IBM HTTP Server configured to communicate with websphere to serve http/https

Question

I have 2 IBM HTTP servers with ip's 10.10.10.2 & 10.10.10.3 with http(port 80) and https(port 443). I have also WAS on 10.10.10.4 with http(port 80) and https(port 443). Now, I have to setup the two http servers with single domain name and forward http/https requests of dynamic contents to whebsphere.

I don't know how to do that. Can anyone help me about that with an example or decent document??

I read about virtual hosts and also about http-plugin but i couldn't understand the difference or what is the specific use of each?

Answer 1

HTTPplugin is a WebSphere component that allows the Web Servers to communicate with the WAS Server.

VirtualHost is a configuration inside WAS.

When you deploy any web app, you will associate them with a Virtual Host.

Virtualhost is a collection of supported IP & Port numbers.

In your case, you have a domain name (say test.abc.com that receives requests at 80 and 443)

Create a virtual host that contains two entries test.abc.com:80 test.abc.com:443

When you deploy a Web App, then associate it with this virtual host.

Generate the generic plugin (i am assuming you have not defined a Web Server configuration in WAS) and copy the generated plugin files to the Web Servers.

The HTTP Plugin would use this plugin file and route requests for Web Apps to the Application Server.

This article is very old but the basics mentioned here still hold true

http://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/dw/wes/pdf/WASWebserverplug-in.pdf

HTH Manglu