Maximo and Websphere 8.5.5 - Did you forget the plug-in configuration?

You've downloaded and installed WebSphere 8.5.5, the IHS and the Plugin. You have everything up and running, Maximo deployed and want to use the web server to access Maximo or load balance to multiple JVM's, so why isn't it working? Why are you receiving "Page Not Found" errors? In most cases it's likely a key step was missed that is automated with the Middleware\Maximo install when using WebSphere 7, that step is the Plugin Configuration.

During the install of WebSphere 8.5.5, you may of only installed the Application Server, HTTP Server and the Plug-in files, however you also need to install the WebSphere Customization Toolbox which contains the configuration tool for the web server plug-in. Below we will go over the install and how to configure your your Plugin.

Configuring your WebSphere Plug-in for Maximo

1. The first step if you haven't already is to install the WebSphere Customization Toolbox, you can do this using the Installation Manager and the package is contained in the WebSphere Supplemental Repositories.

2. Click through the install screens, reading and accepting the agreements and choosing your install path. Once you reach the screen showing the packages to Install, choose 'Web Server Plug-ins Configuration Tool". Click next and Install to finish the install of the Plug-in Configuration Tool.

3. When the install finishes click beside 'WebSphere Customization Toolbox' and then Finish to launch the tool.

4. Once the toolbox loads click on the 'Web Server Plugin-ins Configuration Tool' then click 'Launch Selected Tool'

5. You are now brought to the Plugin Configuration Page. In the 'Web Server Plug-ins Run time Locations' section click on Add. On the input page give your Plug-in a name, for example IHS_Plugin and then point the Location to the plugins directory Installed with WebSphere. Click Finish.

6. Once the above is completed in the lower section under 'Web Server Plug-in Configurations' click on the create button. You will be prompted to select the web server you wish to configure on the first screen. Choose 'IBM HTTP Server 8.5' and click next.

7. On the next screen point to your IBM HTTP Server configuration file (httpd.conf) and specify the port your web server is going to listen on and click next.

8. If you wish to setup the Administration Server, check the box 'Setup IBM HTTP Server Administration Server' and specify the port. Default is 8008. Click Next. You can also create a user name and password on this screen, or leave it open and configure the authentication later.

9. Specify if you want to IBM HTTP Server Administration Server to run as a service, the log on user to start the server and if you want it to start automatically or manual.

10. On the Web Server Definition Name screen, you will want to specify your webserver name. If you have already created this via WebSphere you will want this name to match what you see under web servers in the WebSphere console. In our case we chose webserver1, If no web server exists in the WebSphere console you can enter another name.

11.  On the 'Configuration Scenario Selection' screen, choose if you are doing a local configuration or a remote. If your Application Server exists on a different machine then your web server you will want to choose remote and enter in the Host Name or IP of the Application Server. For this example our Application server is on the same system so we chose 'Local' and pointed to our Application server directory.

12. On the last screen of the configuration choose your Application Server profile, click Next and review the information then click Configure.

13. Your configuration Wizard screen should now look like you see below. You can close this out now and continue with the last step of the configuration.

14. The last step to the profile configuration is to run the script created from the configuration wizard above. From your IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\Bin directory search for the file configurewebserver1.bat. You will need to copy this file to your application server and put it in the IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\bin folder. Once copied run the file from the command prompt inputting your WebSphere admin username and password. Once done the output will show 'Configuration save is complete' If you named your web server something different the batch file name will reflect the name you chose and not webserver1.

Your configuration of the WebServer plugin for Maximo is now complete, if it didn't already exist you will see the webserver1 you configured under the 'Web Servers' section in your Application Server console. From here when you deploy the ear ensure it is deployed to a virtual host containing your web server port and mapped to the web server and your application server. You will now be able to direct traffic to Maximo via the Web Server port defined. Please see the following IEA on the ear deployment process.

Original aticle: http://goo.gl/zaLMf4