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WAS Cell migration on iSeries

  • 1.  WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed October 26, 2016 07:33 AM

    Hi,

     

    I have two cells on a single installation of WAS ND v7.0 on iSeries v7.1. I have installed a second instance of WAS ND v7.0 on the same host (concurrent instances fully supported by IBM) but want to migrate one of the cells (1 x Dmgr profile and 1 x Managed profile) from one instance to the other. Once migrated I will remove relevant profiles from the original WAS install so there is no issue with port conflict. This way all the ame URLs port numbers etc will apply. I can then patch both WAS installations separately.

    Does anyone know the correct / supported process for this (migrating Cell ... not just a node) on iSeries?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Paul

     



  • 2.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed October 26, 2016 09:13 AM

    Hi Paul,

        For my understanding, you have the next environment

        Previus environment:

        /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/ND

        /QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/ND/profiles/

                                                                                                                                 AppSrvr01

                                                                                                                                 AppSrv02

                                                                                                                                 dmgr01

                                                                                                                                 dmgr02

        Desired new environment

        /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/ND

        /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/ND_NEW

       /QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/ND/profiles/

                                                                                                                                  AppSrv01

                                                                                                                                  dmgr01                                                                                           

       /QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/ND_NEW/profiles/

                                                                                                                                   AppSrv02

                                                                                                                                  dmgr02

     

      Is that true?

     

    Regards



  • 3.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed October 26, 2016 09:51 AM

    Hi Gabriel,

     

    Yes with just one minor exception. It's v7.0 for both instances.

    I am looking at the steps here at the moment.

    Paul



  • 4.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed October 26, 2016 11:19 AM

    Hi,

     

    So the preWASUpgrade will not work on v7.0 as it expects the instance it is pulling from to be back levels (e.g.v6.x). Without being able to get preWASUpgrade working you can't then get postWASUpgrade working and this, (it appears to me) is where the existing configuration get updated (e.g. '/ND/' to '/ND-STG/'). So there doesn't appear to be a cell migration path where WAS is on the same level and on the same host!

    Still looking but a global find-replace on the profile before it is then copied into '/ND-STG/' apppears to be the only way to get this working.

     

    Paul



  • 5.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed October 26, 2016 11:35 AM

    Paul,

      Sure! sorry I have done a copy/paste :-)

     Ok so we need to try

    ConfigArchiveOperations command group for the AdminTask object using wsadmin scripting
    http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSAW57_7.0.0/com.ibm.websphere.nd.iseries.doc/info/iseriesnd/ae/rxml_atconfigarchive.html

    exportWasprofile

    The only doubt is if will works with DMGR


    Note: Only a base server configuration with single node is supported for the exportWasprofile command.

       Hope this helps. Tell us if you need more support


     
    Regards



  • 6.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Thu October 27, 2016 04:44 AM

     Hi Paul,
     
       Another option can be to work with...

       Using properties files to manage system configuration
       http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSAW57_8.5.5/com.ibm.websphere.nd.iseries.doc/ae/txml_property_configuration.html
       
       Extract your previus cell configuration and modify to your new cell.
       
       Hope this helps. Tell us if you need more support
       
     Regards



  • 7.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Fri October 28, 2016 11:16 AM

    Hi Gabriel,

     

    Unfortunately neither works.

     

    'exportWasprofile' obviously has a restriction so this is ruled out immediately as it's the entire cell I need to move.

    'AdminTask.extractConfigProperties' was more promising but again it failed because ultimately the issue with moving the cell is in the profile settings outside the profile configuration. What I did was

    1. installed 3 dummy profiles into new instance. 1 x Dmgr and 2 empty profiles ... all with the same names Dmgr01, STG01 and STG02
    2. using AdminTask.extractConfigProperties I exported the Cell configuration
    3. updated the cell configuration so that any references within the file were changed from '/ND/' to '/ND-STG'
    4. then I renamed the profiles in '/ND-STG/' from Dmgr01, STG01 and STG02 to Dmgr01_bak, STG01_bak and STG02_bak
    5. I then copied the 3 profiles from '/ND/' to '/ND-STG/' (I obviously need to take all the certs, applications, settings etc)
    6. Started up Dmgr01
    7. Imported the updated Cell configuration
    8. Stop the Deployment manager on '/ND-STG/'
    9. Try to restart it but it fails complaining about references to '/ND/'

     

    So there are references above '/QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/AppServer/V7/ND-STG/profiles' but below '/QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/AppServer/V7/ND-STG/profiles/Dmgr01/config' (outside the backupConfig.sh scope) that are unique to '/ND/'.

