PeopleTools 8.53 – Understanding Installation Locations
From PeopleTools 8.5 onwards, the installation locations have been split up to make it easier to perform upgrades and provide maintenance. PeopleTools 8.53 has 5 Installation Locations, which are as mentioned below:
- PS_HOME
- PS_APP_HOME
- PS_CFG_HOME
- PS_CUST_HOME
- PIA_HOME
As you proceed through the PeopleSoft PeopleTools installation process, you are asked to specify several installation locations. This article will help you choose how to specify the installation locations for the various components in a PeopleSoft installation.
PS_HOME
The PS_HOME directory holds the PeopleSoft PeopleTools files. Prior to PeopleTools 8.5, almost all the files used to be inside PS_Home. Now, depending on the way you specify the other installation locations will determine whether other files are installed in PS_HOME or elsewhere; for example, whether the PeopleSoft Application files are installed into PS_HOME or into PS_APP_HOME.
PS_APP_HOME
The PS_APP_HOME location holds the PeopleSoft Application files. Depending upon the PeopleSoft Application that you are installing, for PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.52 and later, the directory where you install the PeopleSoft application files does not have to be the same as the location where you install PeopleSoft PeopleTools, PS_HOME.
You can select any writeable location on the file system. The PS_APP_HOME location is sometimes referred to as “Application Home.” If you choose to install the PeopleSoft Application software to a PS_APP_HOME location that is different from the PS_HOME location where you installed PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.53, you will need to define a PS_APP_HOME environmental variable. For example:
- On Microsoft Windows: Declare an environment variable for PS_APP_HOME like PS_APP_HOME=c:\fscm92
- On Unix: Specify an environment variable like PS_APP_HOME=/data1/ora/fscm92;export PS_APP_HOME
If your environment includes more than one PeopleSoft Application, such as ELM and HCM, you can install into a separate PS_APP_HOME location for each. However, in this case, you must change the value of the PS_APP_HOME environment variable for any configuration tasks.
PS_CFG_HOME
The PS_CFG_HOME location holds the configuration files for the application server, batch server and search server domains. It also holds the configuration files for web server domains if PIA_HOME, is equal to PS_CFG_HOME. This location is sometimes referred to as “Config Home.”
When you install PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.53 and the PeopleSoft Application software, the PeopleSoft installer places the required files into the specified PS_HOME directory. When you create an application server, batch server, or search server domain, the configuration files associated with that domain are installed into a directory referred to as PS_CFG_HOME.
By default, the system separates the binary files (executables and libraries) stored in PS_HOME from the ASCII files (configuration and log files) associated with a domain stored in PS_CFG_HOME. This separation applies only to these servers:
- PeopleSoft Application Server
- PeopleSoft Process Scheduler Server
- PeopleSoft Search Server
When you use the PSADMIN utility, the system creates the PS_CFG_HOME directory based upon environment variables associated with the current user.
Having a separate PS_CUST_HOME allows for a more flexible installation. You also have the opportunity to place different security restrictions on the binary and configuration files. To take advantage of this flexibility, you have the option to specify a different location by setting a PS_CFG_HOME environment variable.
PS_CUST_HOME
The PS_CUST_HOME location holds customized file system objects. Anything that is changed from the file system objects that are delivered with the PeopleSoft Application
installation should be placed here. The sub-directory structure must mirror the PS_APP_HOME upon which it is based. For example, when you install your PeopleSoft Application, the directory structure includes SQR scripts in PS_APP_HOME/sqr. If you have customized SQR scripts, you would place them in PS_CUST_HOME/sqr.
If a value is not assigned for the PS_CUST_HOME environment variable it assumes the default value of PS_HOME. This location is sometimes referred to as “Cust Home.”
PIA_HOME
When you install the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture, the files are installed in the PIA_HOME directory. The PIA_HOME location holds the webserv directory, and the files for the PeopleSoft PIA. The directory where you install PeopleSoft PIA, PIA_HOME, does not have to be the same as the location where you install PeopleSoft PeopleTools and the PeopleSoft Application software, PS_HOME.
You have the option to specify the installation location for the PeopleSoft PIA by setting the environment variable PS_CFG_HOME. The PS_CFG_HOME directory is created the first time that the PSADMIN utility starts. PSADMIN recognizes that PS_CFG_HOME is not present and creates it when necessary. This is done before any domains are
created. When you invoke PeopleSoft PIA, the installer checks your environment to determine the PS_CFG_HOME. If the environment variable PS_CFG_HOME is defined, the PS_CFG_HOME location is seen as the directory to which that environment variable points. If PS_CFG_HOME is not defined the default value is used.
