TechNote

ColdFusion MX: Installing multiple instances on IBM WebSphere 5 Application Server

The default IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) version 5 install creates a single installation with one configuration instance (or node) on each server. While it is possible to create multiple application servers per node, you can only successfully deploy one ColdFusion MX (CFMX) instance per node. If you deploy multiple CFMX instances into a single node and map each instance to a separate application server, only one of the CFMX instances will be operational.

The solution for a single server environment is to create multiple WAS instances, then deploy CFMX into each instance. There are two ways to create multiple WAS instances on a single server:

1. Perform multiple installs in separate directories (coexistence)
2. Create multiple configuration instances for a single installation using the wsinstance tool

Option 1:

Performing multiple installations involves running the WAS installer and pointing to different installation directories on the file system. For example, the default Windows installation location is C:\Program Files\WebSphere. Perform a second install and point to a separate directory structure, such as C:\Program Files\WebSphere2. This will create completely separate, autonomous WAS environments with their own configuration instances and application server structures.

Option 2:

Complete and configure a single WAS installation. Access the wsinstance tool (wsinstance.bat on Windows,wsinstance.sh on Linux/Unix) in theinstall_root\bin\wsinstance directory. Run the wsinstance tool specifying a unique instance name (-name), a unique installation path (-path), the host name (-host), and the creation flag (-create).

• Windows syntax:
  
  wsinstance.bat -name instanceName -path instanceLocation -host hostName [-startingPort startingPort] [-readOnly] -create|-delete [ -debug]
  
  Example: To create an application server instance named CFMX2 in C:\Program Files\WebSphere2 with a node name of BLACKSQUIRL_CFMX2, run the following:
  
  wsinstance.bat -name CFMX2 -path C:\Program Files\WebSphere2 -host BLACKSQUIRL -create
• Linux/UNIX syntax:
  
  wsinstance.sh -name instanceName -path instanceLocation -host hostName [-startingPort startingPort] [-readOnly] -create|-delete [-debug]
  
  Example: To create an application server instance named CFMX2 in /var/WebSphere2 with a node name of BLACKSQUIRL_CFMX2, run the following:
  
  wsinstance.bat -name CFMX2 -path /var/WebSphere2 -host BLACKSQUIRL -create

Consult your WAS documentation for more details on wsinstance.

Note: You will still need to deploy the ColdFusion MX for any new instances you create.

Note: Macromedia does not support ColdFusion MX on IBM WebSphere 5.x Network Deployment

Related Articles:

• Advantages of using multiple instances for ColdFusion MX for J2EE
• Installing and Configuring ColdFusion MX 6.1 Multiple Instances with IIS and Apache Virtual Hosts

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