     

    The only way I can see is to do a recursive find and replace of '/ND/' to '/ND-STG/' for all of '/QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/'.

     

    On an iSeries platform this is a challenge in itself as the 'sed' function has no '-i' switch so each file has to be written to temporary location and then copied back to overwrite the original. I can't lift the profiles onto Windows and use something like 'grep for windows' as there is an issue with the depth of the patch when copying so if it has to be done it will have to be done on the iSeries.

    First of all though I need to understand if this 'find and replace' strategy will actually work (it does on Linux and Windows). I do know that if I don't get all instances then when I patch '/ND-STG/' the '/'ND/' installation says it's also patched and that's a disaster as this would basically kill my Production instances.

     

    Any idea if (a) 'find and replace' as a strategy will work and (b) if there is any easy way / script on iSeries to do this?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Paul



  • 8.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Thu November 10, 2016 06:02 AM

    Hi Paul,

      I assumed that you solved the problem, I did not realize your question :-(

      Yes find and replace strategy will work. All WAS configurations are xml and properties files.  

      In your procedure.
     
      5. I then copied the 3 profiles from '/ND/' to '/ND-STG/' (I obviously need to take all the certs, applications, settings etc)
      6. Started up Dmgr01
      7. Imported the updated Cell configuration
      8. Stop the Deployment manager on '/ND-STG/'

      At point 6. you are starting DMGR01 (on different ports suppose, you have ND/Dmgr01 and /ND-STG/Dmgr01 started at the same time) and is starting because is pointing to /ND/, can you check Environment->WebSphere variables all the paths need to be pointing to /ND/
        
      after point 7. and before 8. logout and login in Adminconsole and check again Environment->WebSphere variables, are they change from /ND/ to /ND-STG/?
     
      If they are changed. Change your /ND-STG/Dmgr01/bin/setUpCmdLine to point to /ND-STG/ and stop/start /ND-STG/Dmgr01

      Is starting?
     
      If you can start Dmgr01 inside /ND-STG/ you have done, because then you can change from admin console STG01 and STG02 profiles and synchronize them.
     
      Inside Profiles references inside files to path \ND\ can be at next directories "bin", "config\cells\CELLNAME" and "properties"
     
      Usually paths are stored inside config\cells\CELLNAME at variables.xml and resources.xml files (at different scopes, nodes, servers, clusters) or at applications directories.
     
      Inside bin directory usually all scripts call setUpCmdLine script file so patching this files all the most of the scripts need to be work.
     
      I have done sometimes, "shared" your directories from IFS  but not all the path only profiles ('/QIBM/UserData/WebSphere/AppServer/V7/ND-STG/"profiles") connect to them from a windows and then use search of windows. Then change manually the files.
     
      Take a look to the next utility
      http://www.code400.com/forum/forum/tips-techniques-tools-announcements/iseries-tools/14046-new-ifstool-command-to-replace-character-strings-in-multiple-stream-files  
     
     
     
    Regards



  • 9.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Thu November 10, 2016 06:31 AM

    Hi Gabriel,

     

    Unfortunately it still rumbles on. There is a lot to go through here, thanks for all the feedback.

    One challenge we have is that we don't manage the OS. However I have the provider looking at creating a script to recursively change all the occurences of the string as this is really a OS type issue now. I will however point them to this IFS replace tool and let them decide which is a better option.

    I will let you know how I get on.

    Again much appreciated.

    Paul

     



  • 10.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed November 09, 2016 09:18 AM

    Sounds like you are doing a Repository Migration...take a look at the following WebCast:

    http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27020204

    Hope it helps...



  • 11.  RE: WAS Cell migration on iSeries

    Posted Wed November 09, 2016 10:54 AM

    Hi Eric,

     

    Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately none of the options will work (Manageprofiles or backupconfig etc) as they all have one thing in common ....They specify that 'should be at the same version and release and on the same install location' and this is exactly what I am trying to change.

     

    Regards,

     

    Paul