Chapter 1   Performing Basic Tasks with the Administration Tool


This chapter describes how to get started with iPlanet Application Server (iAS) Administration Tool, as well as the basic iAS configuration tasks you can perform using either iAS Administration Tool or at the command line.

The following topics are included in this chapter:

• About iPlanet Application Server Administration Tool

• Starting the Administration Tool

• Registering an iPlanet Application Server

• Unregistering a Server

• Starting iPlanet Application Server From the Administration Tool

• Setting EJB Container Parameters for Run Time

• Using the iPlanet Registry Editor

• Updating the Installation Key

• Changing the IP Address

About iPlanet Application Server Administration Tool

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iPlanet Application Server (iAS) Administration Tool is a stand-alone Java application with a graphical user interface that allows you to administer one or more instances of iAS. iAS administration involves such performance-related tasks as adjusting database connection threads and load-balancing parameters. Server administrators must also separately configure components the application server uses, including the web server.

You also use the iAS Administration Tool to administer application components. Application administration involves managing application components by grouping, enabling, and partitioning them to achieve better application performance. Application components, the core of an iAS application, are stored on the application server and contained in code written by the application developer. Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs), servlets, JavaServer Pages (JSPs), and AppLogic objects are all application components. For more information about each of these, refer to the Programmer's Guide.

Administrative tasks are all performed using iAS Administration Tool. The left panel of the iAS Administration Tool's main window displays all iAS machines registered with the Administration Tool. The right panel of that window displays individual features.

When iAS Administration Tool is opened to the default General window, the toolbar, main window with left and right panels, and the menu bar are shown as illustrated in the following figure:

Starting the Administration Tool

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To administer one or more iPlanet Application Server (iAS) machines, start the iAS Administration Tool by performing one of the following tasks:

• On Windows NT system: from the Start menu, choose Programs, then choose iPlanet Application Server 6.0. Finally, choose iAS Administration Tool.

• On a UNIX system: First make sure the PATH variable contains the absolute path to the iAS bin directory and then type the following at the command prompt:

  ksvradmin &

Registering an iPlanet Application Server

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Registering an iPlanet Application Server (iAS) adds that server to the scope of the Administration Tool. This is best done after you add a server or a group of servers to the enterprise.

iAS must be registered before you can manage it with the Administration Tool.

To register iAS, perform the following steps:

1. On the iAS Administration Tool toolbar, click the General button to open the General window.

2. From the File menu, choose New, then Server.

   The New iPlanet Application Server dialog box appears.

   
   
   

3. Complete one of the following:
   • In the Name text box, specify the name of the server.

     This is an arbitrary name you use to distinguish one server from another. For instance, you might name the servers in your enterprise according to their host name.

   • Click Local Host to register a server running on your local machine.

     This automatically enters a server name and your machine name.

4. In the Host text box, specify the host name of the server.

   This is the DNS name of your server machine. You can also use an IP address.

5. In the Port text box, specify the port number for the Administrative Server. During installation this is set by default to port 10817.

6. In the User Name and Password text box, specify the user name and password you entered during installation of the server or when modifying the Users and Groups.

7. (Optional) To always connect to this server and display it in the Enterprise window, select the "Connect to this server" checkbox. This is the default.

8. Click OK to register the server.

Unregistering a Server

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You can remove a server from the scope of the enterprise when that server is no longer available.

To unregister or delete an iAS machine, perform the following steps:

1. On the iAS Administration Tool toolbar, click the General button to open the General window.

2. In the left pane of the General window, double-click All Registered Servers.

   A list of all registered servers in the enterprise appears.

3. Select the server or servers you want to delete.

4. From the Edit menu, choose Delete.

   The selected server is removed from the scope of the iAS Administration Tool.

Starting iPlanet Application Server From the Administration Tool

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You can choose automatic server start-up when you install iAS. Thereafter, iAS starts automatically on system start-up. However, if you manually stop iAS or if the server crashes, you can manually start the server by performing the following steps:

1. Click the General button on the iAS Administration Tool toolbar to open the General window.

2. In the left pane of the General window, select the server you want to start.

3. In the right pane of the General window, click Start Server. Note that you can not expand the servers in the hierarchical tree when they are not running.

