SiteScope User's Guide

Deploying WebSphere Application Server Solution Templates

The SiteScope WebSphere Application Server Solution allows you to monitor the availability, server statistics, and deployed J2EE components on a IBM WebSphere Application Server 5.x.

Usage Guidelines

This solution template will deploy a set of monitors that test the health, availability, and performance of IBM WebSphere 5.x Application Servers. It uses IBM's JMX interface to the Performance Monitoring Infrastructure of WebSphere. You can use this solution template to deploy monitors for server-wide resources and metrics (i.e. thread pool and JVM metrics). You can also create monitors for the deployed EJBs, Web Applications, and Servlets using this solution template. An indepth description of the WebSphere Solution is available in SiteScope_WebSphere_Best_Practices.pdf. (Note: This is a password protected document. The password is provided along with the WebSphere Solution license key from Mercury.)

System Requirements

Before you can use the WebSphere Solution, there are a number of configuration requirements involving the server environment. For an overview of these requirements, see WebSphere Monitor Help Page.

Deploying the WebSphere Application Server Solution Template

You use the following steps to deploy the WebSphere Application Server Solution Form.

To deploy the WebSphere Application Server Solution Template:

1. Create a new SiteScope monitor group into which you will deploy the WebSphere Application Server Solution Template.
2. Within the new monitor group, click the Solution Template link below the Monitor Detail Table. The Solution selection screen opens.
3. Click the WebSphere Application Server link in the table of solutions. The Solution Properties for WebSphere Application Server form opens.
4. Complete the properties needed for SiteScope to connect to the WebSphere Application Server in the form as described in the following sections.
5. Click the Show Applications button. SiteScope queries the WebSphere Application Server and retrieves a list of modules that are available on the server. The module selection window opens with a reduced listing of modules.
6. Select the modules and parameters that you want to monitor. See the section on Selecting Modules for Monitoring for more information on the module types.
7. After selecting the desired modules, scroll down in the module selection window and click the Select Modules button. The selection window closes and the Solution Properties for WebSphere Application Server form is displayed populated with a check list of the selected modules.
8. If necessary, use the check boxes in the selected modules list to deselect any parameters that you do not want to monitor. Click the Submit button to continue. The Property and Syntax Check screen opens. See the section on Verifying Monitor Values for more information.
9. Click the Create Solution button to initiate the deployment of the monitors. A monitor creation screen is displayed.

   As the monitors are created, the monitor type and name are displayed along with messages of any errors found. A "success" message is shown if the monitors are created successfully. The process does not run the monitor.

   Note: Errors detected during the creation of monitors using a solution template are independent of the status returned when the individual monitors are run. This means that the monitors may be created successfully but that the configuration settings may be incorrect or that the system being monitored is unavailable.

10. After the monitors have been created, you can select the Return link to return the group detail page to view the status of the monitors.

After deploying the monitors, you should review the Error and Warning status thresholds and adjust them according to the importance of the monitored element. You should also create alerts and associate them to the newly created monitors to provide notification when an error is detected.

Note: Solution Templates do not configure any automated alerts for the monitors created. You must create and associate one or more alert definitions to the monitors or monitor groups created by solution templates.

Settings in the WebSphere Application Server Solution Form

The following describes the settings on the WebSphere Application Server Solution Form:

WebSphere Server

Enter the name of the server where the WebSphere Application is running. Do NOT enter backslashes (\\) that indicate a UNC path as part of the name of the server.

WebSphere Port Number

Enter the port number of WebSphere server. This should be the SOAP port for WebSphere 5.x+. The default port number is 8880.

WebSphere User Name

Enter the user name that SiteScope should use to login to WebSphere server.

WebSphere Password

Enter the password that SiteScope should use to login to WebSphere server.

WebSphere Directory

Enter the path to the WebSphere Directory. This directory should contain at least an Admin Console installation.

WebSphere Client Properties File

Enter the custom client properties file. For WebSphere 5.x+, you should select an appropriate soap.client.props file. By default the /properties/soap.client.props file will be used.

WebSphere Classpath

Enter any extra classpath elements needed for monitor program.

You must enter valid connection parameters before clicking the Show Applications button. When the correct connection information is supplied, SiteScope uses this to query the server and populate a hierarchical list of the selectable modules that you may monitor. Selecting a module will cause a monitor to be deployed against it. The metrics for each monitor are automatically created according to the type of module that is being monitored.

Verifying Monitor Values

During the deployment of the Solution template, each monitor configuration is displayed in the Property and Syntax Check table. The solution type is displayed above the table. The first column shows the monitor's property name. The next column shows the value for that property. Values that contained variables are shaded with green. Values that are not affected by variables show no shading. The final column is for displaying errors that SiteScope has found while verifying the values. Errors are shaded in red. Errors should be corrected before proceeding to the next step, but SiteScope does not require it, however doing so may create monitors that do not function properly.

The following is an example section from the Property and Syntax Check page for a WebSphere Application Server Solution Template.

Property and Syntax Check for Solution: WebSphere Application Server

Monitor Type: WebSphereMonitor     Monitor Name: Thread Pool: Object Request Broker

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