Payara Server Management Asadmin Commands

This is a non-exhaustive list of asadmin commands which are exclusive to Payara Server for managing domains and system services.

`start-domain`

Usage: asadmin> start-domain <options> <domain>
Aim: This command start the specified domain

Options	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
verbose	boolean	starts the domain in verbose mode	false	No
upgrade	boolean		false	No
watchdog	boolean		false	No
dry-run	boolean		false	No
drop-interrupted-commands	boolean		false	No
prebootcommandfile	string	path to file containing commands to run before booting the server. Only a limited amount of commands will work at this point. Since Payara Server 4.1.2.172		No
postbootcommandfile	String	path to file containg commands to run after the server is booted. Since Payara Server 4.1.2.172		No

Options

Type

Description

Default

Mandatory

verbose

boolean

starts the domain in verbose mode

false

upgrade

boolean

false

watchdog

boolean

false

dry-run

boolean

false

drop-interrupted-commands

boolean

false

prebootcommandfile

string

path to file containing commands to run before booting the server. Only a limited amount of commands will work at this point. Since Payara Server 4.1.2.172

postbootcommandfile

String

path to file containg commands to run after the server is booted. Since Payara Server 4.1.2.172

`start-domains`

Since Payara Server 4.1.2.173

Usage: asadmin> start-domains <list of domains>
Aim: This command can be used to start the specified list of domains in the operand. This list must be specified as a comma separated string of values.

The domains will be started assuming default values for all options you would specify when running the start-domain command against one domain (default domain directory, debug mode off, verbose mode off, etc.)

Command Options

No command options available.

Example

To start the domain1 and production domains, run the following command:

asadmin> start-domains domain1, production

`stop-domains`

Since Payara Server 4.1.2.173

Usage: asadmin> stop-domains <list of domains>
Aim: This command can be used to stop the specified list of domains in the operand. This list must be specified as a comma separated string of values.

The domains will be stopped assuming default values for all options you would specify when running the stop-domain command against one domain (forced stopping and process killing)

Command Options

No command options available.

Example

To stop the domain1 and production domains, run the following command:

asadmin> stop-domains domain1, production

`restart-domains`

Since Payara Server 4.1.2.173

Usage: asadmin> restart-domains <list of domains>
Aim: This command can be used to restart the specified list of domains in the operand. This list must be specified as a comma separated string of values.

Command Options

No command options available.

Example

To restart the domain1 and production , run the following command:

asadmin> restart-domains domain1, production

`stop-all-domains`

Usage: asadmin> stop-all-domains
Aim: This command can be used to stop all running domains on the server installation.

Command Options

Option Type Description Default Mandatory

Option	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
`--force`	Boolean	Specifies whether each domain is forcibly stopped immediately.	true	No
`--kill`	Boolean	Specifies whether the domain is killed by using functionality of the operating system to terminate the domain process	false	No

--force

Boolean

Specifies whether each domain is forcibly stopped immediately.

true

--kill

Boolean

Specifies whether the domain is killed by using functionality of the operating system to terminate the domain process

false

Example

To forcibly stop all running domains, run the following command:

asadmin> stop-all-domains --force=false

`start-instance`

Usage: asadmin> start-instance instancename
Aim: This command can be used to start a specified instance of Payara, which can be either a local or remote instance. This command runs on the DAS.

Command Options

These are not the same as the options for the start-local-instance command.

Option Type Description Default Mandatory

Option	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
`--sync`	none, normal or full	Specifies whether the instance is to be synced with the DAS. In normal mode only config files and top-level application file are synched. In full all files are synced.	normal	No
`--debug`	Boolean	Specifies whether the instance is started in debug mode	false	No
`--terse`	Boolean	Specifies whether information on the result is output	false	No
`--timeout`	Integer	Specifies how long to take for the instance to start in seconds. If starting the instance takes longer than this amount then this command will fail. Available since 4.1.2.181	120	No

--sync

none, normal or full

Specifies whether the instance is to be synced with the DAS. In normal mode only config files and top-level application file are synched. In full all files are synced.

normal

--debug

Boolean

Specifies whether the instance is started in debug mode

false

--terse

Boolean

Specifies whether information on the result is output

false

--timeout

Integer

Specifies how long to take for the instance to start in seconds. If starting the instance takes longer than this amount then this command will fail. Available since 4.1.2.181

120

Using full sync will cause the configuration to be deleted if the DAS cannot be reached.

