WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Administration and Configuration Guide for the Full Profile

32 WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Administration and Configuration Guide for the Full Profile

2.1 IBM Installation Manager overview

Installation Manager is a tool that installs and maintains Installation Manager-based software

packages. It is an Eclipse-based tool that enables you to install and modify packages, search

for updates, uninstall, and roll back. Installation Manager makes it easier for you to download

and install code for a number of IBM software packages.

Starting from WebSphere Application Server V8, Installation Manager replaced the

InstallShield MultiPlatform (ISMP) and Update Installer tools, which were used to install,

update, and uninstall previous versions of WebSphere Application Server. It also replaced the

functionality previously provided by the Installation Factory tool. The new WebSphere

Application Server V8.5 is shipped with Installation Manager V1.5.2, but use newer versions

of Installation Manager if they are available. For the current version of Installation Manager,

refer to the following website:

http://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/Recommended_fix/Software/Rational/IBM_

Installation_Manager

Installation Manager was originally introduced to support installation of IBM Rational®

products and is currently available for all platforms and supports installation of WebSphere,

Rational, and other products. It provides the following benefits:

 Consistency across all platforms using the same methodology

 Lifecycle management of any Installation Manager-installed products

 Several methods for performing lifecycle management activities

 Common packaging

 Validation and system checking performed before downloading binaries

 More efficiency when delivering new fixes and files for rollback

In the next sections, key features of Installation Manager are explained.

2.1.1 Terminology

The following installation-related concepts and terminology are used in this chapter:

 A

package is a software product that can be installed by Installation Manager. It is a

separately installable unit that can operate independently from other packages of that

software. A package can include a product, a group of components, or a single

component. Each package has a name, version, and an identifier, for example:

– Package name: com.ibm.websphere.ND.v85

– Package version: 8.5.0.20120501_1108

– Package identifier: com.ibm.websphere.ND.v85_8.5.0.20120501_1108

Packages are installed to a defined directory location in the file system. Installation

Manager allows you to control where products are installed.



Package groups are packages that are installed to the same location that share UI

elements. They are used when more than one product is installed at the same location.

Some packages can be installed to the same package group and other packages must be

installed to a new package group. Package group names are set automatically by

Installation Manager.

 A

repository is a place where the packages to be installed can be found. It has a list of files

organized in a tree structure and includes metadata that describes the software version

and how to install it. A repository can reside on a local directory or on a remote, reachable

server.