IBM WAS v6.1 Administration Unit 4 Network Deployment administration flow

Managed Nodes versus Unmanaged Nodes


Note : A node agent is a process that handles communications with the resources within that node.

A managed node is a node that contains a node agent.

An unmanaged node is a node in the cell without a node agent.
--------- Enables the rest of the environment to be aware of the node
------------- Useful for defining HTTP servers as part of the topology.
------------- Enables creation of different plug-in configurations for different HTTP servers.

Network Deployment administration flow

Each managed process, node agent, deployment manager starts with its own set of configuration files.
Deployment Manager contains the MASTER configuration and application files (any changes made at the node agent or server level are local and will be overridden by the Master configuration at the next synchronization).
Master distributes the EAR file and remains the main repository.
Cell.cfg
NodeA.cfg
AppSrvr01.cfg
AppSrvr02.cfg
NodeB.cfg
AppSrvr03.cfg
AppSrvr04.cfg

The administrative console and the wsadmin are still the two ways that the environment is administered. However, take note that these tools now talk to the deployment manager and not to the application servers directly. The communication of these commands flows from the tools to the deployment manager

File Synchronization
Deployment manager contains the master configuration.
Node agents synchronize their files with the master copy.
----- Automatically
--------- At start up
--------- Peroidically
----- Manually
--------- Administrative console
--------- Commmand line
----- During synchronization
--------- Node agent asks for changes to master configuration
--------- New or updated files are copied to the node

WebSphere Network Deployment profiles

Benefits of profiles in Network deployment: Think of profiles as representing a node. can install multiple profiles on a single machine.

All profiles use the same product files. WebSphere Servers consist of App-Server (can be tuned for high volume, one App Server can have lost of Apps. The definition of profile has not changed with the addition of network deployment.
However, now you see that what was defined previously as a profile is listed here as a "stand alone node", as it is just that - an application server. There is also the addition of the deployment manager which is a special kind of node that manages the administrative domain of a cell.

--- Application server profile (stand-alone)
----------- Equivalent to Base or Express application server
----------- Has a node name and a cell name property, and corresponding directories.
----------- Cell directory is overwritten upon federation
--- Deployment manager profile
----------- Creates a deployment manager (this is not executable)
--- Custom profile
----------- Creates a managed node which, by default, is federated into a cell
----------- Creates a node agent, but no application servers.
--- Cell profile
----------- Creates both a deployment manager and a federated node