We want to run with iPlanet web server. Since WebSphere on Linux does not support iPlanet web server, we install using the built-in http service on Linux, and with iPlanet web server support on Solaris. Therefore, we do not install the IHS Apache web server.
We use the message queue server embedded in WAS. Therefore, we do not install the standalone MQ server.
We use https to access the Administrative Console.
We set up the main installation to run as a non-root user, but use this instance only for testing (because if this instance gets messed up, it can be become permanently disabled). We will create an alternative instance, and it is this instance which we will use for our real development work. The procedure can be repeated to make as many alternative instances as desired. These instances can easily be re-created if anything gets messed up. WAS shares binaries and runtime images among instances wherever possible. Alternative instance(s) are run by non-root user(s). Each alternative instance can be run by a different user (this allows for multiple UNIX users to independently administer their own instance).
Example applications are installed for the main instance, but not for alternative instances.