IBM Web Administration for i5/OS

This topic provides information about the IBM® Web Administration for i5/OS™ interface.

Important: Information for this topic supports the latest PTF levels for HTTP Server for i5/OS . It is recommended that you install the latest PTFs to upgrade to the latest level of the HTTP Server for i5/OS. Some of the topics documented here are not available prior to this update. See http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/software/http/services/service.htm Link outside Information Center for more information.

The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface combines forms, tools, and wizards to create a simplified environment to set up and manage many different servers and server types on your iSeries™ server.

One of the key differences between IBM HTTP Server for i5/OS™ and other Web server products is the graphical user interface (GUI) provided for setting up and managing your servers. The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface is rich in function, examples, error-checking, and ease-of-use. Administration is made significantly easier through the use of forms, wizards, tasks and tools.

With the HTTP Server for i5/OS, it is no longer necessary to memorize directive names and their proper usage or syntax. Directives are represented in the interface by descriptive field names, along with help text for every field. For Apache users, it is no longer necessary to memorize the supported context of directives. The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface enforces supported context for the directives.

To start the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface, complete the following steps:

  1. In iSeries Navigator, expand yourserver > Network > Servers, and select TCP/IP.
  2. Right-click HTTP Administration, and select Start.
  3. Start a Web browser.
  4. Type http://[your_iSeries]:2001 in the URL field to start the iSeries Tasks Web page, where [your_iSeries] is the name of your iSeries server.
    Example: http://ibm.com:2001
  5. Click IBM Web Administration for i5/OS.
Note: The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface can also be started using the STRTCPSVR SERVER(*HTTP) HTTPSVR(*ADMIN) command at an i5/0S command prompt.

Header images

The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface has several images in the header, or top most portion, of the GUI. These images are hyperlinks to helpful information.

Table 1. Header images
Header Image Description

Image example
Image hyperlink to the iSeries Information Center entry page.

Image example
Image hyperlink to the WebSphere® Application Server Family Web page. This Web page contains information on WebSphere products, including support and service information.

Image example
Image hyperlink to the IBM Web page where you can find information on all of IBM's products.

Image example
Image hyperlink to the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS Web page. This Web page contains additional information on PTFs and support, developer documentation, and other topics.

Tabs and subtabs

Navigation of the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface is done through tabs. There are two types of tabs, the main task tabs on the top (referred to in the documentation as tabs) and more specific subtabs underneath (referred to in the documentation as subtabs).

Table 2. Main task tabs
Tab Name Description
Setup The Setup tab contains the setup tasks for your servers. Setup tasks include the common tasks and wizards for the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface. Simple "getting started" tasks and wizards are also available.
Manage The Manage tab contains the manage tasks for your servers. The All Servers, HTTP Server, Application Server, and ASF Tomcat Server subtabs are available under the Manage tab. You can manage all servers, or choose a specific server to manage on your iSeries server.
Advanced The Advanced tab contains advanced tasks that you can perform on your servers. The advanced tasks include global settings for your iSeries server, Internet Users and Groups management, Search Setup, and TCM.
Related Links The Related Links tab contains hyperlinks to useful information related to features, functions, and uses of the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface and all products supported by the interface. From here, you can find general and support documentation.

Use the subtabs to quickly manage your servers or to set up advanced tasks.

Table 3. Manage subtabs
Subtab Name Description
All Servers The All Servers subtab opens a form to view all the currently configured servers on your iSeries server. This form also provides you the ability to start, stop, restart, and configure your servers, as well as monitor and manage details. Select the server that you want to work with by clicking the button to the left of the server name. Clicking on the server name will also take you directly to managing the details for the selected server.
HTTP Servers The HTTP Servers subtab opens forms for managing HTTP Servers currently configured on your iSeries server. Use these forms to set up and manage your HTTP Server quickly and easily.
Application Servers The Application Servers subtab opens forms for managing WebSphere Application Servers, and WebSphere Application Servers - Express, and WebSphere Portal servers currently configured on your iSeries server. Server properties forms, the WebSphere Application Server Administrative Console, and problem determination logs can be viewed here.
Note: This subtab is only available if WebSphere Application Server, WebSphere Application Server - Express, WebSphere Portal, Workplace™ Collaborative Services, or Workplace Services Express is installed.
ASF Tomcat Servers The ASF Tomcat Servers subtab opens forms for managing the ASF Jakarta Tomcat servers currently configured on your iSeries server.

ASF Jakarta Tomcat is an industry standard Java™ Servlet and JavaServer Pages engine. The iSeries implementation of ASF Jakarta Tomcat servlet engine provides a lightweight servlet engine that supports servlets, JavaServer pages (JSPs), and Web application archive (WAR) files.

The out-of-process ASF Jakarta Tomcat runs in a separate process (this separate process can be on a different system than the one HTTP Server (powered by Apache) is on) and communicates to the HTTP Server (powered by Apache) through a TCP/IP sockets connection. Running out-of-process provides for more flexibility in the number and type of processes that you can configure.

