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User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to WebSphere Commerce Version 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in a newer section.WebSphere Commerce is a single, unified e-commerce platform that offers the ability to do business directly with consumers (B2C), directly with businesses (B2B), and indirectly through channel partners (indirect business models). WebSphere Commerce is designed to be a customizable, scalable, and high availability solution that is built to leverage open standards. It provides easy-to-use tools for business users to centrally manage a cross-channel strategy. Business users can create and manage precision marketing campaigns, promotions, catalog, and merchandising across all sales channels.
Installing
Review the following sections for information about installing the WebSphere Commerce product, associated maintenance, and WebSphere Commerce enhancements.
Installing WebSphere Commerce
The following roadmap provides a guide to installing WebSphere Commerce.
Installing WebSphere Commerce on different operating systems
Each operating system has its own unique steps for installing WebSphere Commerce. Throughout the installation topics, there are tags that determine steps or notes that are specific to a platform.
Creating an WebSphere Commerce instance
After you install all the necessary software, you can create a WebSphere Commerce instance.
Creating an instance by using the Configuration Manager
Every WebSphere Commerce installation requires at least one instance to function. Create an instance, and then create and deploy stores to your WebSphere Commerce server.
... using a remote Web server
A WebSphere Commerce instance can be configured with either a local or remote Web server. If you want to use a remote Web server, then review the following information that can assist you in the values that are needed.

User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to WebSphere Commerce Version 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in a newer section.WebSphere Commerce is a single, unified e-commerce platform that offers the ability to do business directly with consumers (B2C), directly with businesses (B2B), and indirectly through channel partners (indirect business models). WebSphere Commerce is designed to be a customizable, scalable, and high availability solution that is built to leverage open standards. It provides easy-to-use tools for business users to centrally manage a cross-channel strategy. Business users can create and manage precision marketing campaigns, promotions, catalog, and merchandising across all sales channels.
- Planning
  Creating a custom implementation of a WebSphere Commerce store requires a significant amount of planning. From gathering client needs, to deploying the live solution, much work is needed to successfully deploy a custom client store. Use the resources in here to help you plan every phase of store creation.
- Installing
  Review the following sections for information about installing the WebSphere Commerce product, associated maintenance, and WebSphere Commerce enhancements.
  - Downloading WebSphere Commerce media images
    To install WebSphere Commerce, you require the product package. Follow these steps to successfully download the required media.
  - Installing WebSphere Commerce Developer
    This section describes how to install and configure WebSphere Commerce Developer. WebSphere Commerce Developer is a test environment for developers or system administrators to develop stores and WebSphere Commerce application code.
  - Installing WebSphere Commerce
    The following roadmap provides a guide to installing WebSphere Commerce.
    - Planning to install WebSphere Commerce
      The following section provides information to help you plan your configuration of WebSphere Commerce.
    - Installing WebSphere Commerce on different operating systems
      Each operating system has its own unique steps for installing WebSphere Commerce. Throughout the installation topics, there are tags that determine steps or notes that are specific to a platform.
      - Preparing for a WebSphere Commerce installation
        Before you can install WebSphere Commerce, you must determine your site topology, install the necessary software stack, and perform the necessary system preparations.
      - Performing a WebSphere Commerce installation
        After you finish preparing your systems, you can proceed to install WebSphere Commerce.
      - Creating an WebSphere Commerce instance
        After you install all the necessary software, you can create a WebSphere Commerce instance.
        Preparing to create a WebSphere Commerce instance
        Before you create your WebSphere Commerce instance, review the information in the following topics and take any necessary steps to prepare your system.
        Creating an instance by using the Configuration Manager
        Every WebSphere Commerce installation requires at least one instance to function. Create an instance, and then create and deploy stores to your WebSphere Commerce server.
        ... using a remote Web server
        A WebSphere Commerce instance can be configured with either a local or remote Web server. If you want to use a remote Web server, then review the following information that can assist you in the values that are needed.
        Creating a WebSphere Commerce instance silently
        Creating the WebSphere Commerce instance silently is a two-step process that involves preparing the createInstance.properties file, and then running the instance creation command.
        Verifying instance creation
        You can verify the creation of an instance by confirming the creation of instance-specific XML files and logs. Check these files to ensure that your instance was created successfully.
        Testing multiple instances
        Complete the following procedure to test both your original and new instances.
        Configuring servers after instance creation
        After you create your WebSphere Commerce instance, perform the following tasks as needed for your topology.
        Deploying the WebSphere Commerce Search server
        Deploy the WebSphere Commerce Search server. For WebSphere Commerce to function properly, you need to configure the search server.
    - Verifying a WebSphere Commerce installation
      After you install WebSphere Commerce, start the WebSphere Commerce server and the required components in a specific order.
    - Taking your first steps after a WebSphere Commerce installation
      After you install WebSphere Commerce, you can install other software, or you can perform advanced configuration.
    - Uninstalling WebSphere Commerce
      WebSphere Commerce and the software stack components must be uninstalled in the reverse order from which they were installed.
  - Installing or enabling other software
    The following software programs need extra installation or enablement steps if you want to use them with WebSphere Commerce.
  - Installing maintenance
    WebSphere Commerce updates include fixes to code or functionality through fix packs and include additions of new features or enhancements through mod packs.
- Migrating
  Before you migrate to WebSphere Commerce Version 8.0, review this information to help plan and execute your migration.
- Deploying
  The topics in this section describe how to publish stores to either a test or production environment, and how to deploy customized code.
- Operating
- Integrating
  Topics in the Integrating category highlight the tasks that are commonly performed for using WebSphere Commerce in combination with other products.
- Administering
- Tutorials
  WebSphere Commerce provides many tutorials to help you customize and understand your WebSphere Commerce instance and stores.
- Samples
- Developing
  The topics in the Developing section describe tasks performed by an application developer.
- Compliance
  The following section describes how you can leverage WebSphere Commerce features and functionality to help your site be compliant with different privacy and security standards.
- Securing
  These topics describe the security features of WebSphere Commerce and how to configure these features.
- Performance
- Troubleshooting

