Course Description

This training course is meant for companies maintaining a complex WebSphere based web site. The course provides hands-on practice performing the tasks required in a production WebSphere environment. This course uses WebSphere Network Deployment Edition v6.1 in the labs. The labs use a Linux environment to install and configure WebSphere although configuration in a Windows environment would be similar.
 
The course covers advanced topics in the area of best practices, work load management (WLM), security, and troubleshooting. After taking this course, students will be able to design a WebSphere based system that is more secure, easier to manage and performs better. Students will also be familiar with some of the new administrative tools that are available with WebSphere v6.1.
 
In the labs students will gradually build a complex WebSphere environment from scratch. They will take many of the same steps normally taken in a production WebSphere environment.

Topics

• Administrative Best Practices (covered throughout the course)
• WebSphere Installation Factory
• Advanced troubleshooting
• Security (LDAP, Single Sign on, SSL)
• Work Load Management (WLM)
• WebSphere High Availability

Target Student:

The class is meant for WebSphere administrators who are currently maintaining a multi-machine environment running several applications. This course is highly recommended before starting to make any major enhancements to the current infrastructure with the intention to improve its capacity or security.

Prerequisites:

Students should have a good understanding of the basic administration aspects of WebSphere Application Server v6.0 or v6.1. The following courses can provide this experience for students who are not familiar with WebSphere v6.x administration:

•  WebSphere Application Server V6.1 Administration (Best preparation)
• WebSphere Application Server V6.0 Administration
• WebSphere Application Server v6 Administration for v5.x Administrators

Students should also have a basic understanding of Linux/Unix as the labs are conducted in a Linux environment. The labs are done in a group so individuals who are not as familiar with Linux or Unix could still rely on others in the group for some of the Linux-specific commands

Delivery Method:

Instructor led, group-paced, classroom-delivery learning model with structured hands-on activities.

Performance-Based Objectives:

After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• Understand how the WebSphere Installation Factory is used to create a custom installation package including product updates and executable script files.
• Enable LDAP based security.
• Enable SSL on all HTTP connections in the WebSphere environment.
• Run a J2EE application in multiple machines and enable fault tolerance.
• Configure WebSphere Default Messaging in a Cluster.
• Configure High Availability policies used by the WebSphere High Availability Manager (HAManager).

Course Content

Chapter 1. Installation Factory
 
Installation Issues
Installation Factory Benefits
Custom Installation Package
Integrated Install Packages
Installation Factory Tools
Creating a CIP
Creating a CIP
Creating a CIP
Creating a CIP
Profile Customization
Internal Documentation
Summary

Chapter 2. Overview of WebSphere Architecture
 
WebSphere Platform
WebSphere Features
WebSphere Features
WebSphere Editions
Role of Network Deployment Software
IBM HTTP Server
WebSphere Profiles
Creating Profiles
Benefits of Profiles
Product Files Directories
Profile Directories
Cell/Node/Server
Config Directory
Config Directory
Network Deployment Cell
Deployment Manager and Node Agents
Network Deployment Profiles
Configuration File Synchronization
Configuration File Synchronization
Synchronization Problems
Firewall Issues
Federating Nodes
Federating an Application Server Profile
Federating a Custom Profile
Federating Nodes
Web Server Integration
Benefit of a Web Server
IBM HTTP Server Installation
Web Server Plug-in
Web Servers in WebSphere
Mapping Applications to Web Servers
Plug-in Configuration
Workload Management (WLM) Basics
Cluster
Vertical Scaling
Horizontal Scaling
"Mixed" Scaling
Reference
Summary

Chapter 3. Security with Federated Repositories
 
Previous User Registry Limitations
Federated Repositories
Secure by Default
Virtual Member Manager (VMM)
Virtual Realm
Limitations of Federated Repositories
Configuring Federated Repositories
Adding LDAP Repositories
Adding a Base Entry to the Realm
Managing Users
Leveraging Federated Repositories
Summary

Chapter 4. WebSphere SSL Configuration

Need for Encryption
Public Key Cryptography
Certificates
Self-Signed Certificates
Secure Sockets Layer
SSL in WebSphere
WebSphere SSL Configuration
Automatic Keystore Generation
SSL with Web Server Plug-in
SSL with LDAP Server
Certificate Expiration
Summary

Chapter 5. Clusters and Topology
 
Clusters
Creating a Cluster
Cluster Member Options
Cluster Member Options
Managing Clusters
Mapping Applications to Clusters
Cluster Topology Screen
Topology
Factors Affecting Topology
Factors Affecting Topology
Coexistence Scenarios
Common Topologies
All in One
Vertical Scaling
Server Separation
"Mixed" Scaling
Web Server Horizontal Scaling
Summary

Chapter 6. Workload Management and Application State

Types of WLM
Web Server WLM
Web Module WLM Architecture
Web Module WLM Architecture
Weighted Routing
State Management
Server Affinity
Weighted Routing with Server Affinity
EJB WLM
Factors Overriding EJB WLM
Problems With Server Affinity
Server Affinity With Failover
Enabling Server Affinity Failover
Enabling Server Affinity Failover
Data Replication Service
Number of Replicas
Replication Security
Session Database
Session Tuning
Distributed Session Tuning
Summary

Chapter 7. WebSphere Edge Components
 
Edge Components Overview
Load Balancer
Load Balancer Clusters
Load Balancer Networking
High Availability
Managers and Advisors
Caching Proxy
Summary

Chapter 8. WebSphere Default Messaging in a Cluster

Default Messaging
Service Integration Bus
Service Integration Bus
Service Integration Bus
Service Integration Bus
Bus Members
Messaging Engine
Message Store
Destination
Message Points
Mediations
Default Messaging JMS Configuration
Creating a Service Integration Bus
Adding a Bus Member
Bus Member Message Store
Add a Destination
Default Messaging JMS Provider
Relationship Between Messaging Components
Messaging High Availability
Messaging Scalability
HAManager
HAManager
Core Group
Core Group
Messaging Engine Core Group Policy
Summary

Chapter 9. IBM Support Assistant
 
Source of Errors
Support Tools
IBM Support Assistant
ISA Workbench
Customizing the Workbench
ISA Preferences
Search for Information
Case Management
Collecting Information
Guided Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Tools
Manage Service Requests
Summary