This section includes the following topics:
What is the Application Installer wizard?
After the Precise Framework is installed, you need to install a Precise application. A Precise application is a group of Precise agents installed according to the technologies you wish to monitor. In a Precise application, each technology is represented as a separate tier, and each Tier monitors the instances and clusters (as applicable) installed on it. In previous Precise versions, the applications (known as "environments"), were configured via the Display Instances and Clusters screen in AdminPoint, where agents were installed and configured separately for each technology, without an overview of the application to which they belonged.
The Application Installer wizard presents the different application options, and overviews of both the necessary technologies needed for each application option and the instances already installed for each technology. Using the Application Installer wizard, you maintain this overview of the application while launching technology-specific instance (or cluster) installer wizards, to ensure that all necessary Tiers are installed.
In addition, based on previously installed instances, the Application Installer wizard provides you with recommendations regarding the instances to install to optimize monitoring. The Application Installer also saves entered information and automatically fills out fields, ensuring a faster installation process.
Understanding the Application Installer wizard interface
The Application Installer wizard interface has two main components - the left menu and the main area. The left menu lists the steps that must be performed to successfully install an application. The main area displays (and asks for) the specific information needed to complete the step (or substep) selected in the left menu. Throughout the wizard, icons are used to direct the user between steps (and substeps) and draw attention to incomplete steps.
The following table describes the steps (and substeps) in the Application Installer wizard’s left menu, and the corresponding information displayed (and asked for) in the main area:
Table 4-1 Left menu options
| Menu Option | Main Area |
|---|---|
| Define Application > Choose Application | Displays fields that define the application name, type, and database vendor. |
Define Application > Add Tiers | Displays the current application structure. For more information, see Configuring application types. |
Install Tiers > <Tier Name> (According to the application type, the included Tier technologies appear as sub-options) | Displays the information necessary to install instances or clusters on the selected Tier, as well as information regarding previously installed instances and, when relevant, recommended instances. |
Install Infrastructure > <Tier Name> | Displays the information necessary to install instances or clusters on the selected Tier, as well as information regarding previously installed instances and, when relevant, recommended instances. |
Execute Action Items > Action Items | Displays all pending action items for the instances and clusters installed in the application. |
Customize Application > SLA (According to the application type, the settings that can be defined per instance in the application appear as sub-options) | Displays the instances that the SLA setting can be defined and modified for. |
Customize Application > Locations | Displays the instances that the Locations setting can be defined and modified for. |
The following table describes the icons used in the Precise Application Installer wizard.
Table 4-2 Icons used in the Precise Application Installer wizard
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
 | Installed |
 | No instances installed |
 | Installation recommendation for this tier |
 | Pending Action Item |
Working with the Application Installer wizard
The Application Installer wizard contains the various steps included in the application setup process. Navigate through the wizard using the Back and Next buttons in the main area, or select the desired step or substep in the left menu. It is recommended to follow the steps as they are presented, using the Back and Next buttons.
Some steps or substeps are only enabled once previous steps have been completed.
Launching the Application Installer wizard
To launch the Application Installer wizard
Log in to Precise.
To install or edit an application, you must have ADMINISTRATE.INSTALL permission on this application.
- Go to AdminPoint > Setup > Applications.
- Click Add. The Application Installer wizard launches.
Defining a new application
The Applications Installer wizard opens on the Applications Selection screen. On this screen you define the application name, type and database.
To define a new Precise application
- In the Application Name field, enter the name of the new application.
From the Application Type menu, select the desired application type. The application map appears on the screen.
You can add tiers to the application types included in this menu. To add Tiers, check Add Tiers to this application. For more information, see Configuring application types.
- From the Database Vendor menu, select the desired database for the application. The Database Tier in the application map changes to reflect your selection.
Click Next. The Install Tier Instances screen appears.
If Add Tiers to this application is checked, the Add Tiers screen appears. For more information, see Configuring application types.
Installing instances and clusters on the application’s Tiers
After defining the application type, instances and clusters must be installed on the Tiers. The Application Installer wizard automatically asks to define instances or clusters for the Tiers in the order that they appear in the left menu bar.
To install instances or clusters for a specific Tier
- Select the Tier from the left menu bar.
- Select the desired option. The relevant instance installer appears:
Add a new instance. If the instance you want to install has not yet been installed in the Precise Framework, click Add to launch the technology-specific Add New Instance dialog box.
Some technologies ask if you want to install an instance or a cluster. For more information on these terms, and a full description of the installation process for all available technologies, see the section for the specific technology in the Precise Installation Guide.
- Add an existing instance. If the instance you want to install is already installed in the Precise Framework, select Add Existing from the Add menu. A list of the existing instances installed on the Precise Framework appears. Select the desired instance, and then click Install.
- Install a recommended instance. Once an instance is installed in a Precise application, all instances installed in the Precise Framework are scanned, and to optimize the application's monitoring abilities, Precise recommends instances from different technologies be installed in the application.
Executing action items
After installing instances and clusters, the Action Items screen appears, listing any pending action items.
To execute pending action items
- Select the action item in the table. The action item becomes highlighted.
- Click Execute to automatically perform the action item, or Mark as Done to continue without performing the action item. Alternatively, click Next to complete these action items at a later stage.
Customizing instance settings
The Application Installer wizard's SLA and Locations screens enable you to define instance-specific settings. The definitions set on this screen apply to that instance in all its occurrences in all applications in the Precise Framework.
To define instance-specific settings
- Select the setting you wish to define from the left menu bar, or click Back and Next until that screen appears.
- From the instance table, select the instance for which you wish to define settings.
- Click Edit. The setting-specific dialog box appears.
For more information regarding the specific setting, see Configuring AdminPoint settings in the Precise Administration Guide.
Configuring application types
The Precise Application Installer offers a number of predefined application types. These application types appear in the Application Type menu on the Application Selection screen. All application types that appear in the menu can have Tiers and data flow connections added to them, according to your application's specific needs.
Modifications to the predefined application types can only add to, and not remove from, the existing Tiers and data flow connections. To create an application type with less than the predefined Tiers and data flow connections, select User Defined from the Application Type menu, and then click Next to launch the Add Tiers screen.
Using the Add Tiers screen, you can add Tiers to the application, add data flow connections between Tiers, rename the added Tiers, and save the modified application for future use as an application type offered in the Application Selection screen. The configuration procedure below describes the complete flow of all these steps. If you are only performing some of the modifications, follow the relevant steps only, as described.
To modify an existing application type
- On the Applications Selection screen, check Add Tiers to this application, and then click Next. The Add Tiers screen appears, featuring a current map of the application.
- To add a Tier, click the New Tier button, and then select the desired Tier type from the menu. A Tier of that type appears in the top left corner of the application map.
- To give the Tier a user-defined name, click the Tier technology name. A box appears around the technology name and it is highlighted in blue.
- Enter the name you wish to call the Tier.
- Press Enter or click outside of the Tier name box.
- Click, hold, and then drag the Tier to the appropriate point on the application map.
- To define data flow between Tiers, click Connect, and then click the Tier from which the data should flow. A dynamic arrow appears, showing the connection between the selected Tier and the other Tier, according to the location of the mouse.
- Click the Tier to which the data should flow. The arrow sets, showing the connection between the two selected Tiers and the data flow direction.
- To save the modified application for future use as an application type option, click Save. A dialog box appears.
- In the Type Name field, enter a name for the modified application.
- Click OK. The application option is now included in the Application Type menu on the Applications Selection screen.
- Click Next to continue to the Install Tiers Instances screen.
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