To run the Tomcat-Instance during 'integration-test'-phase you have to configure the plugin like the following example.
<pom>
...
...
<build>
<finalName>external-libs</finalName>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.12.4</version>
</plugin>
<!-- this executes the integration-test, junit-test that ends with 'IT' -->
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.12.4</version>
<executions>
<execution>
<id>integration-test</id>
<goals>
<goal>integration-test</goal>
</goals>
</execution>
<execution>
<id>verify</id>
<goals>
<goal>verify</goal>
</goals>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>com.googlecode.t7mp</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-t7-plugin</artifactId>
<version>0.9.10.M8</version>
<configuration>
<!-- setup the port to listen on -->
<tomcatHttpPort>9091</tomcatHttpPort>
<!-- this is very important for integration tests -->
<tomcatSetAwait>false</tomcatSetAwait>
</configuration>
<executions>
<execution>
<id>start-tomcat</id>
<goals>
<goal>run</goal>
</goals>
<phase>pre-integration-test</phase>
</execution>
<execution>
<id>stop-tomcat</id>
<goals>
<goal>stop</goal>
</goals>
<phase>post-integration-test</phase>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
...
...
If you run your build, the Tomcat-Instance will be startet in the 'pre-integration-test'-phase and stopped in the 'post-integration-test'-phase. You don't have to invoke the plugin directly on commandline. All you need is the following.
mvn clean install