Table 4. Advanced subtabs
Subtab Name Description
Settings The Settings subtab opens forms for managing your global server settings.

Global server settings are values that apply to each IBM HTTP Server (powered by Apache) configuration. The values provided here can be overridden individually within each IBM HTTP Server (powered by Apache) configuration file.

Internet Users and Groups The Internet Users and Groups subtab opens forms for managing validation lists, group files, and digital certificates.

Validation lists are used in conjunction with other resources to limit access to server resources. Each validation list contains a list of Internet users and passwords. Use the Internet users and groups form to list and manage digital certificates associated with validation lists. Validation list entries also require you to identify an authentication protocol type to associate with the user id and password. Validation lists are case-sensitive and reside in iSeries libraries. A validation list is used to store user ID and password information about remote users. You can use existing validation lists or create your own.

A group file identifies a group of users with a common security profile. A group file contains iSeries user profiles. A user profile is an object with a unique name that contains the user's password, the list of special authorities assigned to a user, and the objects the user owns or has access to.

A digital certificate is a form of personal identification that can be verified electronically. Only the certificate owner who holds the corresponding private key can present a certificate for authentication through a Web browser session. The key can be validated through any readily available public key. Use the Digital Certificate Manager to create, distribute, and manage digital certificates.

Search Setup The Search Setup subtab opens forms for managing your Web server search engine. Use the Web server search engine to set up your web site for full text searches on HTML and text files. Enhance your search results with field support for META tags, a mapping rules file to map internal file names to an external path, and thesaurus support.
TCM The TCM subtab opens forms for managing your Triggered Cache Manager (TCM) servers.  TCM servers may be used in conjunction with Web servers and Web document caching agents to keep Internet (and Intranet) web sites running at peak performance. If your Web site contains dynamically produced web pages, or perhaps rapidly changing static pages, it may benefit you by having a Web document caching agent that is managed by a TCM server.
Note: This subtab only appears if you have Option 1 of the DG1 product installed.
Note: Common Tasks and Wizards are available on all tabs of the interface.

Lists

The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface organizes large groupings of servers and configuration files into different lists. Click the list and select the server or server area you want to work with.

Table 5. Lists
List Name Description
Server The Server list contains the name of every server currently configured on your iSeries server. This includes HTTP Servers, WebSphere Application Servers, WebSphere Application Servers - Express, and WebSphere Portal servers. The server list only shows the servers for the selected type. For example, if the subtab HTTP Servers is selected, the servers list will show only HTTP Servers, not WebSphere Application Servers.
Server area The Server area allows you to work with the individual containers within your HTTP configuration.

Tasks, wizards, property forms, and tools

Each subtab opens specific tasks, wizards, property forms, and tools that provide you the ability to configure and manage your server.

Table 6. Tasks, Wizards, and Property Forms
Name Description
Task Tasks are property forms that guide you through advanced configuration steps. Individual tasks are sometimes grouped together to form advanced configuration tasks.
Wizards Wizards guide you through a series of advanced steps to accomplish a task. Wizards cannot save your progress and must be completed to successfully update or create a server.
Property forms Property forms are forms with field values that may be set for specific configuration requirements. Each property form has help text to assist you in managing your servers.
Tools Tools provide easy access to log files, the server configuration file, directive index, and real time HTTP server statistics. Tools are useful for problem solving and server maintenance.
Note: The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface checks any changes you make for errors. A message will be displayed below the forms (in the error window) detailing any errors.

Server status

The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface shows you the current status of your servers. The status of the server is displayed with the following icons.

Table 7. Server states
Server State Description

Server stopped icon
Stopped. The server is currently stopped. The server is no longer available. The IP address and port number are not in use.

Server running icon
Running. The server is currently running. The IP address and port number are in use.

Stopping server icon.
Stopping. The server is attempting to stop. the IP address and port number are still in use.

Creating server icon.
Creating. The server is being configured and created. The IP address and port number are not in use.

Loading image
Loading. The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface is loading the selected form, wizard, or Web browser frame.

Server buttons

The IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface uses server stop, start, and restart buttons to manage your server's status. Use the following buttons to change your server's status at anytime.

Table 8. Buttons
Button Description

Start server icon

Server running icon
Start. Click this button to start the server you are currently working with. The button is gray and unavailable when the server is running.

Stop server icon

Server stopped icon
Stop. Click this button to stop the server you are currently working with. The button is gray and unavailable when the server has stopped.

Restart server icon
Restart. Click this button to restart the server you are currently working with. The restart button stops the server and then attempts to restart it.
Note: This option is not available on all subtabs.

Refresh display icon
Refresh. Click this button to refresh the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface display. Some changes made by property forms may not be readily displayed. The refresh button clears the IBM Web Administration for i5/OS interface display and updates the current server status.