MWLUG 2015 - IBM Connections - Installing the Free "Extras" and Integrating with other Products

IBM Connections - Installing the Free "Extras" and Integrating with other

Products

Victor Toal - ToalSystems

Victor Toal aka “Dr. Vic”

20+ Years of talking tech

IBM Connections, Sametime, WebSphere, DB2,Notes and Domino

[email protected]: @TheToal

Skype: vtoal

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/victortoal/

http://www.toalsys.com/

IBM Connections

•IBM Connections is IBM’s Flagship product in the Social Network Software Category.•It comes with everything you need to set up and run a social community inside of your firewall – and since Version 5 – also make it easily available outside of your firewall as well.•Activities (similar to to-dos)•Blogs – stand-alone or as part of a Community•Bookmarks – share and store important booksmarks•Files - individual user file and community files•Forums – discuss topics, ask questions, find answers•Wikis – stand-alone or as part of a Community•Communities – A place where all of the above applications can be grouped around a specific theme or group of people

stand-alone or as part of a Community

What Add-ons Are There?

CCM – Connections Content Manager / IBM Filenet integrationRequires a license for any user accessing the CCM portion of Connections. Can be integrated with an existing FileNet implementation for the full document lifecycle experience.

IBM Connections MailIntegrate your Domino or Exchange email into IBM Connections and display links in the Website header to access email and calendar entries from your email system

IBM File ViewerA subset of the IBM Docs features – but without any editing ability. View all office type documents that are uploaded into Files of CCM directly in the browser without having to download them firstSurveys / IBM Forms limited integration

Sametime – Awareness IntegrationSee the online status of other Connections users and initiate IM/chat sessions with them

IBM DocsSimilar to Google Docs or Office Online – this gives you the ability to view, edit and save documents and spreadsheets directly in the browser without having to download the files onto a PC and edit them with an MS Office or other like software.

Our Topics of Choice ….

** IBM Connections Mail **** IBM File Viewer **

** IBM Forms **

Why?

These are the most commonly installed add-ons, or in he case of Sametime, the most common integration

Basics of an Install

• Most Applications will run on either Linux/AIX or Windows• Surveys (IBM Forms) requires DB2, will not work with other

database systems at this time• You install the app, enable with by updating config files – mostly

as a widget that gets added to a community• Most add-ons can run either on single WebSphere servers or in a

clustered environment

Let’s start with email

Let’s Start

IBM Connections MailIt’s Simple, Really:

1. Add Repository2. Install Product

3. Create socialmail-discovery-config.xml4. Edit the application security for COMMON

5. Sync nodes6. Restart Common

Ta-Taaaa!

IC Mail - Resources

• Latest version is currently 1.6• But the version to install depends on what version of Connections

you are running• Different versions of ICMail have different WebSphere and

Connections version requirements and compatibility limitations (mainly regarding Exchange) – check the Greenhouse Catalog for details:

• ICMail V1 -> Connections V4.0 – Greenhouse link: http://ibm.co/1WwMtxe

• ICMail V1.3 iFix2 -> Connections 4.5 – Greenhouse link: http://ibm.co/1fj77z4

• ICMail V1.6 iFix2 -> Connections 5.0 – Greenhouse link: http://ibm.co/1qzXtYE

http://ibm.co/1WwMtxe

http://ibm.co/1fj77z4

http://ibm.co/1fj77z4

http://ibm.co/1qzXtYE

ICMail Continued . . .

• ICMail can be enabled for all users, individuals or on a group membership basis for both Exchange and Domino back-ends

• This is done by updating the COMMON application in WebSphere with either individuals, all users or groups.

Some gotchas:• If you have customized the Connections header.jsp, make sure

you have the latest version, there is code in it that helps the browser recognize whether ICMail is enabled and if the user is allowed to access it.

