Over the product lifetime, the implementation of these configuration details went from files, to database-based (around v3.5), and back again to files (around v5). The configuration information for the entire cell (how many nodes there are, what applications are deployed to each, how the applications are configured, session management and details of other resources, etc) are tracked in XML configuration files that are distributed throughout the cell to every node. Management of all the instances could be done from a management node - called the Deployment Manager - within the cell, and deployment of applications - including the ability to perform rolling updates - could be pushed out to a subset of the cell nodes. The "traditional" (as opposed to the Liberty variant) WebSphere Application Server platform is architected as a distributed computing platform that could be installed on multiple operating system instances, collectively referred to as a WebSphere cell. It uses port 9060 for connection as the default administration port and port 9080 as the default website publication port. It works with a number of Web servers including Apache HTTP Server, Netscape Enterprise Server, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), IBM HTTP Server for i5/OS, IBM HTTP Server for z/OS, and IBM HTTP Server for AIX/ Linux/ Microsoft Windows/ Solaris. Platform exploitation, to the extent it takes place, is done below the open standard specification line.
Beginning with Version 6.1 and now into Version 9.0, the open standard specifications are aligned and common across all the platforms.
It runs on the following platforms: Windows, AIX, Linux, Solaris, IBM i and z/OS. WebSphere Application Server (WAS) is built using open standards such as Java EE, XML, and Web Services.