Installing WebSphere Application Server on Docker: A Quick Tutorial

📋 Overview

This guide walks through the steps to:

• Pull an Oracle Linux 8.10 Docker image

• Create and run a container with required ports

• Install necessary packages for WebSphere on RHEL 8-compatible systems

• Install IBM Installation Manager (IIM)

• Install WebSphere Application Server (WAS) using response files

📁 Prerequisites

• Docker installed on host machine

• Access to IBM WebSphere and IIM installation binaries

• Response files for silent installation of IIM and WAS

• Internet access for package installation

🧱 Pull Oracle Linux 9 Base Image

docker pull oraclelinux:9
9: Pulling from library/oraclelinux
b2ba127a66c2: Pull complete
Digest: sha256:9b94175f751ae45517a7f8bcb1e78a466e0064dd0c7db1fed2a15810f9871311
Status: Downloaded newer image for oraclelinux:9
docker.io/library/oraclelinux:9

docker images
REPOSITORY         TAG       IMAGE ID       CREATED         SIZE
oraclelinux        9         8a8d288339e3   5 days ago      239MB

🚀 Container Creation

Run the following command to start a container and expose the necessary ports:

docker run -dt --name was9-container \
  -p 9060:9060 \   # Admin Console (HTTP)
  -p 9043:9043 \   # Admin Console (HTTPS)
  -p 9080:9080 \   # Application HTTP
  -p 9443:9443 \   # Application HTTPS
  -v "C:\Users\DBENITEZA\Documents\software:/opt/software"
  -v "C:\Users\DBENITEZA\Documents\github\ansible_was:/workdir"
  oraclelinux:9

Here’s the one-line Docker command:

docker run -dt --name was9-container -p 9060:9060 -p 9043:9043 -p 9080:9080 -p 9443:9443 -v "C:\Users\DBENITEZA\Documents\software:/opt/software" -v "C:\Users\DBENITEZA\Documents\github\ansible_was:/workdir" oraclelinux:9

🔐 Port Reference

These are the default ports used by WAS 9. You can customize them during profile creation or via configuration files.

🔧 Disable SSL Verification and Install Additional Packages

To avoid SSL certificate issues when installing packages like oracle-epel-release-el8, disable SSL verification in the YUM configuration:

# Disable SSL verification to prevent certificate errors
echo "sslverify=false" >> /etc/yum.conf

# Install update, EPEL repository and Ansible
dnf update -y
dnf -y install oracle-epel-release-el9
dnf -y install ansible
dnf -y install tree
dnf install -y unzip

📦 Install Required Packages

Before installing WebSphere Application Server 9, you must ensure the system has the required packages and configurations. These steps are essential for both graphical and command-line installations.

Run the following command inside your container or host system to install the necessary packages:

dnf install -y gtk2 libXtst xorg-x11-fonts-Type1 psmisc libnsl chkconfig libxcrypt-compat

For full details, refer to IBM’s official guide:
🔗 Preparing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 for installation

📂 Mounted Software Directory from Host

To simplify installation, a local directory from the host machine has been mounted into the container, providing access to all required software binaries.

bash-5.1# tree /opt/software/
/opt/software/
└── was9
    ├── iim
    │   └── agent.installer.linux.gtk.x86_64_1.9.2002.20220323_1321.zip
    ├── jdk
    │   ├── jdk-11.0.27_linux-x64_bin.tar.gz
    │   ├── jdk-8u202-linux-i586.tar.gz
    │   └── sdk.repo.8035.java8.linux.zip
    └── was
        ├── was.repo.90501.base.zip
        └── was.repo.90501.nd.zip

📥Install IBM Installation Manager (IIM)

The response file for IBM Installation Manager (/workdir/iim_response.rsp) is stored in a mounted directory from the host machine:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<agent-input clean='true' temporary='true'>
    <server>
         <repository location='/tmp/iim'/>
    </server>
    <install>
        <offering features='agent_core,agent_jre' id='com.ibm.cic.agent' version='1.9.2002.20220323_1321'/>
    </install>
</agent-input>

Before running the installc command, unzip the Installation Manager archive to a temporary directory. This avoids cluttering permanent paths and allows for clean-up after installation.

mkdir -p /tmp/iim
unzip /opt/software/was9/iim/agent.installer.linux.gtk.x86_64_1.9.2002.20220323_1321.zip -d /tmp/iim
cd /tmp/iim

mkdir -p /opt/IBM /opt/IBM/InstallationManager /opt/IBM/InstallationManagerData

./installc -acceptLicense -input /workdir/iim_response.rsp \
-installationDirectory /opt/IBM/InstallationManager  \
-dataLocation /opt/IBM/InstallationManagerData  \
-log /opt/IBM/iim_install_log_$(date +%Y%m%d).log

bash-5.1# ./installc -acceptLicense -input /opt/ansible-workdir/iim_response.rsp \
> -installationDirectory /opt/IBM/InstallationManager  \
> -dataLocation /opt/IBM/InstallationManagerData  \
> -log /opt/IBM/iim_install_log_$(date +%Y%m%d).log

Installed com.ibm.cic.agent_1.9.2002.20220323_1321 to the /opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse directory.

