Manual Modifications to plugin-cfg.xml

[shelle...@cerner.com]

After updating the plugin-cfg.xml to allow my web server to access the administrative console (admin_host virtual host) as described in the "Allowing Web servers to access the administrative console" document from the InfoCenter [1], this configuration is frequently overridden back to its default contents, which prevents access to the admin console via the web server. This document indicates that this can happen, and that each time it happens, the file must be manually updated again:

+The plugin-cfg.xml file can be overwritten by the deployment manager synchronization operation, the GenPluginCfg script or any other method that regenerates the file. If you make changes to the plugin-cfg.xml file, and want to keep those changes, it is recommended that you create a copy of the file in a separate location. Make your manual updates each time the file is automatically refreshed by another process.+

Is there any way to override this behavior? Is there a way to specify the default contents of the plugin-cfg.xml file (preferred)? Or is there at least a way to prevent automatic regeneration of the file?

This is a huge limitation, so I'm hoping that I am overlooking something. Any help in determining a way to prevent the plugin-cfg.xml from being overridden would be greatly appreciated.

Specs: IBM WebSphere ND 6.1.0.21, IBM HTTP Server 6.1.0.21, Web Server Plugins for WAS 6.1.0.21 on RHEL 5.2

[1] http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/v6r1/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.nd.doc/info/ae/ae/tins_configACAccess.html

[Brian S Paskin]

Hi, My question would be why are you trying to make manual configuration changes in the plugin file? You should do everything through the console or wsadmin. There is no manual override to this process.

Regards,
Brian

[Ken Hygh]

I don't know of a way around this. Configuring the HTTP tier to allow
access to the admin console is generally such a bad idea that its
inclusion in plugin-cfg.xml is not automatic.

So, either you totally turn off the automatic updating of plugin-cfg.xml
and only allow manual updates, or you'll have to manually* update the
file after every automatic update.

*this _could_ be done through scripting, launching a daemon process that
watches plugin-cfg.xml for changes, and runs a sed script or something
to add back in your changes.

Ken

[shelle...@cerner.com]

Plug-in Properties" and uncheck the option to "Automatically generate plug-in configuration file"

[shelle...@cerner.com]

The IBM InfoCenter indicates that manual modifications to the plugin-cfg.xml are required in order to allow the web server to access the admin console (admin_host virtual host). See the link/document sited above "Allowing Web servers to access the administrative console", which includes a step to "Edit the plugin-cfg.xml file".

[karun.su...@esisconsulting.com]

Manual updates to the plugin-cfg.xml will be lost when WAS generates the plugin-cfg.xml. You could disable automatic generation of this file but you have to make sure you manually generate a plugin-cfg.xml file * if * any Web App level configuration is changed in your App(such as adding a new servlet, adding a new Web App etc). When you manually generate the plugin-cfg.xml, your admin_host entry will be lost as well.

So, by disabling automatic generation, you are avoiding frequent overwriting of the plugin-cfg.xml file, but you cannot totally avoid WAS updating the plugin-cfg.xml file (depends on how frequent your Application chagnes are).

I'm curious why you need to have Web Server access the Admin Console? You could directly access the Admin console from the App Server. I don't see Web Server adding any value here.

- Karun

[eri...@scotiabank.com]

Yes, we can manually update the plug-in.xml and keep that file.
In one environment, we moved this file to /usr/IBMIHS/Plug-in directiory from WAS directory and renamed the file to td_plugin.xml

Also, in IHS config file, we modified the following lines to
WebSpherePluginConfig /usr/IBMIHS/Plug-in/td_plugin-cfg.xml

WebSphere is able to update plug-in.xml file automatically but that is not the file you are using. So the real plug-in file is not updated.

Please advise

[eri...@scotiabank.com]

Yes, we can manually update the plug-in.xml and leave that file.
In one environment, we moved this file to /usr/IBMIHS/Plug-in directiory from WAS directory and rename the file to td_plugin.xml