Example

To start an instance named instance1 and sync it with the DAS with a timeout of 180 seconds:

asadmin> start-instance --timeout 180 --sync true instance1

`start-local-instance`

Usage: asadmin> start-local-instance instancename
Aim: This command can be used to start a specified instance of Payara, but only when it corresponds to a local instance. A local instance is located in the same host from where the asadmin command is executed. This command is executed in "local" mode, which means that the DAS is not started in order to effectively execute it. Keep in mind that running the instance using the sync option has some nuances, so read the note below for more information.

Command Options

These are not the same as the options for the start-instance command.

Usage: asadmin [asadmin-utility-options] start-local-instance

Option Type Description Default Mandatory

Option	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
`-v, --verbose`	Boolean	Specifies that the server log is printed to the console from which asadmin is executed. Control is not returned to the console after the instance has started. The instance can be stopped and control returned by typing `CTRL-C`.	false	No
`-w, --watchdog`	Boolean	Starts the server in watchdog mode. This is only useful if verbose is false. It does the same thing as verbose — except without the dumping of output to standard out and err streams.	false	No
`-d, --debug`	Boolean	Specifies whether the instance is started in debug mode	false	No
`-n, --dry-run`	Boolean	Specifies to dump the full human readable JVM invocation command that would be used to launch the instance instead of actually launching it.	false	No
`--sync`	none, normal or full	Specifies whether the instance is to be synced with the DAS. In normal mode only config files and top-level application file are synched. In full all files are synced.	normal	No
`--nodedir`	String	Specifies the folder on the local filesystem where the node the instance is in resides.	${PAYARA_INSTALL_DIR}/glassfish/nodes/.	No
`--node`	String	Specifies the node the instance is in.	The single folder inside the `nodedir` directory, in the case that there’s only a single folder.	No - if the node directory contains a single folder, Yes - otherwise
`--timeout`	Integer	Specifies how long to take for the local instance to start in seconds. If starting the instance takes longer than this amount then this command will fail (but the instance may still continue its startup process…). Available since 4.1.2.191.3 and 5.192	600	No

-v, --verbose

Boolean

Specifies that the server log is printed to the console from which asadmin is executed. Control is not returned to the console after the instance has started. The instance can be stopped and control returned by typing CTRL-C.

false

-w, --watchdog

Boolean

Starts the server in watchdog mode. This is only useful if verbose is false. It does the same thing as verbose — except without the dumping of output to standard out and err streams.

false

-d, --debug

Boolean

Specifies whether the instance is started in debug mode

false

-n, --dry-run

Boolean

Specifies to dump the full human readable JVM invocation command that would be used to launch the instance instead of actually launching it.

false

--sync

none, normal or full

Specifies whether the instance is to be synced with the DAS. In normal mode only config files and top-level application file are synched. In full all files are synced.

normal

--nodedir

String

Specifies the folder on the local filesystem where the node the instance is in resides.

${PAYARA_INSTALL_DIR}/glassfish/nodes/.

--node

String

Specifies the node the instance is in.

The single folder inside the nodedir directory, in the case that there’s only a single folder.

No - if the node directory contains a single folder, Yes - otherwise

--timeout

Integer

Specifies how long to take for the local instance to start in seconds. If starting the instance takes longer than this amount then this command will fail (but the instance may still continue its startup process…). Available since 4.1.2.191.3 and 5.192

600

Using full sync will cause the configuration to be deleted if the DAS cannot be reached.

Example

To start a local instance named instance1 with a timeout of 180 seconds:

asadmin> start-local-instance --timeout 180 instance1

`create-service`

Usage: asadmin> create-service <options> <domain-or-instance-name>
Aim: Configures the starting of a DAS or a Payara Server instance on an unattended boot.

The create-service subcommand configures the starting of a domain administration server (DAS) or a Payara Server instance on an unattended boot on Windows, Linux, and Oracle Solaris systems.

If no operand is specified and the domains directory contains only one domain, the subcommand configures the starting of the DAS for the default domain. If no operand is specified and the domains directory contains multiple domains, an error occurs.

If the operand specifies an instance, the create-service subcommand does not contact the domain administration server (DAS) to determine the node on which the instance resides. To determine the node on which the instance resides, the subcommand searches the directory that contains the node directories. If multiple node directories exist, the node must be specified as an option of the subcommand.

The subcommand contains internal logic to determine whether the supplied operand is a DAS or an instance.

This subcommand is supported in local mode only.