For full details, refer to IBM’s official guide:
🔗 Installing Installation Manager
🔗 Installing the product offerings by using response files

🌐 Install WebSphere Application Server (WAS)

Software Location

The following files are available in the mounted directory /opt/software/was9 (both zip files and unarchived):

/opt/software/was9/
├── was/
│   └── was.repo.90501.base.zip
│   └── was.repo.90501.base
├── jdk/
│   └── sdk.repo.8035.java8.linux.zip
│   └── sdk.repo.8035.java8.linux

Recommended Installation Paths

• WAS installation directory: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer

• JDK installation directory: /opt/IBM/Java80

Modified Response File: was_response.xml

Assuming you have the WAS installer .zip and a response file /workdir/was_response.xml:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<agent-input>
  <variables>
    <variable name='sharedLocation' value='/opt/IBM/IMShared'/>
  </variables>
  <server>
    <repository location='/opt/software/was9/was/was.repo.90501.base'/>
    <repository location='/opt/software/was9/jdk/sdk.repo.8035.java8.linux'/>
  </server>
  <profile id='IBM WebSphere Application Server V9.0' installLocation='/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer'>
    <data key='cic.selector.arch' value='x86_64'/>
  </profile>
  <install>
    <!-- WebSphere Application Server -->
    <offering profile='IBM WebSphere Application Server V9.0'
              id='com.ibm.websphere.BASE.v90'
              version='9.0.5001.20190828_0616'
              features='core.feature,ejbdeploy,thinclient,embeddablecontainer'
              installFixes='none'/>

    <!-- Java SDK -->
    <offering profile='IBM WebSphere Application Server V9.0'
              id='com.ibm.java.jdk.v8'
              version='8.0.5035.20190422_0948'
              features='com.ibm.sdk.8'/>
  </install>
  <preference name='com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.eclipseCache' value='${sharedLocation}'/>
</agent-input>

Installation Command

/opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse/tools/imcl \
  input /workdir/was_response.xml \
  -acceptLicense -sP \
  -record /opt/ansible-workdir/auto_was_base_response.xml \
  -log /opt/IBM/was_install_log_$(date +%Y%m%d).log

Example output:

bash-5.1# /opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse/tools/imcl   input /workdir/was_response.xml   -acceptLicense -sP   -record /opt/ansible-workdir/auto_was_response.xml   -log /opt/IBM/was_install_log_$(date +%Y%m%d).log.log
                 25%                50%                75%                100%
------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
............................................................................
Installed com.ibm.websphere.BASE.v90_9.0.5001.20190828_0616 to the /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer directory.
Installed com.ibm.java.jdk.v8_8.0.5035.20190422_0948 to the /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer directory

✅ Verification

After installation, verify the WAS profile and start the server:

bash-5.1# /opt/IBM/InstallationManager/eclipse/tools/imcl listInstalledPackages
com.ibm.cic.agent_1.9.2002.20220323_1321
com.ibm.java.jdk.v8_8.0.5035.20190422_0948
com.ibm.websphere.BASE.v90_9.0.5001.20190828_0616

For full details, refer to IBM’s official guide:
🔗 WebSphere Application Server installation information
🔗 Response file examples and modification

🏗️ Create a WebSphere Profile After Installation

Once WAS Base 9.0.5.01 is installed, you need to create a standalone application server profile using the manageprofiles.sh script.

📁 Recommended Profile Directory

• Profile name: AppSrv01

• Profile path: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01

🛠️ Command to Create the Profile

/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/manageprofiles.sh \
  -create \
  -profileName AppSrv01 \
  -templatePath /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profileTemplates/default \
  -serverName server1 \
  -enableAdminSecurity true -adminUserName wasadmin -adminPassword wasadmin123

Example output:

bash-5.1# /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/manageprofiles.sh \
>   -create \
>   -profileName AppSrv01 \
>   -templatePath /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profileTemplates/default \
>   -serverName server1 \
>   -enableAdminSecurity true -adminUserName wasadmin -adminPassword wasadmin123

INSTCONFSUCCESS: Success: Profile AppSrv01 now exists. Please consult /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01/logs/AboutThisProfile.txt for more information about this profile.

✅ Verify the Profile

/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/manageprofiles.sh -listProfiles

Example output:

bash-5.1# /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/manageprofiles.sh -listProfiles
[AppSrv01]

For full details, refer to IBM’s official guide:
🔗 Creating application server profiles
🔗 manageprofiles command

🚀 Start the Server and Configure Ports After Profile Creation

Once the profile is created, you can start the application server and customize its port configuration.

🛠️ Start the Server

/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/<profile-name>/bin/startServer.sh server1

Replace <profile-name> with actual value from your environment.

Example output:

bash-5.1# /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01/bin/startServer.sh server1
ADMU0116I: Tool information is being logged in file
           /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01/logs/server1/startServer.log
ADMU0128I: Starting tool with the AppSrv01 profile
ADMU3100I: Reading configuration for server: server1
ADMU3200I: Server launched. Waiting for initialization status.
ADMU3000I: Server server1 open for e-business; process id is 2520

For full details, refer to IBM’s official guide:
🔗 Starting an application server

🔧 Configured Ports

WebSphere uses a set of default ports for HTTP, HTTPS, admin console, and more.

• HTTP Transport (default): 9080

• HTTPS Transport (default): 9443

• Admin Console (HTTP): 9060

• Admin Console (HTTPS): 9043

Access the Admin Console at:
🔗 http://localhost:9060/ibm/console/
🔐 https://localhost:9443/ibm/console/