The WebFacing Tool provides a GUI environment for selecting, converting, and testing the converted user interfaces of your original application.
Setting up your systems for the WebFacing Tool involves the following activities:
WebSphere Application Server handles executing the JavaServer Pages and JavaBeans™ that are generated as part of the DDS conversion process. Set up WebSphere Application Server for IBM i using the documentation resources on the following Web site:
Minimally you will need to carry out the installation steps. Becoming familiar with the IBM WebSphere Application Server documentation, in particular the sections on installation and creating application server instances, is highly recommended.
You can optionally set up individual instances for the WebSphere Application server. If your system is to be used for test and production work, it can be helpful to create instances for testing and development and separate instances for production. As well, if more than one developer is doing development work, their work can be developed and tested separately by creating additional instances. The default HTTP port for WebSphere Application Server is port 9080. The default port for the administrative server is port 9060. The administrative servers are accessed through a browser-based console. If you want to create additional instances, please refer to the Web site links above.
Test the WebSphere Application Server setup. Use the links at the above sites to locate the appropriate Information Center. In the Information Center search on Verify the installation for information about testing your application server setup.
WebSphere Portal handles the execution of the portlets you create from your projects. Set up WebSphere Portal for IBM i using the documentation resources on the following Web site:
Minimally you will need to carry out the installation steps. Becoming familiar with the IBM WebSphere Portal documentation, in particular the sections on installation, is highly recommended.
The WebFacing server PTFs must be installed on the IBM i server where your application will be running. Except on some later-model IBM i servers, the WebFacing Tool consumes interactive cycles. Although WebSphere Application Server can run on the same system, it is not necessary for it to be running on the same system on which your application is running. The converted interface to your application is deployed as a WebSphere application; you can deploy the WebFacing WebSphere application to one IBM i server while the IBM i application is installed on another.
NetServer file sharing allows you to map an IFS folder on your IBM i server to a drive letter on your workstation. This allows you to use the Export wizard to transfer files to your server in the same way that you can copy files from one folder to another on your workstation. To transfer your files by FTP, the FTP server must be running on your IBM i server. If FTP is not running, it can be started by entering the command STRTCPSVR *FTP.