Behavior of create-service on Windows Systems

On Windows systems, this subcommand must be run as the OS-level administrator user and requires the Microsoft .NET Framework (http://www.microsoft.com/net/), otherwise, the subcommand fails. It creates a Windows service to represent the DAS or instance. The service is created in the disabled state. After this subcommand creates the service, you must use the Windows Services Manager or the Windows Services Wrapper to start, stop, uninstall, or install the service.

The subcommand creates the following Windows Services Wrapper files for the service in the domain-dir\bin directory or the instance-dir\bin directory:

Configuration file: service-nameService.xml
Executable file: service-nameService.exe

Behavior of create-service on Linux Systems

On Linux systems, the create-service subcommand first detects System-V or SystemD init systems.

On systems using System-V, it creates an initialization script /etc/init.d/payara_domain-or-instance-name and installs a link to this script in the /etc/rc?.d directories. After this subcommand creates the script, you must use this script to start, stop, or restart the domain or instance.

On systems using SystemD, the subcommand creates a configuration file payara_domainname.service in /etc/systemd/system. It is recommended to specify non-root user to run payara (parameter --serviceuser). It is possible to further configure the service via --serviceproperties.

On Linux systems, this subcommand must be run as the OS-level root user, because it writes to system directories.

Behavior of create-service on Oracle Solaris Systems

On Oracle Solaris systems, the create-service subcommand creates a Service Management Facility (SMF) service to represent the DAS or instance. The service is created in the disabled state. After this subcommand creates the service, you must use SMF commands to start, enable, disable, delete, or stop the service. For more information about SMF, see the following documentation for the Oracle Solaris operating system:

"Managing Services (Overview)" in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration
"Managing Services (Tasks)" in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration

On Oracle Solaris systems, this subcommand must be run as the OS-level user with superuser privileges. The configuration file for the DAS or instance must be stored in a directory to which the superuser has access and cannot be stored on a network file system. The service that is created is controlled by the OS-level user who owns the directory where the configuration of the DAS or instance resides.

On Oracle Solaris systems, the manifest file is created in the following directory by default:

/var/svc/manifest/application/GlassFish/domain-or-instance-name_domain-or-instance-root-dir

To run this subcommand, you must have solaris.smf.* authorization. For information about how to grant authorizations to users, see the useradd(1M) and usermod(1M) man pages.

To run these commands as non-root user, the system administrator must be contacted so that the relevant authorizations are granted. You must also ensure that the following conditions are met:

Oracle Solaris 10 administration commands such as svccfg(1M), svcs(1), and auths(1) are available through the PATH statement, so that these commands can be executed. A simple test to do so is to run the command which svccfg in the shell.
You must have write permission for the path /var/svc/manifest/application/GlassFish. Usually, the superuser has write permission to this path.

If you delete a service that you created by using the create-service subcommand, you must delete the directory that contains the manifest file and the entire contents of the directory. Otherwise, an attempt to re-create the service by using the create-service subcommand fails. The Oracle Solaris command svccfg does not delete this directory.

Command Options

Operands	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
domain-or-instance-name	string	The name of the domain or instance to configure. If no operand is specified, the default domain is used.	domain1	No

Operands

Type

Description

Default

Mandatory

domain-or-instance-name

string

The name of the domain or instance to configure. If no operand is specified, the default domain is used.

domain1

Options	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
--help, -?		Displays the help text for the subcommand.		No
--name	string	(Windows and Oracle Solaris systems only) The name of the service that you will use when administering the service through Oracle Solaris SMF commands or the service management features of the Windows operating system.	the name of the domain or instance that is specified as the operand of this subcommand	No
--system-type	string	If specified, system-type must be one of systemd, systemv, solaris or windows, which determine the type of init scripts to create. If not specified, the command performs autodetection of init system.	automatically detects	No
--serviceproperties	string	Specifies a colon(:)-separated list of various properties that are specific to the service. To customize the display name of the service in the Windows Service list, set the DISPLAY_NAME property to the required name. For Oracle Solaris 10 systems, if you specify net_privaddr, the service’s processes will be able to bind to the privileged ports (<1024) on the platform. You can bind to ports< 1024 only if the owner of the service is superuser, otherwise, this is not allowed. On Linux systems using SystemD these properties are stored as Environment entries, accessible via Microprofile property in the applications.		No
--dry-run, -n	boolean	Previews your attempt to create a service. Indicates issues and the outcome that will occur if you run the command without using the --dry-run option. Nothing is actually configured. Default is false.	false	No
--force	string	Specifies whether the service is created even if validation of the service fails. Possible values are as follows: true The service is created even if validation of the service fails. false The service is not created (default).	false	No
--serviceuser	string	(Linux systems only) The user that is to run Payara Server when the service is started. The default is the user that is running the subcommand. Specify this option if Payara Server is to be run by a user other than the root user.	root	No
--domaindir	string	The absolute path of the directory on the disk that contains the configuration of the domain. If this option is specified, the operand must specify a domain.		No
--nodedir	string	Specifies the directory that contains the instance’s node directory. The instance’s files are stored in the instance’s node directory. The default is as-install/nodes. If this option is specified, the operand must specify an instance.		No
--node	string	Specifies the node on which the instance resides. This option may be omitted only if the directory that the --nodedir option specifies contains only one node directory. Otherwise, this option is required. If this option is specified, the operand must specify an instance.		No

