IHS webserver

Intro on IBM HTTP server

IBM having its own properitary webserver which is developed based on Apache HTTP server. The directory structure is common. If you know that the Unix box contains IHS server running by running ps command you are able to reach its installation directories and its configuration paths.

Unlike Apache HTTP server there will be dedicated plugin-cfg.xml file will be there for plugin configuration settings that is automatically genarated on WebSphere Application server console. You can have a dedicated Admin server for controling the IBM HTTP server instances. This can be useful when you have multiple instances of webservers running for a bigger size applications. 

In three tier architecture implementation with IBM JEE servers we may need to use this IHS server.

We need to confiture a unmanaged node where webserver can be configured to create the plugin file.so that web application will be available on the IHS webserver when it is deployed.

Adding an unmanaged node

1. Enter you credentials for Logon to WebSphere Admin console.

2. In the Left pane go to the SystemAdministration-> Node->"Add Node"

3. Now select radio button which is showing Unmanaged Node enter the name of the webserver, webserver hosting machine details web.hostname.com and platform such as AIX, Solaris, Linux  and Windows

You might get many questions here: Where we get the plugin configuration file? what should I do with it? How it will works? 

Where can I get IHS?

Before you go for downloading the binaries for IHS you need to know about your Operating environment. Check the opertating system name with uname and also important that 32bit process or 64 bit processor. Accordingly you can choose the download file. Also you choose the appropriate version suitable to your WebSphere application server. You can download IHS from this IBM download link

How to know your IBM HTTP server version?

On your operating environemnt, traverse to the your IBM HTTP server installation directories and go to the bin directory such as /path/IBMIHS/bin, Execute the following command to find the version of the IBM HTTP server

$ apachectl -version

Server version: IBM_HTTP_Server/6.0 Apache/2.0.47

Server built:   Nov  4 2004 09:58:18

Start and stop IHS server using apachectl

Usually IBM WebSphere console is going to provide the access control to start and stop the IHS servers. When you don't configured Admin server for the Webservers then you need to use the command line utility apachectl for start and stop the IHS server.

This we do for clearing up the web cache that was filled with old objects. Refreshing the webservers will give you the benefit of faster access to your web application URLs.

Steps to start IHS  

1. Logon to the hosting Unix machine (Solaris or Linux).

2. Traverse to the IBMIHS/bin directory and list the directory to find apachectl

3. Start the IHS server using following

$ apachectl start

4. Check for any error messages after the above command execution, Troubleshoot accordingly if there is any configuration syntaxt errors. Check the processes are initiated by the above command by following command

$ ps –ef |grep httpd |grep –v grep

Steps to stop the IHS server

Same as start steps only the argument to the apachectl will be stop.

1. Logon to the hosting Unix machine (Solaris or Linux).

2. Traverse to the IBMIHS/bin directory and list the directory to find apachectl

3. Before stop the server check wheather the webserver is running or not by ps command as shown in start steps. If it is confirms that IHS is running then do the following to stop the server.

$ apachectl stop

4 To confirm that IBM HTTP server is not running any process use same ps command as given in the start steps. 

Referecnce

1. IBM HTTP server Guide