One of the essential tasks for WebSphere administrator is to ensure technology stack in a production environment is up-to-date.
There are many including security, feature enhancements & bug fixes are released by IBM as a fix pack, and in this guide, I will explain how to upgrade the fix pack in IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5 version.
My current version is 8.5.5.0, and I will upgrade Fix Pack 6 using IBM Installation Manager so, in the end, my WAS will be upgraded to 8.5.5.6.
Download WebSphere Application Server Fix Pack 6
- Go to following URL
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24040035
- Select the zip file for your desired platform. I am using Linux so that I will proceed with the download for “Distributed” platform.
- Fix Pack 6 is available in two parts, so you got to download both of them as shown below and click on Continue
- Log in with your IBM ID to download the fix pack
- Click on each file (part 1 & part 2) to download
- Transfer the downloaded file to your server
- You should have following two files on WAS server where you wish to upgrade the fix pack
-rw-rw-r--. 1 chandan chandan 901272378 Aug 30 02:18 8.5.5-WS-WAS-FP0000006-part1.zip -rw-rw-r--. 1 chandan chandan 1762272953 Aug 30 02:53 8.5.5-WS-WAS-FP0000006-part2.zip
- Extract the file using unzip command
# unzip 8.5.5-WS-WAS-FP0000006-part1.zip # unzip 8.5.5-WS-WAS-FP0000006-part2.zip
- It will take a minute or two, and you will have following extracted files/folders.
[[email protected] fixpack]# ls -ltr total 2604656 drwxr-xr-x. 3 root root 30 Jun 12 16:44 atoc -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 376411 Jun 12 16:44 update_com.ibm.websphere.ND.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 375954 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.NDTRIAL.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 358020 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.BASE.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 357755 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.BASETRIAL.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 357957 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.DEVELOPERS.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 357763 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.DEVELOPERSILAN.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 358185 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.EXPRESS.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 357817 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.EXPRESSTRIAL.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 128376 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.NDDMZ.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml drwxr-xr-x. 2 root root 159744 Jun 12 16:45 files -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 128313 Jun 12 16:45 update_com.ibm.websphere.NDDMZTRIAL.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536_from_8.5.0.20120501_1108.xml -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 1284 Jun 12 16:45 repository.config drwxr-xr-x. 2 root root 4096 Jun 12 16:45 plugins drwxr-xr-x. 2 root root 4096 Jun 12 16:45 Offerings drwxr-xr-x. 2 root root 53248 Jun 12 16:45 native -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 149645 Jun 12 16:45 repository.xml
Now, it’s time to use IBM Installation Manager to apply the fix pack.
Few pointers…
- Stop the WAS if it’s still running
- Take a backup of entire WAS
Apply WAS Fix Pack using IBM IM
- Open IBM Installation Manager
- Click on File >> Preferences
- Click on Add Repository
- Click on Browse and select repository.config which you got above after extracting fix pack
- Click on OK
- You should have something like below, click on OK to continue
- Click on Next on select package group window
- It will give you confirmation that Version 8.5.5.6 is recognized in a repository.config file. Click on Next
- Accept the terms and click on Next
- Here you can customize the features if you wish. Click on Next
- Review the summary information and click on Update to apply the fix pack
- It will take few minutes and at the end, you will have success message as shown below.
Well done! This indicates you have applied Fix Pack 6 on 8.5.5 version and now WAS version should be 8.5.5.6. Let’s verify them.
- Go to $PROFILE_HOME/bin folder
- Execute versionInfo.sh to see the installed WAS
[[email protected] bin]# ./versionInfo.sh WVER0010I: Copyright (c) IBM Corporation 2002, 2012; All rights reserved. WVER0012I: VersionInfo reporter version 1.15.1.48, dated 2/8/12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IBM WebSphere Product Installation Status Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Report at date and time August 31, 2015 4:52:31 AM PDT Installation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Product Directory /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer Version Directory /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version DTD Directory /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version/dtd Log Directory /var/ibm/InstallationManager/logs Product List -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NDTRIAL installed Installed Product -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment Version 8.5.5.6 ID NDTRIAL Build Level cf061521.02 Build Date 5/29/15 Package com.ibm.websphere.NDTRIAL.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536 Architecture x86-64 (64 bit) Installed Features IBM 64-bit WebSphere SDK for Java WebSphere Application Server Full Profile Sample applications -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End Installation Status Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[email protected] bin]#
You may also use historyInfo.sh to see previous and current installed version.
[[email protected] bin]# ./historyInfo.sh WVER0210I: Copyright (c) IBM Corporation 2002, 2012; All rights reserved. WVER0212I: HistoryInfo Reporter Version 1.7.1.28, Dated 10/18/11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IBM WebSphere Product History Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Report at date and time August 31, 2015 4:52:57 AM PDT Installation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Product Directory /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer Version Directory /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version DTD Directory /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version/dtd Log Directory /var/ibm/InstallationManager/logs Installation Event -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Install Manager Offering ID com.ibm.websphere.NDTRIAL.v85 Action install Version 8.5.5.0 Package com.ibm.websphere.NDTRIAL.v85_8.5.5000.20130514_1044 Log File Name 20150812_0525.xml Timestamp 2015-08-12 06:18:25-0700 Result success Installed Features Sample applications IBM 64-bit WebSphere SDK for Java Installation Event -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Install Manager Offering ID com.ibm.websphere.NDTRIAL.v85 Action update Version 8.5.5.6 Package com.ibm.websphere.NDTRIAL.v85_8.5.5006.20150529_0536 Log File Name 20150831_0419.xml Timestamp 2015-08-31 04:25:16-0700 Result success Installed Features IBM 64-bit WebSphere SDK for Java Sample applications -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End History Report --------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[email protected] bin]#
So that was all for today, and I hope you have an idea how to apply Fix Pack on IBM WebSphere Application Server environment.
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hello,
if we upgrade was 8.5.5.11 to 8.5.5.12, will it overwrite existing configuration file ?
or if do fixpack upgrade as like above will there any issue to start existing servers
Upgrading fixpack shouldn’t override the configuration. However, as a best practice, take a backup prior to upgrade so you can roll-back when things goes wrong.
thanks for the quick reply
Do you have any steps on migrating websphere application server 7 to 8.5.5.x?
Not at the moment, Srini.
Hai, please provide silent installation of fix pack document
Hello Rajeshwar,
Will write soon about it.
Hello Frankie,
It sounds like something to do with IBM Authentication. Can you try following?
Clear the cache
Access following URL
http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/swg/selectFixes?parent=ibm%2FWebSphere&product=ibm/WebSphere/WebSphere+Application+Server&release=All&platform=All&function=fixId&fixids=8.5.5-WS-WAS-FP0000006-part1,8.5.5-WS-WAS-FP0000006-part2&includeSupersedes=0
And continue with download. I hope it works.
Hello! I would just like to ask if the website is still accessible. I’m try to download the fixpack but every time it redirects me to the login page, it tells me that my id is invalid even though i’ve been using that id for quite some time already. I’ve also tried creating a new id but when i try to download the fixpack and i am redirected in the login page, it gives me the same error. Is there any other place where i can download the fixpack?