WAS 6.1 install on Fedora

I am currently installing WebSphere Application Server 6.1 on Fedora Core 6. Just some tips on this:

If you are running Fedora under VMWare ESX as I am, you will hopefully be able to use the Virtual Infrastructure Client. You can download this from the VM host server site. I am using a DVD disc that came with a magazine (Linux Format, a great British linux mag). Create your VM image, then boot, and as soon as you boot, connect your virtual CD – you’ll be connecting your local CD ROM to the VM server. It takes a while to do this (especially over a VPN like I am), but it works for installing and setting up the OS.

First, prior to doing much of anything (but after installing of course), you’ll need to turn off SELinux. Click on “System>Administration>Security Level and Firewall”, and disable SELinux on the second tab. Thanks to Oliver Quixchan for the tip (http://oliverqg.blogspot.com/).

Fedora uses RPMs for package management. Spend some time preparing the operating system, by getting the recommended packages installed first. you’ll avoid headaches in the installation. One word of note on this: the rpm-build-4.3.3-7_nonptl package mentioned in the InfoCenter is NOT included with Fedora, and I’ve found no where to download it. That said, I do not feel that I’ve needed it.

My preference is always to do a silent install, regardless of platform. You do not have to be logged in as root to install, but its preferable. The WAS 6.1 install allows you to install as a non-root user, just fill in the blanks in the response file (response.nd.txt under the WAS directory). A silent install is really the only to install it with advanced settings and walk away from it. When you come back, you have a running server.