Red Hat APPLICATION STACK 2.1 RELEASE Instruction Manual

Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 Release
Notes
2.1
ISBN: N/A
Publication date:

Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 Release Notes

Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 Release Notes
Copyright ©2008 Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 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 yum / RHN (Preferred Method) .................................................... 4
2.2. Using yum / DVD ................................................................................. 4
3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack ........................................................................ 7
4. Using JBoss Application Server .............................................................................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 Application Server ..................................15
5.1. Running multiple instances of JBoss Application Server using different sets
of ports ....................................................................................................16
5.2. Running multiple instances of JBoss Application Server binding to different
local IP addresses ....................................................................................17
6. More Information ...........................................................................................18
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 (TM) platforms.
2. Installation Prerequisites
• Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 has been tested and certified on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
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 5 before installing Red
Hat Application Stack V.2.1.
• Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 is available for 32- and 64-bit Intel architectures only (i386
and x86_64).
• Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 includes JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.2, for
running web applications in a standard middleware environment. Note that the JBoss
Enterprise Application Platform uses an embedded Tomcat and does not require a
stand-alone Tomcat. Before installing and running the JBoss Application Server (the
application server component of JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.2), 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 Application Server.
• 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 Application Server relies on an installed JVM, such as those by Sun, or BEA. Both JVMs
are available from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Supplementary channels.
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 5 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 offerings. This requires
that the jpackage-utils rpm be installed on your system. A JPackage-style JVM must be
installed via yum (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 5 Supplementary channel for your
Linux variant and architecture. Depending on the architecture, the channel names are:
rhel-i386-server-supplementary-5 and rhel-x86_64-server-supplementary-5
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.
Chapter 2.
3

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 yum / RHN (Preferred Method)
1. Update your Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 installation and install the JVM as described above.
2. Subscribe to the Enterprise Application Platform child channel:
e.g: jbappplatform-4-i386-as-5-rpm or jbappplatform-4-x86_64-as-5-rpm
3. Install JBoss Application Server:
• For the Application Server (which includes an embedded Tomcat), run:
yum install jbossas
Refer also to Chapter 4, Using JBoss Application Server below.
2.2. Using yum / DVD
To install using yum / DVD:
1. Update your installation and install the JVM as described above.
2. Mount the Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 DVD.
3. Create a new file in /etc/yum.repos.d/ with the following contents to update directly from
the RPMs on the disk:
[stacksv2]
name=Red Hat App Stack
baseurl=file:///path/to/mounted/DVD/Stacks/
enabled=1
Chapter 2. Configuring the Java Environment
4

4. Install JBoss Application Server:
• For the Application Server (which includes an embedded Tomcat), run:
yum install jbossas
5. After the installation is complete, remove the file you added in /etc/yum.repos.d/ in Step 3
(or set enabled=0 in that file). Failure to do this will result in yum exiting with an error
whenever it is run again without mounting the Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 DVD.
Refer also to Chapter 4, Using JBoss Application Server below.
Using yum / DVD
5

6

Installing Red Hat Application Stack
To install Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1:
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
• 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:
• Subscribe to the Red Hat Application Stack child channel:
e.g: rhel-x86_64-5-appstk-2 or rhel-i386-5-appstk-2
• Subscribe to the Enterprise Application Platfrom child channel:
Chapter 3.
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e.g: jbappplatform-4-i386-as-5-rpm or jbappplatform-4-x86_64-as-5-rpm
• Run as root: yum update
• Run as root: yum groupinstall stacks
• Option 2. To install from RPMs on Disk:
Follow the instructions in Section 2.2, “Using yum / DVD” to mount the DVD and set up the
local RHN channel (steps 1-3). Then as root run:
yum update
Followed by:
yum groupinstall stacks
After the installation is complete, remove the file you added in /etc/yum.repos.d/ (or set
enabled=0 in that file). Failure to do this will result in yum exiting with an error whenever it is
run again without mounting the Red Hat Application Stack V.2.1 DVD.
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
Note
You can also install specific components of the stack via the yum groupinstall
directive specified in Section 3. In addition to "stacks", the following groups are
defined:
j2ee - Installs jbossas, jboss-seam, mod_jk and database jdbc drivers
lamp - Installs httpd, mysql, php and all components related to mysql
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack
8

lapp - Installs httpd, postgresql, php and all components related to postgresql
docs - Installs documentation for various components
When using the groupinstall directive, you can specify multiple groups at the
same time (even if they share packages).
Analogous to groupinstall, you can use the "groupremove" directive to
remove all the packages in a group. The groupremove directive will only remove
packages in the group; not the dependencies that the package install may have
brought in.
4. Restore your database:
• For PostgreSQL:
• Move (or remove) the database directory:
mv /var/lib/pgsql/data /var/lib/pgsql/data.backup
• Initialize the database:
/sbin/service postgresql initdb
• 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
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• Update MySQL:
mysql_upgrade
• Restore your data:
mysql -p < /tmp/mysqldumpfile.sql
5. Start the remaining daemons:
• Start the http daemon:
/sbin/service httpd start
The installation is now complete.
Chapter 3. Installing Red Hat Application Stack
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Using JBoss Application Server
1. Using the Linux service (production)
JBoss Application Server 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 Application Server 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 Application Server.
The entire JBoss Application Server 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 Application Server 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 Application Server 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 Application Server
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 Application 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 Application Server 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 Application Server configurations besides the provided 'default',
Using run.sh (development)
13

'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.
3. Creating copies of JBOSS_HOME
The analog of unzipping another copy of JBoss Application Server 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 Application Server documentation. Refer to Running
multiple instances of JBoss Application Server 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 Application Server 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 Application Server
14