or Snapshot of entire OS and so on.
How it can be done?
This is done a special group called System Administrators. They may use a specific software and schedule backup task, like Veritas NetBackup. When will the scheduler runs? Depends on the enterprise backup policy. It can a nightly backups, or over the weekend and so on.
Backup in view of WebSphere - One can backup WebSphere Configuration time to time or as and when required.
How to take Backup in WebSphere?
WebSphere supplies a command called backupConfig
backupConfig.sh backup_file [options]where backup_file specifies the file to which the backup is written. If you do not specify one, a unique name is generated.
Options
-nostop -quiet -logfile logfile_name -profileName profile_name -replacelog -trace -username user_name -password password -help -?

nostop
Tells the backupConfig command not to stop the servers before backing up the configuration
-quiet
Suppresses the progress information that the backupConfig command prints in normal mode
-logfile file_name
Specifies the location of the log file to which trace information is written
By default, the log file is named backupConfig.log and is created in the logs directory.

-profileName profile_name
Defines the profile of the application server process in a multi-profile installation
The -profileName option is not required for running in a single-profile environment. The default for this option is the default profile.

-replacelog
Replaces the log file instead of appending to the current log
-trace
Generates trace information into the log file for debugging purposes
-username user_name
Specifies the user name for authentication if security is enabled in the server; acts the same as the -user option
-user user_name
Specifies the user name for authentication if security is enabled in the server; acts the same as the -username option
-password password
Specifies the password for authentication if security is enabled in the server
-help
Prints a usage statement
-?
Prints a usage statement

How can we configure Remote Plugin?

This is the procedure
Machine A: WAS
Machine B: IHS
Thumb Rule: Install Plugins on IHS Machine and propagrate them to WAS.
Procedure
Machine A : Install WAS.
Machine B: Install IHS
Machine B : Install Plugins: In the installation process, you have to select remote WAS, and name for ur webserverconfig, say webserver1. After installation, in the IHS_INST/conf/httpd.conf check for IBM Module entry and Plugin installation paths
Goto the plugin installation path/bin
Check for configurewebserver1.sh/bat
Now,
Copy that file, configurewebserver1.sh/bat to WAS box, that is Machine A. The file contains this info.
./wsadmin.sh -f configureWebserverDefinition.jacl webserver1 IHS '/software/IBM/IHS' '
/software/IBM/IHS/conf/httpd.conf' 7700 MAP_ALL '/software/IBM/Plugins' unmanage
d webserver1 hostname solaris
(This is an example, 7700 is port number.)
If you already have enabled global security on WAS, you need to add -username adminusername and -password hispassword at the end of the above script.

Then run the script.

Which creates a WebServer definition in the AppServer.

U need to configure WAS to remote admin WebServer.

Click Here to Download

configuration change when fedarated

1. what are all configuration files got changed when we add a node into cell?

When you federate, dmgr takes control of ur federated node. so, it copys DMGRCell into ur node, and pushes ur node info into dmgrcell.

2. What are server.xml and serverindex.xml?

Server.xml is an xml file :). Which contains the information needed for your JVM, like, ur jvm name, clustername, services, properties, threadpoolsettings, process definitions, components and so on
serverindex.xml :
This is the file whoch holds : host name info, deployed application info, ur app server ports info, etc

3. what is FFDC?

FFDC - First Failure Data Capture.
WebSphere Application Server V6 includes a feature called First Failure Data
Capture (FFDC). The FFDC feature runs in the background and collects events
and errors that occur during WebSphere Application Server runtime. The
information that it collects are written to log files in the
/profiles//logs/ffdc directory.