WebSphere Application Server v6.x Administration Bootcamp Advanced Course

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 but the lectures provide information on tools, procedures, and best practices that apply to both WebSphere v6.0 and v6.1 environments.

The course covers advanced topics in the area of best practices, work load management (WLM), security, script based automation, troubleshooting, and migration. After taking this course, participants will be able to design a WebSphere based system that is more secure, easier to manage and performs better. Participants will also be familiar with some of the new administrative tools that are available with WebSphere v6.1, some of which can also be used in a WebSphere v6.0 environment.

In the labs participants will gradually build a complex WebSphere environment from scratch. Changes will be made to a 'staging' environment and then moved to production using scripting when possible. Besides simulating a real WebSphere environment this technique will also minimize chance for errors in production.

This course is designed for individuals who are 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.

Clients Using WebSphere 6.1: This course will help you more effectively administer a 6.1 environment and use many of the administrative tools that were introduced with 6.1.

Clients Using WebSphere 6.0 with plans to migrate to 6.1: This course will help you plan your migration, understand the tools and techniques that may be applied to your 6.0 environment, and more effectively manage both environments.

Clients Using WebSphere 6.0 with no current plans to migrate to 6.1: This course will help you use many of the new WebSphere administrative tools, many of which can also be used in a v6.0 environment. You will also learn administrative best practices that apply to any WebSphere environment. Finally, the course would give you a chance to 'try before you buy' with WebSphere 6.1.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

> Use the WebSphere Installation Factory to create a custom installation package including product updates and executable script files.
> Automate common tasks using scripting.
> Use advanced troubleshooting tools to solve problems.
> Enable LDAP based security.
> Enable single sign on.
> Enable SSL on all HHTP connections in the WebSphere environment.
> Run a J2EE application in multiple machines and enable fault tolerance.
> Secure an Enterprise Application by mapping security permissions to LDAP users.
> Establish an effective migration plan to address common migration issues.
> Understand how classloaders work in WebSphere.
> Configure a library of shared code.
> Configure WebSphere Default Messaging in a Cluster.
> Configure High Availability policies used by the WebSphere High Availability Manager (HAManager).

Installation Factory
Building Customized Installation Packages (CIP)
Benefits of a CIP
Including Fixes in the CIP
Adding Applications or Configuration Archives to a CIP
Installing from a CIP
Best Practices with CIP
Lab: Product Installation Using Custom Installation Package
Lab: Product Installation - IBM HTTP Server
 
WebSphere Architecture Review
Objectives
WebSphere Platform
"Base" Edition
Other WAS Editions
IBM HTTP Server
WebSphere Profiles
Creating Profiles
Benefits of Profiles
Product Files Directories
Profile Directories
Cell/Node/Server
Config Directory
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
Role of Network Deployment Software
Similarities With Base Edition
Differences With Base Edition
Network Deployment Cell
Deployment Manager and Node Agents
Configuration File Synchronization
Network Deployment Profiles
Federating Nodes
Federating an Application Server Profile
Federating a Custom Profile
Adding Nodes
Cluster
Vertical Scaling
Horizontal Scaling
"Mixed" Scaling
Reference
Lab: Create Production Profiles
 
WebSphere Security and Federated User Repositories
User Repository Options
Default File Repository
Database User Repositories
Federated User Repository
Using Federation to Merge Multiple User Repositories
Searching Federated Repositories
Extending User Properties with Federated Repositories
Limitations of Federated User Repositories
Configuration of User Repositories
Lab: Enable Security with LDAP Server
 
SSL Connections
SSL Concepts
Certificates
New Key Management Tools with WAS 6.1
Web Server SSL Configuration
Application Server SSL Configuration
Best Practices for SSL
Lab: Enable SSL With LDAP Server
Lab: Enable SSL With HTTP Server
 
Workload Management With Clusters
Topology Choices
Profile Types
Memory Impact of Multiple Servers per Node
Maximizing Memory with Multiple Applications
Creating Clusters with Scripting
Applying Changes in Production with Scripting
Best Practices of Cluster Topology
Lab: Install a Database Application
 
Stateful Application Considerations
Special Needs of Stateful Applications
Choices for Sharing State Information
Configuration of Distributed Sessions
Best Practices for Distributed Sessions
Lab: Configure Stateful Applications
 
Web Server Failover with Edge Components
Need for Web Server Failover
Overview of Edge Components
Managing Multiple Web Servers
Configuring Load Balancing with Edge Components
Lab: Configure Edge Components and Web Server Failover
 
Configuring WebSphere Default Messaging in a Cluster
Default Messaging Behavior in a Cluster
Partitioning a Message Destination
Failover of Messaging Using Core Group Policies
Configuration of Messaging Failover
Lab: Install Messaging Application Using Messaging High Availability
 
Advanced Troubleshooting Tools
IBM Support Assistant (ISA)
Needs Met by ISA
Searching for Information with ISA
IBM Guided Activity Assistant (IGAA)
"Self Help" Problem Analysis with IGAA
Troubleshoot Memory Problems
Troubleshoot Connection Leak Problems
Troubleshoot Hung Thread Problems
Lab: Solve Problems with Advanced IBM Tools

Notice: This course is still under development and the outline is subject to revisions.

Participants 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 participants 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