Options

Type

Description

Default

Mandatory

--help, -?

Displays the help text for the subcommand.

--name

string

(Windows and Oracle Solaris systems only) The name of the service that you will use when administering the service through Oracle Solaris SMF commands or the service management features of the Windows operating system.

the name of the domain or instance that is specified as the operand of this subcommand

--system-type

string

If specified, system-type must be one of systemd, systemv, solaris or windows, which determine the type of init scripts to create. If not specified, the command performs autodetection of init system.

automatically detects

--serviceproperties

string

Specifies a colon(:)-separated list of various properties that are specific to the service. To customize the display name of the service in the Windows Service list, set the DISPLAY_NAME property to the required name. For Oracle Solaris 10 systems, if you specify net_privaddr, the service’s processes will be able to bind to the privileged ports (<1024) on the platform. You can bind to ports< 1024 only if the owner of the service is superuser, otherwise, this is not allowed. On Linux systems using SystemD these properties are stored as Environment entries, accessible via Microprofile property in the applications.

--dry-run, -n

boolean

Previews your attempt to create a service. Indicates issues and the outcome that will occur if you run the command without using the --dry-run option. Nothing is actually configured. Default is false.

false

--force

string

Specifies whether the service is created even if validation of the service fails. Possible values are as follows: true The service is created even if validation of the service fails. false The service is not created (default).

false

--serviceuser

string

(Linux systems only) The user that is to run Payara Server when the service is started. The default is the user that is running the subcommand. Specify this option if Payara Server is to be run by a user other than the root user.

root

--domaindir

string

The absolute path of the directory on the disk that contains the configuration of the domain. If this option is specified, the operand must specify a domain.

--nodedir

string

Specifies the directory that contains the instance’s node directory. The instance’s files are stored in the instance’s node directory. The default is as-install/nodes. If this option is specified, the operand must specify an instance.

--node

string

Specifies the node on which the instance resides. This option may be omitted only if the directory that the --nodedir option specifies contains only one node directory. Otherwise, this option is required. If this option is specified, the operand must specify an instance.

Examples

Example 1: Creating a Service on a Windows System

This example creates a service for the default domain on a system that is running Windows.

asadmin> create-service
Found the Windows Service and successfully uninstalled it.
The Windows Service was created successfully.  It is ready to be started.  Here are
the details:
ID of the service: domain1
Display Name of the service:domain1 Payara Server
Domain Directory: C:\payara\glassfish\domains\domain1
Configuration file for Windows Services Wrapper: C:\payara\glassfish\domains\
domain1\bin\domain1Service.xml
The service can be controlled using the Windows Services Manager or you can use the
Windows Services Wrapper instead:
Start Command:  C:\payara\glassfish\domains\domain1\bin\domain1Service.exe  start
Stop Command:   C:\payara\glassfish\domains\domain1\bin\domain1Service.exe  stop
Uninstall Command:  C:\payara\glassfish\domains\domain1\bin\domain1Service.exe
uninstall
Install Command:  C:\payara\glassfish\domains\domain1\bin\domain1Service.exe
install

This message is also available in a file named PlatformServices.log in the domain's
root directory
Command create-service executed successfully.