Creating a WebSphere Commerce instance by using a remote Web server

A WebSphere Commerce instance can be configured with either a local or remote Web server. If you want to use a remote Web server, then review the following information that can assist you in the values that are needed.

When you select the Use Remote Web server option during instance creation, the following fields need to be completed:

Remote Server Install Path
This field is displayed only if IBM HTTP Server is selected. Enter the full path of the installation directory for the remote Web server. The path that you specify is the actual path on the Web server machine.
Remote Plugin Install Directory
Enter the Web server plug-in installation directory that exists on the remote Web server machine.
Remote Configuration Directory
This field is displayed only if IBM HTTP Server is selected. This directory is used to store WebSphere Commerce configuration files for the Web server. This directory must exist on your remote Web server machine. The directory can be a subdirectory under the main Web server installation directory. If you have multiple WebSphere Commerce instances, each instance has a separate configuration directory. During instance creation several subdirectories and files are created under this directory.

Remote Configuration
This method uses FTP to update the Web server configuration files. For IBM i, the remote configuration method is the only method available. Selecting this option, presents the following fields:
- Remote Server Name
  Enter the fully qualified host name of the remote Web server machine.
- Remote Server Port
  Enter the FTP port number for the remote Web server machine. The default FTP port is 21.
- Remote User Name
  Enter a user ID that has FTP access to the remote Web server machine. This user ID must have authority to create files on the remote Web server machine.
- Remote User Password
  Enter the password that is associated with the remote user name.
Mapped Network Drive Configuration
This method uses NFS to update the Web server configuration files. Selecting this option, presents the following field:
- Mapped Configuration Directory
  Enter the network path, including the mapped drive letter, of the remote plug-in installation directory that is on the remote Web server machine. For example:
  - Q:\WebSphere\HTTPServer\conf\remote\
  - C:\WebServer\Plugins