iManager 2.7.7 lets you download and install updates to existing and new plug-ins from within iManager. iManager automatically queries the Novell Download Web site once a week for plug-ins.
NOTE:Plug-in modules are not replicated between iManager servers. We recommend that you install the plug-in modules you want on each iManager server.
To download and install one or more plug-in modules:
Launch iManager and log in.
In the Configure view, select Plug-in Installation > Available NetIQ Plug-in Modules.
The Content frame lists all the available iManager plug-ins. iManager automatically checks the Novell download site once a week for updated plug-ins. However, you can update the list at any time by clicking the Refresh link.
(Optional) If you have downloaded a plug-in, or have one locally that you want to install, click Add, then browse for the appropriate plug-in NPM file.
Click OK.
This returns you to the Available NetIQ Plug-in Modules page.
Select the plug-in you want, then click Install.
The file location shows whether the plug-in is from Local Directory or the Novell Download site. If you select at least one plug-in that has the File Location as NetIQ Downloads for installation, the NetIQ iManager Plug-in Modules License Agreement page is displayed. Select I Agree, then click OK to proceed with the installation.
NOTE:Installing a plug-in from the Novell download site can take several minutes, depending on your connection speed and number of plug-ins being installed. A status bar indicates the download time.
After the installation is completed, restart Tomcat.
Tomcat sometimes requires several minutes to fully initialize. Wait at least 5 minutes before trying to log in to iManager.
For information about restarting Tomcat, see Starting and Stopping Tomcat.
Verify that the new Role appears in the Roles and Tasks page.
To add members to the new Role, use the Modify Member Association task.
IMPORTANT:In order to reinstall an existing plug-in, you must first delete the rbsModule object for that plug-in from eDirectory using the Module Configuration > Delete RBS Module task.
From the Configure view, select Role-Based Services > RBS Configuration.
The table on the 2.x Collections tab displays any out-of-date modules.
To update them, select the number in the Out-of-Date column for the Collection you want to update.
The list of outdated modules is displayed.
Select the modules you want to update, then click Update at the top of the table.
In the Configure view, select Plug-in Installation > Installed NetIQ Plug-in Modules.
Select the plug-in, then click Uninstall.
Restart Tomcat.
For information about restarting Tomcat, see Starting and Stopping Tomcat.
The steps for manually removing a plug-in module are available in TID #7006125.
You can create a plug-in download repository if a proxy server or firewall prevents iManager 2.7.7 from contacting the Novell Download site. This lets you host plug-in modules on a local Web server or a common file system location.
The best way to do this is to use the XML descriptor file from the Novell Download site as a template. For more information about the iManager descriptor file, see Downloading and Installing Plug-Ins During Installation
Downloading and Installing Plug-Ins During Installation
in the NetIQ iManager 2.7.7 Installation Guide.
To set up a local plug-in repository, save the descriptor file locally, then open the file and copy the URL for each plug-in module you want to make available locally and paste it in a Web browser address bar to download the file. After downloading all desired plug-in modules, edit the local copy of the descriptor file to reflect the new URL for each downloaded plug-in module.
A plug-in module URL can be an HTTP link or a file system location. For example:
<url><![CDATA[file:///c:\iManager_plugins\NMAS.npm]]></url>
<url><![CDATA[file:///home/admin/iManager_plugins/NMAS.npm]]></url>
<url><![CDATA[http://192.168.0.136/iManager_plugins/NMAS.npm]]></url>
You can specify a custom descriptor file either during the iManager 2.7.7 installation, or after iManager 2.7.7 has been installed.
During the installation process, the iManager 2.7.7 plug-in download URL can be redirected to a custom descriptor file. To do this, simply change the URL on the Select Plug-ins to Download and Install page to the location of the custom descriptor file and click Go.
NOTE:If the message No plug-ins found or server not available appears in the Plug-in download area, one or both of the following conditions can exist: There are no updated plug-ins available on the Novell download site, or the connection to download. novell.com from the install program was not successful. Verify your Internet connection.
When iManager 2.7.7 is installed, you can change the plug-in module download URL by modifying <TOMCAT_HOME>\webapps\nps\WEB-INF\config.xml. For example:
<setting>
<name><![CDATA[ModuleDownloadDescriptorURL]]></name>
<value><![CDATA[file:///c:\iManager_plugins\custom.xml]]></value>
</setting>
<setting>
<name><![CDATA[ModuleDownloadDescriptorURL]]></name>
<value><![CDATA[file:///home/admin/iManager_plugins/custom.xml]]></value>
</setting>
<setting>
<name><![CDATA[ModuleDownloadDescriptorURL]]></name>
<value><![CDATA[http://192.168.0.136/iManager_plugins/custom.xml]]></value>
</setting>
IMPORTANT:If you use iManager Workstation to access a custom plug-in URL over an SSL connection (HTTPS), make sure to import the target Web server’s certificate or you won’t be able to set up a secure connection.