Example 2: Creating a Service on a Linux System using SystemD

This example creates a service for the default domain on a system that is running Linux and SystemD. It is necessary to inform SystemD about the new script by running systemctl daemon-reload. Then it is possible to start the service.

asadmin> create-service --service-user payaraadmin
The SystemD Service was created successfully. Here are the details:
Name of the service:domain1
Type of the service:Domain
Configuration location of the service:/etc/systemd/system/payara_domain1.service
User account that will run the service: payaraadmin
You have created the service but you need to start it yourself.  Here are the most
typical Linux commands of interest:

* systemctl daemon-reload
* systemctl start payara_domain1.service
* systemctl stop payara_domain1.service
* systemctl restart payara_domain1.service

For your convenience this message has also been saved to this file:
/opt/payara/glassfish/domains/domain1/PlatformServices.log
Command create-service executed successfully.

Example 3: Creating a Service on a Linux System using SystemV

This example creates a service for the default domain on a system that is running Linux and SystemV.

asadmin> create-service
Found the Linux Service and successfully uninstalled it.
The Service was created successfully. Here are the details:
Name of the service:domain1
Type of the service:Domain
Configuration location of the service:/etc/init.d/payara_domain1
User account that will run the service: root
You have created the service but you need to start it yourself.
Here are the most typical Linux commands of interest:

* /etc/init.d/payara_domain1 start
* /etc/init.d/payara_domain1 stop
* /etc/init.d/payara_domain1 restart

For your convenience this message has also been saved to this file:
/opt/payara/glassfish/domains/domain1/PlatformServices.log
Command create-service executed successfully.

Example 4, Creating a Service on an Oracle Solaris System This example creates a service for the default domain on a system that is running Oracle Solaris.

asadmin> create-service
The Service was created successfully. Here are the details:
Name of the service:application/GlassFish/domain1
Type of the service:Domain
Configuration location of the service:/opt/payara/glassfish/domains
Manifest file location on the system:/var/svc/manifest/application
/GlassFish/domain1_opt_payara_glassfish_domains/Domain-service-smf.xml.
You have created the service but you need to start it yourself.
Here are the most typical Solaris commands of interest:
* /usr/bin/svcs -a | grep domain1 // status
* /usr/sbin/svcadm enable domain1 // start
* /usr/sbin/svcadm disable domain1 // stop
* /usr/sbin/svccfg delete domain1 // uninstall
Command create-service executed successfully.

`_delete-service`

Usage: asadmin> _delete-service <options> <domain-or-instance-name>
Aim: The _delete-service subcommand deletes scripts created by the subcommand create-service.

If no operand is specified and the domains directory contains only one domain, the subcommand deletes the script that starts the DAS for the default domain. If no operand is specified and the domains directory contains multiple domains, an error occurs.

The subcommand contains internal logic to determine whether the supplied operand is a DAS or an instance.

This subcommand is supported in local mode only.

Command Options

Operands	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
domain-or-instance-name	string	The name of the domain or instance to configure. If no operand is specified, the default domain is used.	domain1	No

Operands

Type

Description

Default

Mandatory

domain-or-instance-name

string

The name of the domain or instance to configure. If no operand is specified, the default domain is used.

domain1

Options	Type	Description	Default	Mandatory
--help, -?		Displays the help text for the subcommand.		No
--name	string	(Windows and Oracle Solaris systems only) The name of the service that you will use when administering the service through Oracle Solaris SMF commands or the service management features of the Windows operating system.	the name of the domain or instance that is specified as the operand of this subcommand	No
--system-type	string	If specified, system-type must be one of systemd, systemv, solaris or windows, which determine the type of init scripts to create. If not specified, the command performs autodetection of init system.	automatically detects	No
--nodedir	string	Specifies the directory that contains the instance’s node directory. The instance’s files are stored in the instance’s node directory. The default is as-install/nodes. If this option is specified, the operand must specify an instance.		No
--node	string	Specifies the node on which the instance resides. This option may be omitted only if the directory that the --nodedir option specifies contains only one node directory. Otherwise, this option is required. If this option is specified, the operand must specify an instance.		No

Options

Type

Description

Default

Mandatory

--help, -?

Displays the help text for the subcommand.

--name

string

the name of the domain or instance that is specified as the operand of this subcommand

--system-type

string

If specified, system-type must be one of systemd, systemv, solaris or windows, which determine the type of init scripts to create. If not specified, the command performs autodetection of init system.

automatically detects

--nodedir

string

--node

string

Example: Deleting a Service on a Linux System using SystemD init.

This example deletes a service for the default domain on a system that is running Linux and SystemD. It is necessary to inform SystemD about deleting the script by running systemctl daemon-reload.

asadmin> _delete-service
Command _delete-service executed successfully.