Red Hat APPLICATION STACK 1.4 RELEASE Instruction Manual

Red Hat Application
Stack 1.4
Release Notes
for Use with Red Hat Application Stack 1.4

Release Notes
Red Hat Application Stack 1.4 Release Notes
for Use with Red Hat Application Stack 1.4
Edition 1.0
Copyright © 2006-2008

iii
1. Introduction 1
1.1. Overview of This Release ............................................................................................. 1
1.2. Installation Prerequisites ............................................................................................... 1
1.3. Package-specific Notes ................................................................................................ 1
2. Configuring the Java Environment 3
2.1. Install a supported SDK .............................................................................................. 3
2.1.1. Installing a BEA, IBM or Sun SDK ..................................................................... 3
2.2. Install the jbossas package ....................................................................................... 4
2.2.1. Using up2date / RHN (Preferred Method) ......................................................... 4
2.2.2. Using up2date / DVD ..................................................................................... 4
3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack 7
4. Using JBoss AS 11
4.1. Using the Linux service (production) ........................................................................... 11
4.2. Using run.sh (development) ....................................................................................... 12
4.3. Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME ................................................................................. 13
4.4. Using the jbossas-* commands from any directory .................................................. 14
4.5. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS ..................................................................... 14
4.5.1. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS using different sets of ports .................. 15
4.5.2. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS binding to different local IP addresses
.................................................................................................................................. 16
4.6. More Information ....................................................................................................... 16
5. Export Control 17

iv

Chapter 1.
1
Introduction
1.1. 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.
1.2. Installation Prerequisites
• Red Hat Application Stack V.1.4 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.1.4.
• Red Hat Application Stack V.1.4 is available for 32- and 64-bit Intel architectures only (i386 and
x86_64).
• Red Hat Application Stack V.1.4 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.
1.3. 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.

2

Chapter 2.
3
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.
2.1. Install a supported SDK
2.1.1. 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.
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:

Chapter 2. Configuring the Java Environment
4
/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.
2.2. Install the jbossas package
2.2.1. 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.
2.2.2. 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.1.4 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
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.1.4 DVD.

Using up2date / DVD
5
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.

6

Chapter 3.
7
Installing Red Hat Application Stack
To install Red Hat Application Stack V.1.4:
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
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*"

Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack
8
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 2.2.2, “ 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
•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

9
• 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:
mysql -p < /tmp/mysqldumpfile.sql
• Start the http daemon:
/sbin/service httpd start
The installation is now complete.

10

Chapter 4.
11
Using JBoss AS
4.1. 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.
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:

Chapter 4. Using JBoss AS
12
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.
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.
4.2. 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.

Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME
13
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 Section 4.3,
“ Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME” below).
To create additional JBoss AS configurations besides the provided 'default', 'production', '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.
4.3. 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 Section 4.5, “ Running multiple instances of
JBoss AS ” for more information.

Chapter 4. Using JBoss AS
14
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.
4.4. 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
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java
where the value you give for JAVA_HOME is the location of your installed Java VM.
4.5. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS
Note
Please note that automated updating of instances created using methods below is
not supported. If you create custom instances, you will manually have to port files /
changes from a new update to that instance.
The description here is restricted to running multiple instances of the JBoss AS Linux service. Running
multiple instances with run.sh is already described elsewhere in the JBoss AS documentation.
You can administer multiple SysV services that run JBoss AS by creating additional service scripts.
The process basically consists of:
• creating a link with the new service name to the original jbossas init script in /etc/init.d
• copying the jbossas file in /etc/sysconfig to one with the new service name (the init script and
the configuration file names must match)
• making the desired configuration changes making sure:
• port conflicts are avoided
• a different log file is specified
Note
The original init script log files are created under /var/log/jbossas in directories
that correspond to the configuration used (like 'default') with the usual server.log
name. For instance:

Running multiple instances of JBoss AS using different sets of ports
15
/var/log/jbossas/default/server.log
In general, each log file is created by the SysV script as
/var/log/service-name/$JBOSSCONF/server.log
so no file conflicts shall exist.
For more flexibility in the configuration of the different servers, you may want to create full copies of
JBOSS_HOME. This is described in Section 4.3, “ Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME” above -- make sure
you use the cp command's p switch to preserve the jboss user and group ownership. Then, in /
etc/sysconfig/service-name, uncomment and update the value of the JBOSS_HOME variable.
Optionally, you can just uncomment and change the value of JBOSS_HOME as described above so
as to specify an empty or non-existent directory and the script will automatically create a copy of
the RPM-installed /var/lib/jbossas (original JBOSS_HOME) for you when the service is first
started. The current "minimal", "production", "default" and "all" configurations will be copied. Make sure
the parent directory, in case of a new directory, or the directory itself, if already existent, have write
permissions for the user jboss.
Note
Starting the server this first time may take a little longer due to the file copying.
There are 2 ways to run additional instances of JBoss AS and avoid port conflicts:
• By using different sets of ports
• By binding to different local IP addresses
4.5.1. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS using different sets
of ports
Using different sets of ports
The BindingManager in JBoss AS can be used to dynamically override service configurations
(e.g. port numbers). Jbossas has some pre-configured overrides, namely ports-01, ports-02
and ports-03. The configuration file can be found at /var/lib/jbossas/docs/examples/
binding-manager/sample-bindings.xml. These sets of overrides can be used when multiple
instances of JBoss AS must be started. Please follow these steps when multiple instance of JBoss AS
need to be started:
1. Create a new file /etc/init.d/service-name which is a symlink to /etc/init.d/jbossas,
e.g:
ln -s /etc/init.d/jbossas /etc/init.d/jbossas-ports-01
2. Create a new config file for service-name, /etc/sysconfig/service-name. The contents
of this file should be similar to /etc/sysconfig/jbossas, except with instance specific values
uncommented and updated, e.g:

Chapter 4. Using JBoss AS
16
cp /etc/sysconfig/jbossas /etc/sysconfig/jbossas-ports-01. Uncomment and
update JBOSSCONF to ports-01 in /etc/sysconfig/jbossas-ports-01.
3. Then add service-name for management by chkconfig, e.g:
chkconfig --add jbossas-ports-01
4. To start/stop the service, simply: service service-name start/stop, e.g:
service jbossas-ports-01 start
4.5.2. Running multiple instances of JBoss AS binding to different
local IP addresses
Each JBoss AS instance is bound to a particular IP address.
1. Create a new file /etc/init.d/service-name which is a symlink to /etc/init.d/jbossas,
e.g:
ln -s /etc/init.d/jbossas /etc/init.d/jbossas-instance2
2. Create a new config file for service-name, /etc/sysconfig/service-name with instance
specific values uncommented and updated , e.g:
cp /etc/sysconfig/jbossas /etc/sysconfig/jbossas-instance2. Uncomment and
update JBOSSCONF to instance2. Uncomment and update JBOSS_IP and set it to another IP
address in /etc/sysconfig/jbossas-instance2
3. Then add service-name for management by chkconfig, e.g:
chkconfig --add jbossas-instance2
4. To start/stop the service, simply: service service-name start/stop, e.g:
service jbossas-instance2 start
4.6. More Information
More general documentation for JBoss AS is available under /usr/share/doc/jbossas-4.2.0.