Creating a WebSphere Commerce instance

After you install all the necessary software, you can create a WebSphere Commerce instance.

Advanced users might want to create a WebSphere Commerce instance by using Ant targets.
Warning: WebSphere Commerce instance creation is not currently supported with available WebSphere Commerce fix packs that require Java 8. If you need to create a new WebSphere Commerce instance, you must do so with Java 7, before upgrading to Java 8.
Note: If you are creating an instance as part of a migration from WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0, the following instance properties must match your version 7.0 instance:
  • Instance name
  • Merchant key
  • Database name
  • Default language
  • Web server configurations
To verify your version 7.0 instance properties, review your createInstance.properties file, under your WC_installdir/instances/instance_name/properties/ directory of your version 7.0 environment.

Before you begin

  • Ensure that you are familiar with the concept of a WebSphere Commerce instance.
  • Determine whether you want to have multiple instances and plan accordingly.

    WebSphere Commerce supports the creation of multiple WebSphere Commerce instances. That is, with WebSphere Commerce, you can run two or more instances of WebSphere Commerce concurrently by using a different host name for each instance. For more information, see Considerations for creating multiple WebSphere Commerce instances.

  • Ensure that you are familiar with database considerations as described in the topic Database considerations during WebSphere Commerce instance creation.
  • For IBM i OS operating systemWindowsDetermine the software requirements for your instance:
  • Verify that the WebSphere Application Server default SDK level is set to 1.7:
    1. Go to the WAS_installdir/bin folder.
    2. Run the following command.
      • AIXLinux./managesdk.sh -getNewProfileDefault
      • Windowsmanagesdk.bat -getNewProfileDefault
      • For IBM i OS operating system
        1. managesdk -getNewProfileDefault
        2. managesdk -getCommandDefault
    3. If the default SDK level is not 1.7, then run the following command to set to version 1.7.
      • AIXLinux./managesdk.sh -setNewProfileDefault -sdkName 1.7_64
      • Windowsmanagesdk.bat -setNewProfileDefault -sdkName 1.7_64
      • For IBM i OS operating system
        1. managesdk -setNewProfileDefault -sdkname 1.7_64
        2. managesdk -setCommandDefault -sdkname 1.7_64
  • For IBM i OS operating systemVerify that your system is using Java 1.7 64 bit.
    1. Start QShell and enter java -version
    2. If the return value is not 1.7 64bit, then set the version by running the following command
      export JAVA_HOME=/QOpenSys/QIBM/ProdData/JavaVM/jdk71/64bit/

About this task

When you create a WebSphere Commerce instance, depending on the choice you make during the instance creation, you create one of the four types of WebSphere Commerce instances:
Production
A production instance is required to build a WebSphere Commerce production server. A production instance includes the capabilities that are needed for a running WebSphere Commerce site and serve customer traffic.
To create a production instance,
  • Using the GUI: On the Staging page of the instance creation wizard, ensure that you select Production in the Environment option.
  • Silently: Ensure that you set the isStaging property to false in the createInstance.properties file.
Note: For information about the different default property settings between a production instance and a testing instance, see WebSphere Commerce default tunables.
Testing
A testing instance can be used to strictly test your production environment. For example, you might want to use a testing instance to run quality assurance tests or functional tests.
To create a testing instance,
  • Interactively by using the GUI: On the Staging page of the instance creation wizard, ensure that you select Test with non-staging database in the Environment option. A non-staging database is a test database where you can update the database but cannot propagate any changes to the production database.
  • Silently by using a response file: Ensure that you set the isStaging and isProduction properties to false in the createInstance.properties file.
Note: For information about the different default property settings between a production instance and a testing instance, see WebSphere Commerce default tunables.
Staging
A staging instance is required to build a WebSphere Commerce staging server. A staging instance includes extra capabilities beyond the capabilities of a production instance. With a staging instance, the Site Administrator can update the data on the staging server, test the changes, and then propagate the changes to the production server. For more information about staging servers, see Staging server.
Note: IBM is aware of an issue that occurs when you publish a store from a staging instance to a production instance. To avoid encountering the issue, ensure that you install any of the following maintenance packages before you create a staging instance.
  • WebSphere Commerce Version 8.0.0.9 or laterWebSphere Commerce Version 8 Fix Pack 9 or later
  • WebSphere Commerce Version 8.0.1.1 or laterWebSphere Commerce Version 8 Mod Pack 1 Fix Pack 1 or later
If you created a staging instance on Fix Pack 8 or earlier, see Stagingprop utility fails when propagating access control policy data.

To create a staging instance, see Creating a staging server.

Authoring
An authoring instance is required to build an authoring server. An authoring server is a staging server with workspaces enabled, which allows business users to control site changes before the changes are propagated to your production site. For more information about authoring servers, see Authoring server.

To create an authoring instance, see Creating an authoring server.

Procedure