Prepare for IBM pureapplication System (iv)

Migrate your application to the cloud using the Advanced Middleware Configuration tool

Brief introduction

This article is part 4th of a series of articles that will introduce applications that can be migrated to IBM pureapplication System, and how to migrate applications using advanced middleware configuration (AMC) tools and IBM workload deployer, and deploy new instances of the application to the cloud.

Note: IBM workload Deployer Users can also use the workload from IBM Pureapplication System to manage the console.

Comparison between virtual application mode and virtual system model

For more information on considerations when selecting Virtual Application mode and virtual system mode, see part 1th: Migration Overview and Part 2nd: Whether your application is ready for virtualization.

When the AMC tool should be used

The Pureapplication System contains advanced middleware configuration tools. AMC makes it easier to create repeatable, deployable virtual system patterns. This includes applications and configurations by introspective the existing application units, extracting all configuration details, encapsulating them into a script package, and rebuilding the configuration while deploying the schema. This is useful for WebSphere application Server applications that do not conform to any of the Pureapplication System virtual application patterns, which are restricted and do not have a complete, reusable, reliable set of deployment and configuration scripts.

AMC should be used for applications with the following characteristics:

Cannot run as a virtual application.

No existing "turnkey" automation.

The result will be a set of partially automated applications, or a set of applications that have manual instructions (documents, wikis, and so on) to install and configure the application.

For applications that are currently automated, you can create a script package to perform existing automation. If you are not currently using automation, or you will be using the automation capabilities provided by AMC, you can use AMC.

Migration Process Overview

The purpose of this article is to help you migrate an existing WebSphere application Server application to AMC so that its replicas can be automatically deployed into the cloud. This article provides a description of the steps in this process, including:

Deploy advanced middleware configuration to the cloud

Create, supply, and deploy virtual system patterns for Applications

Installing and configuring Applications in virtual system mode

Capturing applications from advanced middleware configurations in virtual system mode

Deploy new instances of the application to the cloud

By manually configuring the application in virtual system mode only once, AMC captures the configuration and application. After capturing virtual system mode, you can deploy a AMC server instance to manage multiple applications.

Deploy AMC to the cloud

In the IBM workload Deployer Web interface, select Advanced middleware Configuration mode, click the Deploy in the Cloud button (a green arrow pattern on a cloud). The pattern is shown in Figure 1. In the Access granted to field, add the user and password for each user.

Figure 1. Deploy AMC to the cloud via IBM workload Deployer

After the schema has been successfully deployed, locate the host name of the newly deployed system. In the IBM workload Deployer, follow these steps:

Open Instances > Virtual Systems.

Select an instance.

Expand the Virtual Machine section.

Expand the virtual machine.

Enter the host name in the browser and navigate to the Automation Engine Web user interface as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Example of a deployed host name