IBM® Web Server Plug-in Analyzer for WebSphere® Application Server helps discover potential problems with trace and configuration files during use of WebSphere Application Server. The tool parses both plug-in configuration and corresponding trace files and then applies pattern recognition algorithms in order to alert users of possible inconsistencies.

The tool provides a list of HTTP return codes, URI and graphical presentations of available clusters, and server topologies from the configuration and trace files.

The primary automatic capabilities of this tool are as follows:

• detection of incorrect or potentially problematic configurations that could cause service interruption or performance degradation
• identification of request failure or response failure
• HTTP return code tracking
• URI failure tracking
• graphical presentation of WebSphere Application Server and cluster topology
• cluster and cluster member tracking.

The package includes the stand-alone code, documentation, and license files.

How does it work?

The tool parses WebSphere Application Server plug-in configuration files and trace files. Based on results obtained from a pattern recognition engine, IBM Web Server Plug-in Analyzer provides information about any potential problems within the configuration.

The pattern recognition engine maintains various patterns of configurations that are not usually recommended and provides warnings if these same patterns are detected in the configuration files.

The tool takes the following approach:

1. It parses configuration files.
2. It provides warnings or clues to information when configurations appear to be set inappropriately.
3. It collects WebSphere Application Server cluster and member topology information within the configuration file.
4. It displays a visual mapping of the cluster and member topology.
5. It parses the plug-in trace files and creating models based on HTTP request/response header/body information, HTTP return code, URI, start/end time, cluster name, and server name.
6. It displays the requested trace information based on query. The trace information has HTTP return code analysis and HTTP request/response header/body analysis.