Usage of IP Address “Alias” in order to create a portable server and middleware deployment (04-Nov-2009)
Most complex software stacks including middleware such as Websphere, relational database, and other software with proprietary configuration mechanisms typically require usage of a static hostname during deployment and operations. One reason for requiring a static hostname and IP address is in order to try to avoid needing to frequently modify dozens of embedded locations which contain the hostname and/or IP address for that host. Images containing embedded hostname or IP information such as this are generally not very portable into a different hostname/IP address without first requiring a lot of manual reconfiguration. This disclosure describes a simple technique for avoiding complex reconfiguration, network abstraction/isolation or other techniques in order to create a portable software stack installation that can be re-deployed on a new hostname/IP address with minimal impact.
Usage of IP Address "Alias" in order to create a portable server and middleware deployment
In the case of an appliance or other portable deployments of complex middleware software stacks, it may be necessary to:
Provide instant reconfiguration/operation of the underlying software if the hostname and/or IP address changes
Minimize or eliminate the amount of manual configuration required
Work around limitations regarding usage of 127.0.0.1 or localhost (a lot of middleware software will not allow usage of these values.)
In order to meet these requirements, the technique described here:
During deployment of the middleware and other software stack elements, the
hostname of the environment is temporarily configured to be a bogus "alias" hostname, for example "myip.com".
A local DNS "hosts" file entry is added which contains the alias entry (e.g. "myip.com"
2.
and either 127.0.0.1 or the real IP address.) It is also possible to configure this entry in the shared DNS, but this is generally not necessary in the case of local software network access.
After all of the middleware or other software is deployed and operational, the real
hostname and IP can be changed at any time. The corresponding "myip.com" entry
in the etc/hosts may also need to be modified to match the new IP address.
No other re-configuration of embedded XML, property file or other configuration is
needed for any access within that particular host.
Usage of this proc...
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