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

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

Navigate to the /var/ibm/Installation Manager/uninstall directory, and run

uninstall.

– Silent uninstall:

Navigate to the /var/ibm/Installation Manager/uninstall directory, and run

uninstallc.

2.3 Using Installation Manager

After you install Installation Manager, you can use it to install packages, update or modify

them, and so on. Installation Manager tracks the packages that it installs, including selectable

features and maintenance updates for products.

There are a number of ways you can interact with Installation Manager:

 Wizard mode: A graphical user interface

 Command-line mode: The command-line utility (imcl)

 Console mode: An interactive, text-based user interface

 Silent mode: Response file-based, run from the command line or a file

In this section, we provide information about the various ways to use Installation manger.

2.3.1 Wizard mode

Installation Manager includes a number of wizards to help maintain product packages:

 Installation wizards take you through the installation process for various operating systems

and modes. They provide default settings that can be customized for your environment.

You can install multiple packages simultaneously.

 The Update wizard allows you to update currently-installed packages.

 The Modify wizard helps you change certain elements of installed packages, such as

adding or removing features.

 The Rollback wizard allows you to revert to a previous version of a package.

 The Uninstall wizard removes installed packages.

To use wizard mode, navigate to the Installation Manager install directory, and run the

appropriate command for your system:

 Windows: IBMIM.exe

 UNIX: IBMIM

Figure 2-1 on page 39 illustrates the main Installation Manager window with available wizard

mode operations.

Chapter 2. Installing WebSphere Application Server on distributed systems 39

Figure 2-1 Main Installation Manager window viewed in wizard or graphical mode

2.3.2 Command-line mode

If you cannot use the graphical user interface, or have a preference for a non-GUI

environment, you can operate Installation Manager in command-line mode. Using the

command line, you can install, update, and uninstall packages, list installed features and

packages, list available packages, display version information, or import a response file to be

used for a silent installation.

Command line operations are invoked using the imcl command, which can be found in the

<IM_install>/tools/ directory. For a list of help topics for using this mode, type the following

command:

imcl.exe help

2.3.3 Console mode

Another option for interacting with Installation Manager is through the console mode.

Important: Console mode does not support installation of WebSphere Application Server

V8.5.

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

To start console mode, use the command appropriate for your system:

 Windows: Navigate to <IM_install>\tools\ and run imcl.exe -c

 UNIX: Navigate to <IM_install>/tools/ and run imcl -d

Example 2-4 shows the Installation Manager console-mode command and welcome text.

Example 2-4 Installation Manager welcome text in console mode

C:\IBM\InstallationManager\eclipse\tools>imcl.exe -c

=====> IBM Installation Manager

Select:

1. Install - Install software packages

2. Update - Find and install updates and fixes to installed software packag

3. Modify - Change installed software packages

4. Roll Back - Revert to an earlier version of installed software packages

5. Uninstall - Remove installed software packages

Other Options:

L. View Logs

S. View Installation History

V. View Installed Packages

------------------------

P. Preferences

------------------------

E. Export Data for Problem Analysis

A. About IBM Installation Manager

------------------------

X. Exit Installation Manager

2.3.4 Silent mode

Silent mode allows you to install packages in a non-interactive and non-GUI mode. It uses a

response file to provide the input for each installation.

The key to silent mode installations, then, is to create the response files that guide each

effort. Response files can be used to install, update, modify, roll back, and uninstall software

packages.

Creating response files

A response file can be recorded using Installation Manager or created manually using a

documented list of commands.

To use the Installation Manager GUI to record a response file for the installation of a package,

use the skipInstall argument from the command line. This argument makes Installation

Manager simulate the package-installation process instead of actually installing anything,

after which an XML response file can be recorded containing the steps from the simulation.

The response file can then be used to automate the recorded installation process each time it

is needed.

Based on this approach, start the GUI with the following options:

 skipInstall (indicates to skip the install)

 record (specifies the response file to be created)