Install-Panther WebSphere

This chapter discusses the following issues to consider before installing Panther software on UNIX:

• Hardware and software requirements

• File ownership and protection

• Location of files

Hardware and Software Requirements

• The Panther client and application server engine require a maximum of 220 MB of disk space, of which 16 MB is for online documentation. The Panther web application broker requires a maximum of 50 MB of disk space.

• Running Panther under character mode has no special requirements.

• Database vendor's client and network software. For more information, consult the database-specific release notes located in the notes directory.

• IBM WebSphere Application Server Advanced Edition installed.

• A TCP/IP network to run the middleware or the license management software.

• A C compiler to add code in C, relink the executables, or add support for a database.

• Sun's JDK (Java Development Kit) installed to compile Java files. Check IBM WebSphere specifications for supported versions.

To run a Panther web application broker, an HTTP server must be configured and running on the same system. Panther supports some of the industry favorites, and supports CGI, ISAPI, NSAPI, and Java servlet architectures. You can select one according to your preferred configuration.

We recommend that you install the Panther web application broker and Panther software in the same directory if you installed them on the same machine. If they are not in the same directory and you need to remake the executables, set WEBBASE (in the WEB PARAMETERS section of the makefile) to the web application broker installation directory.

File Ownership and Protection

Before installing Panther software on a UNIX platform, consider the issues of file ownership and protection.

Implementing File Protection

Once they are installed, the files distributed with Panther should not be modified except under special circumstances, for example, to create a new executable. To prevent inadvertent changes to the files, we recommend that write-access to them be limited to a system administrator (or a specially created prolifics login), and that general Panther users be allowed only read-access.

Two suggested ways of implementing the above recommendations are:

• Login as root to install the files. After installation is complete, set the permissions so that only root can modify the files but all others can read and/or execute them. See chmod in your system manual, or type man chmod for information on setting permissions.

• Create a dummy login ID (for example, prolifics), then log in as that user and perform the installation. This allows whomever has access to the prolifics login account to control ownership, permissions, and modifications. This approach accommodates systems for which access to the root account is tightly controlled.

Do not install Panther software into a particular user's account; it is most likely to cause maintenance problems.

Determining File Location

After deciding who is going to own the Panther files (root or a dummy login ID), determine where they will be installed (referred to as the Panther installation directory or SMBASE). Do not change this directory once it is set up because users are likely to embed the directory name in makefiles, shell scripts, and so forth. The default installation directory is /usr/prolifics.

If your system layout does not permit you to put the files in /usr/prolifics, it might allow a symbolic link from /usr/prolifics to the directory using the ln -s command.

Upgrading

If you are upgrading from a version of JAM or Prolifics, we recommend that you install Panther in a different directory from your previous installations.

Before Installing a Web Application Broker

If you plan to install a Panther web application broker on UNIX, you must create a user account called proweb.

How to Prepare your System for Installing a Web Application Broker

1. Add a user called proweb (this name assignment is required) to the /etc/passwd file on the machine on which your HTTP server is running. This creates a user account for the web application broker.
2. Create a web home directory for the web application broker user account. For example: /home/proweb.
3. Set the permissions of proweb so that both the Panther web application broker and the HTTP server can access the files in the web home directory in the following way:

   • Determine the name of the HTTP server user account (for example, webmast).

   • Create a permission group consisting of the web user account (proweb) and the HTTP server user account (webmast).

   • Give the group permission to access files in the web home directory (/home/proweb). You may need to assign the same permissions to all of the parent directories as well.

4. In your web home directory, create an ini subdirectory. Make sure that it has read-write permissions for everyone. Your subdirectory might look like this.

   /home/proweb/ini