• The config file [socialmail-discovery-config.xml] can contain username and password information so be sure to utilize the encrypted methods so not to leave potential security holes in your environment


ICMail with Domino• Install documentation link: http://ibm.co/1UML83j• Requires only WebSSO with the Domino server, easiest of

Domino is your LDAP source• Must exchange LTPA Token/key between WebSphere servers

and the Domino WebSSO document• Domino servers must be set to authenticate HTTP as multi-

session using LtpaToken

• Here is a good document with all the details on how to enable SSO between WebSphere / Connections and Domino: http://ibm.co/1Nl1tv2

http://ibm.co/1UML83j

http://ibm.co/1Nl1tv2


ICMail with Exchange• Install documentation link: http://ibm.co/1UML83j• Requires SPNEGO with KERBEROS as your WebSphere SSO

authentication method• Easiest if LDAP is AD based and the same AD domain as

Exchange• Requires much more in terms of configuration and settings• AD Settings also needed• Make sure you read this document by Michele Buccarello

http://bit.ly/1MCXJVNTIP: when configuring KERBEROS, always write all domain names, server names, URLs etc. in UPPER CASE

http://ibm.co/1UML83j

http://bit.ly/1MCXJVN

http://bit.ly/1MCXJVN

ICMail Installation

• Install is via the IBM Installation Manager on the Deployment Manager

• Add the package as a new repository to your existing IIM

• The just click “INSTALL” and IVM Connections Mail will appear as an option

ICMail Installation Continued . . .

• Choose the Install Package and click next

• Enter the location you want the files to be installed on


• Review the settings one final time and install. When the system is done you will see the below screen


• Set the corrct acces settings for mail users in the COMMON application. Go to ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS -> WEBSPHERE ENTERPRISE APPLCIATIONS -> click on COMMON and choose SECURITY ROLE TO USER / GROUP MAPPING

Example:

• <config id="socialmail-discovery-config" version="1.3" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="socialmail-discovery-config.xsd">

• <discovery>• • <ServerConfig name="exchangeconfig" enabled="true">• <ConfigType>EXCHANGE</ConfigType>• <DirectoryServer>FQHNofDomainController</DirectoryServer>• <DirectoryServerDomain>FQDomainName</DirectoryServerDomain>• <DirectoryUser>LDAPBindUSer</DirectoryUser>• <DirectoryPW>Password</DirectoryPW>• <CertificateFile>E:\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\java\jre\lib\security\cacerts</CertificateFile>• <CertificateFilePW>changeit</CertificateFilePW>• <ADDomainUser>ADDomainName\USerAccountLDAPBind</ADDomainUser>• <ADDomainPW>Password</ADDomainPW>• <MailPattern type=“Domain.com"/>• </ServerConfig>• </discovery>• <GadgetConfig>• <GadgetPreference id="MailSearchInterval">15000</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="MailPollOnBadge">false</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="MailCheckOnLoadInterval">300000</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="MailPollInterval">300000</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="ExchMaxUploadSize">15800000</GadgetPreference>• </GadgetConfig>• </config>

Example: socialmail-discovery-config.xml for Exchange

Example:

• <config id="socialmail-discovery-config" version="1.3" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="socialmail-discovery-config.xsd">

• 

• <discovery>• <ServerConfig name="waters-redirect" enabled="true">• <ConfigType>REDIRECT</ConfigType>• <RedirectURL>https://URL_TO_REDIRECTOR:443?nocache=1&nostore=1</RedirectURL>• <MailPattern type=“DOMAIN.COM"/>• </ServerConfig>

• </discovery>• <GadgetConfig>• <GadgetPreference id="MailSearchInterval">5000</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="MailPollOnBadge">false</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="MailCheckOnLoadInterval">300000</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="MailPollInterval">900000</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="UseConfiguredProtocol">true</GadgetPreference>• <GadgetPreference id="useConfiguredProtocol">true</GadgetPreference>• </GadgetConfig>•• </config>

Example: socialmail-discovery-config.xml for Domino

Here goes the File Viewer

IBM File ViewerIt’s Simple, Really:

1. Create WebSphere Servers/Cluster2. Choose version – download - unpack

3. Update properties.config files4. Install Conversion, Viewer and Viewer Extension (in this order)

5. Synch nodes, regenerate HTTP plug-in and deploy6. Restart Common, Files and CCM (or just the whole server)

7. Ta-Taaaa!

IBM File Viewer

IBM File Viewer – Some Details• Is a subset of the full IBM DOCS product. You get conversion (so the office file

can be rendered in a browser) and the viewer, but no editing capability• The latest version 1.0.7 will also work with CCM/Libraries – but is more work to

installTip 1: If you don’t have CCM, install 1.0.6 – the code is the same for Conversion and Viewer and the install is a bit easier

• If you need additional languages other than English, install more language packs on Windows. You can buy or download fonts or language packs. For example, you can download Windows Server 2008 R2 Multilingual User Interface Language Packs.

