An organization with IBM® FileNet® Collaboration Services middleware can connect the content repository with office software, such as IBM Connections, that manages business data and documents. Before you deploy your IBM FileNet P8 system with IBM FileNet Collaboration Services, you must consider several constraints and recommendations for your system setup.
- Access teamspace content as linked libraries in the core FileNet domain with IBM Connections (IC).
- Access community libraries in the IBM Connections domain as teamspaces with IBM Content Navigator (ICN).
- Support IBM Connections with IBM FileNet Collaboration Services (FNCS) deployed in the IBM Connections domain.
- Support IBM FileNet clients with IBM FileNet Collaboration Services deployed in the core FileNet domain.
IBM HTTP Server (IHS) is deployed as a web proxy for all IBM Connections, IBM FileNet Collaboration Services, and IBM Content Navigator endpoints.
Plan carefully where the IBM FileNet P8 Content Platform Engine repository and IBM FileNet Collaboration Services repository, such as IBM Connections, reside to ensure that the network environment you plan achieves the maximum performance, availability, and scalability.
- Content Platform Engine must be running on WebSphere® Application Server. The same version and patch level of WebSphere Application Server must be used for both Content Platform Engine and FileNet Collaboration Services.
- IBM Connections requires its own application server. The application server instance cannot be used with any other web application.
- FileNet Collaboration Services, Application Engine, Workplace XT, and Content Platform Engine must use the same directory service server for authentication. IBM Connections does not need to use the same directory service server to support linked libraries. However, IBM Connections must use the same directory service server to support library integration. That is, a library that is dedicated to a single IBM Connections community and is used to create and manage content in a FileNet P8 object store.
- The application servers that host the Content Platform Engine and FileNet Collaboration Services must be configured for single sign-on. Single sign-on between FileNet Collaboration Services and IBM Connections is optional.
- FileNet Collaboration Services must have network connectivity to the Content Platform Engine host and port.
- IBM Connections must have network connectivity to the FileNet Collaboration Services host and port.
- User computers must have connectivity to IBM Connections, FileNet Collaboration Services, and IBM Content Navigator (if present.)
- FileNet Collaboration Services and Content Platform Engine can be collocated on a single application server profile or run on separate profiles or clusters, depending on administration performance and scaling requirements.
- To search FileNet P8 from IBM Connections linked libraries, the object store must be configured for content-based retrieval. The object store does not need to be configured for content-based retrieval to search community libraries from IBM Connections.
- Server 1: Content Search Engine. This server is required if users want to use the search feature.
- Server 2: WebSphere Application Server, Content Platform Engine
- Server 3: WebSphere Application Server, FileNet Collaboration Services, or IBM Content Navigator (if present)
- Server 4: IBM Connections
- Server 5: Database
- Server 6: Directory service servers