Refresh Packs & Fix Packs

As I said, my goal is to install WAS 6.0.2.5 and I have installed only WAS6.0. How to bring the installation to 6.0.2.5? For that, you need to goto ibm and download fix packs and refresh packs. What I did is, first I have installed Refresh Pack 2 and on that I have installed a fix pack.
Note: Before applying fix packs or refresh packs, make sure that you have stopped the server.
This raises a question, How to install these fix packs and refresh packs?
Note: As a good practice, before installing any fix packs or patches, or refresh packs, take a backup of the existing configuration. How to do that?
Goto WAS_HOME/profiles/default/bin
issue this command
./stopServer.sh server1
This will stops the server.

Now, goto the WAS_HOME/bin
$./backupConfig.sh
This will take the backup of the server including the default profile.
The back will be stored as WebSphereConfig_YYYY_MM_DD.zip
Again it is a good practice to have separate folder for backups, and this will be according to the company policy.

I have first downloaded refresh pack 2. That comes as a tar.
Download the tar 6.0-WS-WAS-SolarisSparc-RP0000002.tar into the WAS_HOME. Untar it like this.
tar -xvf 6.0-WS-WAS-SolarisSparc-RP0000002.tar

This will create a folder updateinstaller in the WAS_ROOT.
In the updateinstaller folder, search for responsefiles subfolder.
You can see install.txt and uninstall.txt.
These two are responsefiles.
Edit the install.txt for your environment. I have edit that like this


-W maintenance.package="/software/IBM/WebSphere/updateinstaller
/maintenace/6.0-WS-WAS-SolarisSparc-RP0000002.pak"
-W product.location="/software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer"
-W update.type="install"

Goto the /WAS_HOME/bin
at the command prompt issue this command
$setupCmdLine.sh
Now, again come to the updateinstaller folder and at the command prompt issue this
$ ./update -options responsefiles/install.txt -silent
This silently installs the refresh pack.
You have to check whether that installer installed properly or not. For that you need to goto the logs.
/WAS_HOME/logs/update/
check all the logs in all the foldrs in this folder.

Once you are done with the confirmation INSTCONFSUCCESS,
goto WAS_HOME/bin/
$./versionInfo.sh
This will give you the version of the current installation.
Now, start the server
WAS_HOME/profiles/default/bin
$./startServer.sh server1
If the installation is successful, the server will start.

Now, I have to install Fix Pack.
For that the procedure is same.
First I have cleaned up updateinstaller.
By the way, how to remove a folder which has files in that in Solaris?
rm -r updateinstaller
This is the command.
Now, the folder is deleted. Again download the fix pack 6.0.2-WS-WAS-SolarisSparc-FP0000005.tar
Stop the server as usual. And take the back up of the server as above.
Prepare the install.txt response file and install the fix pack in the silent mode.
Uff!!! Long process!!
Now, check the versionInfo of the product.
WVER0010I: Copyright (c) IBM Corporation 2002, 2005; All rights reserved.
WVER0011I: WebSphere Application Server Release 6.0
WVER0012I: VersionInfo reporter version 1.15.3.1, dated 4/25/05

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IBM WebSphere Application Server Product Installation Status Report
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Report at date and time 2006-05-02 15:12:41-0400

Installation
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Product Directory /software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer
Version Directory /software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version
DTD Directory /software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version/dtd
Log Directory /software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/logs
Backup Directory /software/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/version/update/backup
TMP Directory /var/tmp

Installation Platform
------------------------------------------------------------------
Name IBM WebSphere Application Server
Version 6.0

Product List
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BASE installed

Installed Product
------------------------------------------------------------------
Name IBM WebSphere Application Server
Version 6.0.2.5
ID BASE
Build Level cf50549.21
Build Date 12/8/05

------------------------------------------------------------------
End Installation Status Report
------------------------------------------------------------------

Start the server, access the Admin Console. You will see the 6.0.2.5 admin console.