Manage a WebSphere shared library without OS access

Question

We have two JEE applications in our WebSphere 8.5.x environment that both depend on a common JAR. Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that the JAR needs to be set up as a shared library and attached at the server level. I would like to know how to manage this shared library without having OS access to update the file, instead updating through the WAS console.

As I understand it, for a WAS shared library you need to have placed it somewhere on the OS before you can set up the shared library reference since you have to provide the path to the eg JAR file.

I would like to be able to complete a deployment, replacing all binaries including the shared library, without having to remote into the OS and update the JAR on disk. I would prefer a method where someone using the WAS console could update the shared library on disk much like they can upload a new application.

I've looked into a WAS "Asset" (WAS Console -> Applications -> Application Types -> Assets), with the hope that this would allow me to manage and upload the JAR file through the console. I am able to upload the JAR as an asset and can see it when it lands on disk, but I am not understanding what to expect from this and am loathe to use this without knowing everything that's going on.

I see the "Asset binaries destination URL" option but that doesn't seem to do anything. I can put anything I want in that field when importing the asset and it always goes to "${APP_SERVER_ROOT}/config/cells/${CELL_NAME}/assets/${ASSET_NAME}/aver/BASE/bin/" on the management node, not the worker node. This location is also the configuration repository, and I get a funny feeling mapping directly into a repository location like this.

I could , I suppose, create the shared library with a path directly into that location but I am concerned that I'm missing something and that this isn't a good idea.

Does anyone have any insight into this they could share?

Answer 1

To use a shared library with WebSphere you can go to Environment > Shared Libraries and upload/configure a shared library on that page (including choosing which applications you want to associate with the shared library).

For full info, see IBM's doc: Creating shared libraries

Answer 2

You could try to use Business level applications and upload jars as asset, specify them as shared libraries and map during application installation (however I've never done that and it might not work). Check the following links:

• Business level applications
• Creating business-level applications with the console