• Also, you can get font packages from third-party venders, then get the .ttc and .ttf files from the package, and install them on your server.

IBM File Viewer Continued

• Choose the right documentation:1.0.6: http://ibm.co/1LjGpSs1.0.7: http://ibm.co/1E61Czw• Read the documentation – then create the WebSphere server

infrastructure you intend to use it on. Tip2: even if you only want ONE WebSphere server to run it on, create that server as a cluster member – that way you can more easily expand in the future if you want to

• If you are installing on a separate physical/virtual server from your existing Connections environment (=add a new node) make sure this server can access the shared file resources or this will not work . . . . Tip2: make sure you read SW requirements for Linux – python!!

http://ibm.co/1LjGpSs

http://ibm.co/1LjGpSs

http://ibm.co/1E61Czw

http://ibm.co/1E61Czw


• Fill in ALL the cfg.properties for all three components first. There are variables in them that have to match for each of the components. If you do not, there is trouble!

• Pay attention to anything that is called [xxx_shared_storage_xxx] -> those have to be the same value for all systems. Create the actual folders manually, the installer will not.


[Conversion]conversion_install_root=D:\IBM\IBMConversiondocs_shared_storage_type=localviewer_shared_storage_type=localdocs_shared_storage_local_path=D:\IBM\DocSharedStoragedocs_shared_storage_remote_server=nas-docs.ibm.comdocs_shared_storage_remote_path=/opt/IBM/docs_dataviewer_shared_storage_local_path=D:\IBM\DocSharedStorageviewer_shared_storage_remote_server=nas-docs.ibm.comviewer_shared_storage_remote_path=/opt/IBM/viewer_dataviewer_url=http://cnx5.toalsys.social/viewerwas_install_root=D:\IBM\WebSphere\AppServerwas_soap_port=8879scope=Clusterscope_name=ConversionClusternode_name=sym_count=4sym_start_port=8100software_mode = Premise

[Viewer]viewer_install_root=D:/IBM/FileViewershared_data_dir=D:/IBM/DocSharedStoragewas_install_root=D:/IBM/WebSphere/AppServerwas_soap_port=8879conversion_url=http://cnx5.toalsys.social/conversionfiles_path=D:/IBM/Connections/data/shared/files/uploadeditor_installed=Noscope=Clusterscope_name=ViewerCluster

node_name=browser_cache=Noenable_print=Noauth_type=FORMauth_host=multi_tenancy=falseconvert_on_upload=yeshousekeeping_frequency=weeklyhousekeeping_age_threshold_of_rendition_latest_version=30housekeeping_size_threshold_of_rendition_cache=256

[ICExt]ext_install_root=D:/IBM/IBMViewer/extensionwas_dm_profile_root=D:/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/Dmgr01was_soap_port=8879enable_upload_conversion=Yesauth_type=BASICviewer_admin_j2c_alias=files_scope=Clusterfiles_scope_name=CnxClusterfiles_node_name=news_scope=Clusternews_scope_name=CnxClusternews_node_name=common_scope=Clustercommon_scope_name=CnxClustercommon_node_name=viewer_server_url=http://cnx5.toalsys.social/viewerrestart_connections=False

