About this Course

This 4-day instructor-led course teaches you how to manage WebSphere Application Server problems more skillfully within your organization by using problem determination tools and techniques.

Throughout the course, you discuss common scenarios that you might face in your daily activities with other students and the instructor. You also learn methodologies and techniques for problem determination, including how to use online IBM support tools to resolve problems. In addition, you learn how to communicate more effectively with IBM support teams so they can identify a problem and find its solution.

Topics include problems that are associated with Java Virtual Machine (JVM) tuning and memory management, database connectivity, connection pool configuration, security configuration, server start and stop failures, application deployment, web requests, and default messaging.

In hands-on lab exercises, you gain practical experience with problem determination techniques by using your newly acquired skills within various scenarios. These scenarios include hung threads, OutOfMemory errors, crashes, data source configuration, security-related issues, server start and stop failures, web requests, and Java Message Service (JMS) message flow issues.

Audience Profile

This intermediate course is designed for anyone who works on WebSphere related applications and projects, including administrators, IBM Business Partners, independent software vendors (ISVs) and consultants.

At Course Completion

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

• Apply problem determination techniques and analyses
• Use problem determination tools
• Use problem determination tools and analysis techniques to identify problems
• Identify common problems
• Use IBM Support Assistant
• Communicate effectively with IBM support teams

Prerequisites

You should have:

• Basic operating skills for the Windows operating system
• WebSphere administration skills, which can be obtained by completing an IBM WebSphere Application Server V8 Administration course (WA380) (VA380) (ZA380) (WA580) (VA580) (ZA580) (WA180) (VA180) or through practical experience in administering a WebSphere Application Server environment.

Course Outline

1. Course introduction
2. Overview of WebSphere Application Server systems and components
3. Using the IBM Support Assistant
4. Exercise: Using the IBM Support Assistant
5. Problem determination methodology
6. Problem determination techniques and tools
7. Exercise: Introduction to problem determination tools
8. Introduction to JVM-related problems
9. Exercise: Introduction to configuring garbage collection policies
10. How to troubleshoot hangs
11. How to troubleshoot crashes
12. Exercise: Hung threads detection and server crashes
13. Introduction to WebSphere out-of-memory problems
14. Exercise: Troubleshooting an out-of-memory condition
15. Introduction to database connection problems
16. Exercise: Troubleshooting database connection problems
17. Connection pool tuning and management problems
18. Exercise: Troubleshooting a connection leak
19. WebSphere security configuration problems
20. Exercise: Troubleshooting security problems
21. Application deployment problems
22. Server start failures
23. Exercise: Troubleshooting server start failures
24. Request flow and web container problems
25. Exercise: Troubleshooting request flow and web container problems
26. Default messaging provider problem determination
27. Exercise: Troubleshooting WebSphere default messaging
28. Course summary