Install IBM API Connect LTE in local Windows system

Introduction

Previously I wrote a blog on how to install IBM API Connect v5 in your local Windows or Linux system. However, time has passed and IBM revamped, re-designed their API management product with a lot of new features. Personally, I have been working quite a lot in this area. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to install IBM API Connect LTE in local windows system. In this tutorial, I will also cover installing API designer toolkit. You can use API designer toolkit to locally develop the APIs.

Every developer wants to experiment/test in their own secluded environment. They want an environment which is just meant for him/her. With IBM API Connect, IBM made this dream come true for developers. IBM provided a local test environment or LTE. So now, a developer can develop and test their APIs locally. S/he does not have to depend on the availability of APIM server.

While IBM has an elaborate and fine documentation on this topic (link is in reference segment at the end of the blog); I felt I could trim the original content and make it more developer friendly and make one simple document on how to install IBM API Connect LTE in a personal laptop or desktop. So, read on!! 🙂

Tech stack & Prerequisite

While writing this blog, I had followings in my laptop:

• Windows 10 Pro
• Docker version 19.03.13 [ pls note docker v18.09.x is not compatible with LTE]
• 8 GB of RAM [minimum 4 GB RAM is required for a single gateway type.]
• Ensure that c: drive is shared (if not, right click and then go to properties -> sharing and make it a shared drive). This is required to ensure that the LTE files are accessible to docker containers.
• Ensure that Hyper-V is enabled from “Turn Windows features on or off” settings.

Download Installable

We’ll download followings from IBM Fix Central:

• APIC LTE
• APIC Toolkit [ CLI + Loopback + Designer]

Let’s get started!

• Head to IBM Fix Central and then Login using your IBM credential.
• There will be two tabs. Under the Find Product tab, type IBM API Connect. From the drop down list, select IBM API Connect.
• Thereafter, select the version you want (I have selected 2018.4.12). Keep the platform as All.
• Click on Continue button.
• A new page will open up to Identify fixes. Select Browse for fixes radio button and click on Continue button and complete the download.
• In the search box, type lte and then select the lte version.
• Thereafter, click on continue and complete the download.

• Similarly, in the search box, type designer and then select the toolkit version as well. As I am using Windows system, I have selected the windows option. You can select the one based on whether you are using any other operating system.
• Click on Continue button and complete the download.

Install IBM API Connect LTE

• Extract the content of LTE .zip content into C:\apic-lte folder.

• Now, launch a command prompt and traverse to c:\apic-lte. Issue following command and wait for the command to finish loading of all the images.

• Next, we will traverse to C:\apic-lte\win folder from the same command window.
• We’ll issue the following command to start APIC LTE in our local system. This command will gradually start all the components required for APIC LTE to functional in local machine.

• Once successfully completed, it’ll print some crucial details (URL, user credential etc.) that we will use eventually. Keep a note of these information.

• Optionally, you can issue the following command to check the various containers running for IBM APIC LTE

• Please note that you can access the DataPower WebUI by clicking on https://localhost:9091/dp/login.xml. Use the following credentials:
  • User: admin
  • Password: admin

• You can issue following command to login to API Manager through command line

• To stop the LTE, you can issue following command

Install IBM API Connect Designer Toolkit

• Previously, we downloaded the designer toolkit as well. Now, extract the content into c:\apic folder like below:

• Now, set the system level environment variable with name SKIP_IBMID_LOGIN and value as true. To set an environment variable, right-click the Computer icon and choose Properties, or in Windows Control Panel, choose System. Choose Advanced system settings. On the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables. Click New to create a new environment variable under the system variables pane.

• Now, traverse to c:\apic folder, double click on api_designer-win.exe to install the API designer toolkit. In the process, it’ll ask to accept the license, pls accept and thereafter finish the process.
• By now, you will see a API Designer shortcut icon on your desktop screen. Ifnot, traverse to %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Programs\api-designer folder and locate API Designer.exe. Right click on this .exe file and create a shortcut to the desktop.
• Henceforth, always double this shortcut to launch API Designer toolkit.

Launch API Designer Toolkit

• Create a folder in this path C:\api-workspace\helloworld
• Double click on the API Designer shortcut. A window will open up. Click on “Open a Directory” button. A pop-up will open. Select the helloworld folder that we created above

• Once done, it will open up a new page with a button “Connect to API Connect”.

• Click on the Connect to API Connect button; it will popup another window like below. Write https://localhost:2020 in the HOST URL field and click on the Next button

• Now, it will open up a login page. We’ll use following user credential to sign-in to the designer [We have taken the user credential from api-lte start command’s output]:
  • User: shavon
  • Password: 7iron-hide

• Once you sign in, you will see the familiar user interface where you can start developing APIs and Products

Conclusion

In this article, we learnt how to setup LTE and API Designer toolkit. Go through my next article on how to develop your first API using IBM API Connect.

Reference

• https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSMNED_2018/com.ibm.apic.toolkit.doc/rapic_lte_api_test.html