Non-Clustered / Local Server Install

WINDOWS


[Conversion]conversion_install_root=D:\IBM\IBMConversiondocs_shared_storage_type=localviewer_shared_storage_type=localdocs_shared_storage_local_path=\\fileserver.toalsys.social\cnxdata\DocSharedStoragedocs_shared_storage_remote_server=nas-docs.ibm.comdocs_shared_storage_remote_path=/opt/IBM/docs_dataviewer_shared_storage_local_path=\\fileserver.toalsys.social\cnxdata\DocSharedStorageviewer_shared_storage_remote_server=nas-docs.ibm.comviewer_shared_storage_remote_path=/opt/IBM/viewer_dataviewer_url=http://cnx5.toalsys.social/viewerwas_install_root=D:\IBM\WebSphere\AppServerwas_soap_port=8879scope=Clusterscope_name=ConversionClusternode_name=sym_count=4sym_start_port=8100software_mode = Premise

[Viewer]viewer_install_root=D:/IBM/FileViewershared_data_dir==\\fileserver.toalsys.social\cnxdata\DocSharedStoragewas_install_root=D:/IBM/WebSphere/AppServerwas_soap_port=8879conversion_url=http://cnx5.toalsys.social/conversionfiles_path=\\fileserver.toalsys.social\cnxdata\files\uploadeditor_installed=Noscope=Cluster

scope_name=ViewerClusternode_name=browser_cache=Noenable_print=Noauth_type=FORMauth_host=multi_tenancy=falseconvert_on_upload=yeshousekeeping_frequency=weeklyhousekeeping_age_threshold_of_rendition_latest_version=30housekeeping_size_threshold_of_rendition_cache=256

[ICExt]ext_install_root=D:/IBM/IBMViewer/extensionwas_dm_profile_root=D:/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/Dmgr01was_soap_port=8879enable_upload_conversion=Yesauth_type=BASICviewer_admin_j2c_alias=files_scope=Clusterfiles_scope_name=CnxClusterfiles_node_name=news_scope=Clusternews_scope_name=CnxClusternews_node_name=common_scope=Clustercommon_scope_name=CnxClustercommon_node_name=viewer_server_url=http://cnx5.toalsys.social/viewerrestart_connections=False

Clustered / Non-Local Server Install

WINDOWS


• Run the installers . . . .


If you are installing on multiple Nodes

• Copy the install folders over to the other server• Rename the [cfg.node.properties] to something else ad rename

the [cfg.properties] you updated earlier to [cfg.node.properties]• Run the install_node.bat/.sh install executable• Sit back and relax• Look for error in the install log files -> they are inside the

installation folders you configured, in this case: D:/IBM/FileViewerD:\IBM\IBMConversionD:/IBM/IBMViewer/extension


• Set up the scheduled tasks

NOTE: If you install this on clustered servers, this has to run on all Nodes/servers that run the Conversion task


Finally – do the usual:• Sync the Nodes (even though the scripts – allegedly – do that• Regenerate the HTTP Plug-in and deploy it• Restart the HTTP server(s)• Restart Connections (all apps)• Restart the Viewer and Conversion server(s)• Look for errors in the WebSphere log files


A potential Issue to look for – if you installed as a cluster• The installer uses the [shared_data_dir] as the location to put the WebSphere Cluster

Message Stores for the cluster you created• When using UNC file locations, in some cases (depends on server) WebSphere does not

interpret them correctly and creates a new folder in the drive that WebSphere is installed in named exactly as your share file folder – in our case: D:\\fileserver.toalsys.social\cnxdata\DocSharedStorage on both servers for the WebSphere messages stores.

• Check the sib-engines.xml in the folder C:\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles\Dmgr01\config\cells\CNXCell01\clusters\ViewerCluster

• Change the line to match the same location as the Connections cluster settings:logDirectory="${MESSAGE_STORE_PATH}/ViewerCluster/log“permanentStoreDirectory="${MESSAGE_STORE_PATH}/ViewerCluster/store" temporaryStoreDirectory="${MESSAGE_STORE_PATH}/ViewerCluster/store“

This puts all WebSphere specific message stores into the same location in the share file location

Here goes the Surveys App

Surveys / IBM Forms Builder ExperienceIt’s Simple, Really:

1. Create WebSphere Servers/Cluster2. Create the DB2 Database

3. Download - unpack4. Install the First Server, Then The cluster server (if you plan to)

5. Update widget-config.xml, Map app to HTTP server, Synch nodes6. Regenerate HTTP plug-in and deploy – Restart HTTP server

7. Connect to the Forms Screen and run the setup8. Add extra Indexes to the DB2 server

9. Add the Widget information into the widget.config.xml10. Synch nodes, restart Connections and Forms server(s)

11. Ta-Taaaa!

Surveys Continued . . .