Setting EJB Container Parameters for Run Time

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iPlanet Application Server (iAS) provides an Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) container that enables you to build distributed applications using your own EJB components and components from other suppliers. When you configure iAS for your enterprise, you must set the EJB container's declarative parameters. These parameters determine, for example, session timeout when an EJB is removed after being inactive for a specified number of seconds. Set these parameters using the editor in iAS Administration Tool.

To access the editor, perform the following steps:

1. On the iAS Administration Tool toolbar, click the General button to open the General window.

2. In the right pane of the General window, click the EJB tab to open the EJB container declarative parameters editor.

   The following window appears:

   
   
   

   The editor allows you to set the following values:

   • Default Session Timeout: if an EJB is not accessed for the specified number of seconds, it is removed. Applies to stateful session EJBs.

   • Default Passivation Timeout: time in seconds that elapses before the state of the EJB, which is currently in memory, is written to disk. This value must be less than session timeout.

   • Metadata Cache Size: refers to the metadata cache for EJBs. Value is in number of EJBs.

   • Implementation Cache Size: maximum cache size in number of EJBs.

   • Timer Interval: how frequently (in seconds) the EJB pool checks to see if it should passivate or remove an EJB.

   • Failover Save Interval: how frequently (in seconds) the EJB state is saved. If the server fails, the last saved state of the EJB can be restored. Data saved is available to all engines in a cluster. This value is set on a per server basis and applies to EJBs that were deployed with Failover option enabled (on the General tab of the Deployment Tool EJB descriptor editor).

3. When you are finished setting the EJB container parameters, click Apply Changes.

   You must restart the server before changes take effect.

Using the iPlanet Registry Editor

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The iPlanet Registry Editor is a stand-alone GUI tool that displays registry information for iPlanet products. The editor is installed with each instance of iPlanet Application Server (iAS) and is similar in appearance and function to the registry editor installed on Windows machines. You should always use the iPlanet Registry Editor, instead of regedit, to manage registry entries for iAS as it displays values stored not only in your local machine's registry, but in your Directory Server as well.

You can launch the iPlanet Registry Editor by typing kregedit at the command line on Solaris machines.

For Windows NT machines, click the Windows NT Start button and choose Run. Type kregedit and click OK.

The following window appears:

To modify a value in the registry, double-click the entry. A dialog box similar to the following appears:

Updating the Installation Key

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If you installed iPlanet Application Server (iAS) with an evaluation license, the server stops running at the end of the evaluation period. If you have extended the evaluation period or purchased the server, you will need to update the installation key. Updating the installation key saves you from having to reinstall the server software and reconfigure the environment.

To reset the installation key, perform the following steps:

1. Shutdown iAS.

2. Open the iPlanet Registry Editor by typing kregedit at the command line.

   (See . )

   The following window appears:

   
   
   

3. Open the following key:

      SOFTWARE\iPlanet\Application Server\6.0\CCS0\ENG

4. Double-click the Key String value and enter the new Key value.

   
   
   

5. Click OK.

6. Close the registry editor.

7. Restart iAS.

Changing the IP Address

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When an iPlanet Application Server (iAS) machine address changes, such as when the machine is moved, you must update the registry of that machine with the new address. If the machine participates in data synchronization, you must also update the registry of the other machines in the same cluster. Rather than locate every instance of the IP address in the registry and change each instance manually, you can use kregedit to update the entire registry with the new IP address.

To change the IP address, perform the following steps:

1. Open the iPlanet Registry Editor by typing kregedit at the command line.

   (See . )

2. Open the following key:

      SOFTWARE\iPlanet\Application Server

   
   
   

3. From the Edit menu, choose Change IP Address.

   The following dialog box appears:

   
   
   

4. Enter the old and new IP address.

5. Click OK to save your changes.