Red Hat APPLICATION STACK 1.3 RELEASE Instruction Manual

Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 Release
Notes
1.3
ISBN: N/A
Publication date:

Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 Release Notes

Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 Release Notes
Copyright ©2006-2008 Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 Release Notes

1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1
1. Overview of This Release ............................................................................... 1
2. Installation Prerequisites ................................................................................. 1
3. Package-specific Notes .................................................................................. 1
2. Configuring the Java Environment ........................................................................... 3
1. Install a supported SDK .................................................................................. 3
1.1. Installing a BEA, IBM or Sun SDK ........................................................ 3
2. Install the jbossas package ............................................................................ 4
2.1. Using up2date / RHN (Preferred Method) ............................................. 4
2.2. Using up2date / DVD .......................................................................... 4
3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack ........................................................................ 7
4. Using JBoss AS ....................................................................................................11
1. Using the Linux service (production) ...............................................................11
2. Using run.sh (development) ...........................................................................13
3. Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME ......................................................................14
4. Using the jbossas-* commands from any directory ........................................14
5. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS .........................................................15
5.1. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS using different sets of ports .....16
5.2. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS binding to different local IP
addresses ................................................................................................17
6. More Information ...........................................................................................17
5. Export Control .......................................................................................................19
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Introduction
1. Overview of This Release
Red Hat Application Stack is a set of software components that have been tested and certified
to work together in an integrated fashion. Red Hat Application Stack is designed for dynamic
web applications for both the LAMP and Java platforms.
2. Installation Prerequisites
• Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 has been tested and certified on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
U5 systems. It is not certified for use with earlier versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Please
follow the separate instructions for installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 before installing Red
Hat Application Stack V.1.3.
• Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 is available for 32- and 64-bit Intel architectures only (i386
and x86_64).
• Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 includes JBoss AS 4.2, for running web applications in a
standard middleware environment. Note that JBoss AS uses an embedded Tomcat and does
not require a stand-alone Tomcat. Before installing and running JBoss AS you will require a
working installation of Java 1.5. Currently Red Hat Application Stack is certified with the Sun
JVM 1.5.0 update 15 or later, and the latest BEA JVM available through RHN. Please refer to
Chapter 2, Configuring the Java Environment for instructions on configuring the Java
environment for JBoss AS.
• If you intend to use the production config (started by default), you will need atleast 1.5GB of
physical memory.
3. Package-specific Notes
In most cases, Red Hat Application Stack contains more recent versions of packages than
those that are included in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Installing Red Hat Application Stack may
update/overwrite these packages. Please ensure you review the complete package list before
beginning the installation process.
Chapter 1.
1

2

Configuring the Java Environment
JBoss AS relies on an installed JVM, such as those by Sun, or BEA. Both JVMs are available
from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (AS/ES) Extras channel.
THIS RELEASE HAS BEEN CERTIFIED WITH THE SUN
AND BEA JVMS.
Currently Red Hat Application Stack is certified with the Sun JVM version 1.5.0
update 15 or later and the latest BEA JVM available through RHN. This may
change in future releases.
With Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 U6 there are 1.5 versions of the BEA (JRockit), IBM and SUN
SDKs.
We have adopted the jpackage.org style for the packaging of our Java(TM) offerings. This
requires that the jpackage-utils rpm be installed on your system. A JPackage-style JVM must
be installed via up2date (see channel details below) and jpackage-utils will be automatically
brought in as a dependency.
1. Install a supported SDK
1.1. Installing a BEA, IBM or Sun SDK
1. Install a Java SDK from RHN
Java SDKs are provided by the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 Extras channel for your Linux
variant and architecture. The channel names are as follows:
rhel-arch-variant-4-extras
where:
arch = i386 or x86_64 variant = as, or es
The java-1.5.0-bea,java-1.5.0-ibm and java-1.5.0-sun SDKs are available from these
channels. Make sure you also install the -devel subpackages.
2. Selecting alternatives for java,javac and java_sdk_1.5.0 (setting java_sdk_1.5.0 is
optional).
This is only needed if you want to use the SysV service script and/or want this installed SDK
to be the default java and javac in the system. This choice can often be overridden by setting
the JAVA_HOME environment variable.
Chapter 2.
3

The alternatives system allows different versions of Java, from different sources to
co-exist on your system. You should make sure the desired one is selected so that the
service script uses the one you want.
As root, issue the following command:
/usr/sbin/alternatives --config java
and make sure the desired one is selected (marked with a '+'), or select it by entering its
number as prompted.
Make sure you do the same for javac and java_sdk_1.5.0. We recommend that all point to
the same manufacturer and version.
2. Install the jbossas package
2.1. Using up2date / RHN (Preferred Method)
1. up2date your RHEL4 installation and install the JVM as described above.
2. Subscribe to the Enterprise Application Platform child channel:
For example: jbappplatform-4-i386-as-4-rpm or jbappplatform-4-x86_64-as-4-rpm
3. Install JBoss AS:
• For the Application Server (which includes an embedded Tomcat), run:
up2date jbossas
Refer also to Chapter 4, Using JBoss AS below.
2.2. Using up2date / DVD
To install using up2date / DVD:
1. up2date your installation and install the JVM as described above.
2. Mount the Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3 DVD.
3. Add the following line to /etc/sysconfig/rhn/sources to use up2date directly on the
RPMs on the disk:
dir RedHat-Application-Stack-V1 path_to_mounted_DVD/RedHat/RPMS
Chapter 2. Configuring the Java Environment
4

