[DeveloperWorks] System administration for WebSphere Application Server V7: Part 2: New administrative topologies

System administration for WebSphere Application Server V7: Part 2: New administrative topologies

Introduction

With IBM WebSphere Application Server Versions 5.x and 6.x, you could either manage fully independent base application server nodes or use WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment to manage nodes in a tightly-coupled, synchronous manner. The base application server node is easy to set up and manage for a single server environment. The Network Deployment topology provides additional qualities of service such as high availability, scalability, and data replication, plus it provides central management capabilities for nodes federated with the deployment manager. As more and more environments were built using the base and Network Deployment topologies, the following issues began to surface:

• How do you manage base nodes remotely?
• How do you manage a large number of base nodes?
• How do you manage multiple Network Deployment cells?
• How do you manage base nodes or Network Deployment cells that are geographically diverse, and connected possibly through a high latency, low bandwidth network?

WebSphere Application Server V7 addresses these issues by providing the capability to manage deployment manager cells and standalone base nodes using two new topologies:

• Administrative agent topology.
• Job manager topology.

The administrative agent topology provides the capability to remotely manage multiple base nodes on the same computer system with a single management server. When combined with the job manager topology, a large number of base nodes can be remotely and centrally managed. The job manager topology also provides the capability to manage multiple deployment managers and their cells. The job manager replaces direct management of the base nodes or Network Deployment cells. You can manage your existing environment with APIs and commands at the same time that it is being managed through the job manager. The job manager also provides a new asynchronous job submissions framework for administration. This combination enables the base nodes or Network Deployment cells to be located geographically distant from the job manager itself.

The new topologies both complement and extend the base and deployment manager topologies by creating a new flexible management capability. If you are happy with the existing capabilities of WebSphere Application Server base or Network Deployment, no change is needed as you move onto V7. On the other hand, if you are running into the above issues, you can create the new administrative agent or job manager topologies based on your existing base or Network Deployment topologies.

After reviewing the base topology, this article moves on to the administrative agent topology, showing how it supports remote management of base nodes on the same system. The Network Deployment topology will then be reviewed, followed by the job manager topology and how it can enhance your management capabilities. The article concludes with security considerations for the agent and job manager topologies.