Web Services Security Guides › CA SiteMinder WSS Agent for IBM WebSphere Guide › SiteMinder WSS Agent for IBM WebSphere Install Preparation

SiteMinder WSS Agent for IBM WebSphere Install Preparation

This section contains the following topics:

Locate the Platform Support Matrix

Software Requirements

Installation Checklist

Preconfigure Policy Objects for SiteMinder WSS Agents

Locate the Platform Support Matrix

Use the Platform Support Matrix to verify that the operating environment and other required third-party components are supported.

Follow these steps:

1. Go to the CA Support site.
2. Click Product Pages.
3. Enter the product name and click Enter.
4. Open popular links and click Informational Documentation Index.
5. Click Platform Support Matrices.

Note: You can download the latest JDK and JRE versions at the Oracle Developer Network.

Technology Partners and CA Validated Products

The latest list of partners and their validated products.

Software Requirements

Before installing the SiteMinder WSS Agent for IBM WebSphere, install the following software:

Note: Be sure to install the prerequisite software in the correct order.

• A supported version of IBM WebSphere Application Server and any cumulative fixes for this application server. For WebSphere hardware and software requirements, see the WebSphere documentation.
• CA SiteMinder® Policy Server

Note: The Policy Server can be installed on a different system than the WebSphere Application Server.

Note: For a list of supported CA and third-party components, refer to the CA SiteMinder® 12.51 Platform Support Matrix on the Technical Support site.

More information:

Locate the Platform Support Matrix

Installation Checklist

Before you install the SiteMinder WSS Agent for IBM WebSphere on the WebSphere server, complete the steps in the following table. To ensure proper configuration, follow the steps in order. You can place a check in the first column as you complete each step.

Preconfigure Policy Objects for SiteMinder WSS Agents

This section describes how to preconfigure policy objects for SiteMinder WSS Agents on the Policy Server.

Policy Object Preconfiguration Overview

Before you install any SiteMinder WSS Agent, the CA SiteMinder WSS Policy Server must be installed and be able to communicate with the system where you plan to install the SiteMinder WSS Agent. Additionally, you must configure the Policy Server with the following:

• An administrator that has the right to register trusted hosts

  A trusted host is a client computer where one or more SiteMinder WSS Agents are installed. The term trusted host refers to the physical system. There must be an administrator with the privilege to register trusted hosts with the Policy Server.

  To configure an administrator, see the Administrators chapter of the Policy Server Configuration Guide.

• Agent object/Agent identity

  An Agent object creates an Agent identity by assigning the Agent a name. You define an Agent identity from the Agents object in the Administrative UI. You assign the Agent identity a name and specify the Agent type as a Web Agent.

  The name you assign for the Agent is the same name you specify in the DefaultAgentName parameter for the Agent Configuration Object that you must also define to centrally manage an Agent.

• Host Configuration Object

  This object defines the communication between the trusted host and the Policy Server after the initial connection between the two is made.

  A trusted host is a client computer where one or more SiteMinder WSS Agents can be installed. The term trusted host refers to the physical system, in this case the application server host.

  Do not confuse this object with the trusted host's configuration file, SmHost.conf, which is installed at the trusted host after a successful host registration. The settings in the SmHost.conf file enable the host to connect to a Policy Server for the first connection only. Subsequent connections are governed by the Host Configuration Object.

• Agent Configuration Object

  This object includes the parameters that define the SiteMinder Agent configuration. There are a few required parameters you must set for basic operation.

  The Agent Configuration Object must include a value for the DefaultAgentName parameter. This entry should match an entry you defined in the Agent object.

Note: For detailed information about how to configure SiteMinder WSS Agent-related objects, see the Policy Server Configuration Guide.

Preconfiguring the Policy Objects

The following is an overview of the configuration procedures you must perform on the Policy Server prior to installing the Agent software:

1. Duplicate or create a new Host Configuration Object, which holds initialization parameters for a Trusted Host. (If upgrading from an earlier Agent install, you can use the existing Host Configuration object).

   The Trusted Host is a server that hosts one or more Agents and handles their connection to the Policy Server.

2. As necessary, add or edit parameters in the Host Configuration Object that you just created.
3. Create an Agent identity for the SiteMinder WSS Agent. You must select Web Agent as the Agent type for the SiteMinder WSS Agent.
4. Duplicate an existing or create a new Agent Configuration Object, which holds Agent configuration parameters and can be used to centrally configure a group of Agents.
5. In the Agent Configuration Object you just created, ensure that the DefaultAgentName parameter is set to specify the Agent identity defined in Step 3.