4. Install JBoss AS:
• For the Application Server (which includes an embedded Tomcat), run:
up2date jbossas
5. After the installation is complete, remove the line you added to
/etc/sysconfig/rhn/sources in Step 3. Failure to do this will result in up2date producing
warnings whenever you run up2date again without mounting the Red Hat Application Stack
V.1.3 DVD.
Refer also to Chapter 4, Using JBoss AS below.
If you are upgrading from version 1.1 of Red Hat Application Stack, please note that the
"jbossas-ejb3" package has now been obsoleted and it's contents merged into the main jbossas
package. An "up2date jbossas" command will upgrade everything correctly.
Using up2date / DVD
5

6

Installing Red Hat Application Stack
To install Red Hat Application Stack V.1.3:
1. If you have an existing database, back up your data and shut down the database:
If you are using PostgreSQL:
• Back-up your database. For example, run:
su -
rm -rf /tmp/pg.backup
su - postgres
/usr/bin/pg_dumpall > /tmp/pg.backup
exit
Note
If you have large objects in the database, you need to use pg_dump instead of
pg_dumpall. See http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/static/largeobjects.html and
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/static/app-pg-dumpall.html
For more information, see http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/static/install-upgrading.html
If you are using MySQL:
• Backing-up your database is optional but recommended. Run as root:
mysqldump --all-databases -p > /tmp/mysqldumpfile.sql
2. Stop the daemons:
•
/sbin/service httpd stop
• To shut down MySQL:
/sbin/service mysqld stop
• To shut down PostgreSQL:
/sbin/service postgresql stop
Chapter 3.
7

3. Install the software:
• Option 1. To install from RHN, which is the preferable option to avoid dependency issues,
run as root:
up2date --installall rhel-i386-as-4-appstk-1 --exclude="*jbossas*"
up2date jbossas
where rhel-i386-as-4-appstk-1 is the channel name for Red Hat Application Stack
The channel names are as follows:
rhel-arch-variant-4-appstk-1
where:
arch = i386 or x86_64 variant = as, or es
• Option 2. To install from RPMs on Disk:
Follow the instructions in Section 2.2, “ Using up2date /DVD”to mount the DVD and set
up the local RHN channel (steps 1-3). Then as root run:
up2date --installall RedHat-Application-Stack-V1
Note
If you are upgrading from Stacks V.1.1, and have installed the jbossas-ejb3
package, before running the above command, you need to first remove
jbossas-ejb3 manually by running as root:
rpm -e jbossas-ejb3
Note
You may need to install the following packages to satisfy dependencies before
executing the above command, if they are not already installed:
•apr-devel
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack
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•apr-util-devel
•libc-client
•mx
•pcre-devel
4. Restore your database:
• For PostgreSQL:
• Move (or remove) the database directory:
mv /var/lib/pgsql/data /var/lib/pgsql/data.backup
• Start the new PostgreSQL service:
/sbin/service postgresql start
• Restore your data from back-up
psql -U username < /tmp/pg.backup
• Start the http daemon:
/sbin/service httpd start
• For MySQL:
• Start MySQL:
/sbin/service mysqld start
• Update MySQL:
mysql_upgrade
• Restore your data:
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mysql -p < /tmp/mysqldumpfile.sql
• Start the http daemon:
/sbin/service httpd start
The installation is now complete.
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack
10

Using JBoss AS
1. Using the Linux service (production)
JBoss AS can be started, stopped, and configured to start automatically at boot time either from
the command line or using a graphical tool.
You can start and stop the jbossas service using the service command as root on a console
window (as is typical of a network service):
service jbossas start
...
service jbossas stop
The behavior at boot can be controlled with the chkconfig command, as any other Linux
service (see chkconfig man page).
Alternatively, you can issue the command system-config-services to activate the graphical
Red Hat Service Configuration Tool, which can also be activated from the main menu. Select:
System Settings > Server Settings > Services
Note
For security purposes, beginning with Red Hat Application Stack V.1.1,
authentication for the jmx-console, web-console, jmx-invoker and http-invoker is
turned on. Additionally, no user accounts are active by default, so as to prevent
default user / password based attacks.
• Accounts for the jmx-console and the invokers can be set up by modifying:
$JBOSS_HOME/server/$CONFIG/conf/props/jmx-console-users.properties
• Accounts for the web-console users can be set up by modifying:
$JBOSS_HOME/server/$CONFIG/deploy/management/console-mgr.sar
/web-console.war/WEB-INF/classes/web-console-users.properties
Please note that the file name above has been split onto two lines for
readability. It should be understood and entered as one continuous line.
Where $JBOSS_HOME is the install directory (/var/lib/jbossas) and $CONFIG is
the server configuration you are using.
Chapter 4.
11

