Purpose of this article

Most often in some Unix/Linux environments, one might not have access to the X-windows UI to be able to install portal or fixes via IBM Installation Manger (hereafter referred to as IIM) Graphical User Interface. One way to do is to use silent method in IIM to install/update portal/portal fixes.

Disclaimer

Make sure one has a backup of their portal environment including file structure, database and IIM agent data directory. This article is limited to recording a response file with the help of IIM.

Before you begin

- Make sure you have a temporary IIM agent data directory for IIM that contains WebSphere Portal, so that one may record the response file for the ifix to this IIM agent data location. This can be either of the below:
1) This temporary IIM agent data directory is different from the actual WebSphere Portal IIM agent data directory and is one where a portal product installation recording was done.
2) This temporary IIM agent data directory is a copy of the actual WebSphere Portal IIM agent data directory.
- To be able to install silently, a response file pertaining to installing this fix needs to be recorded or an existing one modified.

Before recording the response file, upgrade the IIM to 1.5.2 or above. In order to do so,

1) Go to File -> Preferences, select "Repositories" in the left pane, remove any repositories from here. (This is needed so that when updating IIM, one does not upgrade the base product (WebSphere AppServer or PortalServer here).
2) Check "Search service repositories during installation and updates" and click "Apply"
3) Then select "Updates" from the left pane, check "Search for Installation Manager updates" and then select Apply. Click "Okay" to close the window.
4) Click on the "Update" link in IIM main window. This will guide one through finding IIM updates and installing it.
5) Once IIM update is completed, exit IIM. (It is essential because even the response file recording needs an upgrade of the IIM). Even if IIM restarts after this update, check sure if IIM has been updated by going to File -> Installation History.

Procedure

To record a response file, use the below command to invoke IIM on a system that has a Websphere Portal 8 installed (See the "Before you begin" section about the temporary IIM agent data directory). Pre-requisities for installing this iFix, PM80376 - WP 8.0.0.0 with at CF02 or CF03

./IBMIM -record WP8PM80376.xml -skipInstall <Temporary_IIM_Data_Directory_Location>

The above command will invoke IIM in a record only mode and skip the install of the fix.

1) Go to File -> Preferences, select "Repositories" in the left pane, and click on "Add Repository" on the right hand side.

2) Browse to the location of the iFix (for this I've chosen as an example to install the iFix, PM80376) and choose the repository.config.
3) Uncheck "Search service repositories during installation and updates" and click "Apply"
4) Go through the remainder of the screens to finish the recording.
5) Exit IIM

Installing the iFix silently

From the IIM tools directory, Execute the below command to install the iFix

./imcl -acceptLicense -input PM80376Response.xml -log <name_of_a_log_file>

Verification

From WebSphere Portal root directory, invoke the below command to check if the fix has been installed:

./WPVersionInfo.sh -fixes

Remarks

The same procedure could be used on non-Unix/Linux systems.

Attachments

A sample response file to install the fix has been included. This file should be used as a reference only.