Please see http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/FAQ_107_9963.shtm for more
information
JBoss AS is configured with its internal servlet engine to listen for HTTP traffic on port 8080.
Once the jbossas service has been started, you can verify that it is running by pointing your web
browser to:
http://localhost:8080/web-console
You can use the Web Console to administer JBoss AS.
The entire JBoss AS suite runs under a new jboss system user. It may be necessary to use the
'su -s /bin/bash jboss' system command to deposit .ear / .war / .jar files under the
JBoss AS deployment directory, due to file system permissions. Alternatively, a developer can
be listed in the jboss user group by the system administrator. The best approach is to use the
Web Console (URL above) to deploy the application.
Note
Depositing files for which the user jboss has no read access in the deployment
directory will cause the server to fail to deploy.
To create additional JBoss AS configurations besides the provided 'default', 'minimal', 'all' and
'production', you must create a new directory for your configuration as follows (note the switches
given to the cp command):
export JBOSS_BASE=/var/lib/jbossas
cd $JBOSS_HOME
cp -pL -R server/default server/myownconfig
You can then change the configuration and request it to be used by setting the JBOSSCONF
variable in the file:
/etc/sysconfig/jbossas
Optionally, you can just set the JBOSSCONF variable in /etc/sysconfig/jbossas to a
non-existent subdirectory (existing parent with write access by the jboss user) or an empty
directory (with write access by jboss) and the init script will create a new configuration directory
tree for you based on the current "production" configuration when the service is first started. You
can then stop the service, adjust the configuration as desired, and start it again.
Chapter 4. Using JBoss AS
12

Note
Please note that automated updating of configurations created using method
above is not supported. If you create custom configurations, you will manually
have to port files / changes from a new update to that configuration.
2. Using run.sh (development)
For development, you can activate the JBoss AS server with the familiar run.sh command as
usual. The jbossas RPM installs the JBOSS_HOME in
/var/lib/jbossas
So, you can cd to /var/lib/jbossas/bin and use run.sh from there.
If you wish to use a different JVM than the one that alternatives points to, you will need to set
JAVA_HOME first.
Tip
JAVA_HOME can be set system-wide in /etc/profile. But beware, some users
may not want to have JAVA_HOME set to this same SDK. Also, some may prefer
to use the alternatives-selected one instead. These users may be affected by
this global setting of JAVA_HOME.
If you still need to set JAVA_HOME for some other reason, the
alternatives-selected SDK is in /usr/lib/jvm/java, so a export
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java will do.
IMPORTANT
The entire JBoss AS suite runs under a new jboss system user. It may be
necessary to use the su -s /bin/bash jboss system command to run the
server, change configuration, deploy etc., due to file system permissions.
Alternatively, a developer can be listed in the jboss user group by the system
administrator.
Yet another possibility is to create a personal copy of JBOSS_HOME (see
Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME below).
To create additional JBoss AS configurations besides the provided 'default', 'production',
Using run.sh (development)
13

'minimal' and 'all', you must create a new directory for your configuration as follows (note the
switches given to the cp command):
JBOSS_BASE=/var/lib/jbossas
cd $JBOSS_HOME
cp -pL -R server/default server/myownconfig
You can then change the configuration and request it to be used by specifying it in the -c flag to
run.sh, as usual.
3. Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME
The analog of unzipping another copy of JBoss AS in a different directory is to make a copy of
the RPM-installed JBOSS_HOME, located at /var/lib/jbossas.
You probably want this copy to have your own userid and group, so use:
cp -L -R /var/lib/jbossas my_new_jboss_home_directory
If you want to retain the jboss user and group ownership, use instead:
cp -pL -R /var/lib/jbossas my_new_jboss_home_directory
To run multiple servers simultaneously you will need to adjust the configuration to avoid port
conflicts, as described in the JBoss AS documentation. Refer to Running multiple instances of
JBoss AS for more information.
Note
Please note that automated updating of copies created using methods above is
not supported. If you create custom copies, you will manually have to port files /
changes from a new update to that copy.
4. Using the jbossas-* commands from any directory
Most of the commands found in $JBOSS_HOME/bin have equivalents in /usr/bin with names
like jbossas-command, where command is the original JBoss AS command name. So, for
instance, there is a jbossas-run command that is available from any directory.
To use these commands, however, you must set two environment variables:
export JBOSS_HOME=/var/lib/jbossas
Chapter 4. Using JBoss AS
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