Create the DB2 Database• Surveys / Forms Experience Builder REQUIRES DB2 – so if you use

SQL or Oracle for your Connections environment and want Surveys you need to install a DB2 server

• When creating the dB use these commands, the commands in the documentation are partially incorrect and badly formatted:CREATE DB FEBDB using codeset UTF-8 territory us PAGESIZE 32768connect to FEBDBCREATE BUFFERPOOL BUFFERFEB IMMEDIATE SIZE 250 PAGESIZE 32KCREATE USER TEMPORARY TABLESPACE LARGE_USERTEMP PAGESIZE 32k MANAGED BY AUTOMATIC STORAGE EXTENTSIZE 16 PREFETCHSIZE 16 BUFFERPOOL BUFFERFEBgrant dbadm on database to LCUSER


• Add the Widget definition to the widget-config.xml<widgetDef defId="Surveys" description="Surveys.desc" bundleRefId="formiwidget" primaryWidget="true" showInPalette="true" modes="view edit fullpage" uniqueInstance="true" loginRequired="false" url="{webresourcesSvcRef}/web/com.ibm.form.integrations.formiwidget/Surveys.xml" helpLink="/topic/com.ibm.lotus.connections.communities.surveys.help/community_survey_frame.html" iconUrl="{webresourcesSvcRef}/web/com.ibm.form.integrations.formiwidget/images/survey_widget_icon.png"> <itemSet>

<item name="formSeverBaseUrl" value="/forms"/> <item name="surveyNumberInOverview" value="5"/><item name="communitiesSvcRef" value="{communitiesSvcRef}"/><item name="webresourcesSvcRef" value="{webresourcesSvcRef}"/><item name="opensocialSvcRef" value="{opensocialSvcRef}"/><item name="version" value="{version}"/>

</itemSet><lifecycle remoteHandlerURL="http://cnx5.toalsys.social/forms/secure/org/lifecycle" remoteHandlerAuthenticationAlias="connectionsAdmin">

<event>community.members.added</event> <event>community.members.removed</event>

<event>widget.added</event> <event>widget.removed</event> <event>community.updated</event> <event>community.visibility.changed</event> <event>community.prepare.delete</event> <event>community.members.modified</event> <event>community.org.changed</event>

</lifecycle></widgetDef>


Install Forms Experience Builder• Using IBM Installation Manager on the actual FORMS server, not

the Deployment manager – unless that is where FORMS is running

• Unpack FEB 8.5.1 and add the repository to IIM


• Run though the Install Process


• More Installation Joy


• Map The App to the HTTP server


Do the WAS Stuff• Sync Nodes, Regenerate the HTTP plug-in, Deploy it, restart HTTP

server(s) and start the FORMS server(s)• Connect to the Forms interface – in my example that is:

http://cnx5.toalsys.social/forms

http://cnx5.toalsys.social/forms


• Do the Setup Steps …


Create some more DB2 indexes to improve performance• Use these commands …. Same reason as before

Connect to FEBDBCREATE BUFFERPOOL FEB4KBP IMMEDIATE SIZE 250 AUTOMATIC PAGESIZE 4 K CREATE LARGE TABLESPACE USERSPACE4K PAGESIZE 4 K MANAGED BY AUTOMATIC STORAGE BUFFERPOOL FEB4KBPCREATE BUFFERPOOL FEB8KBP IMMEDIATE SIZE 250 AUTOMATIC PAGESIZE 8 K CREATE LARGE TABLESPACE USERSPACE8K PAGESIZE 8 K MANAGED BY AUTOMATIC STORAGE BUFFERPOOL FEB8KBPCREATE BUFFERPOOL FEB16KBP IMMEDIATE SIZE 250 AUTOMATIC PAGESIZE 16 K CREATE LARGE TABLESPACE USERSPACE16K PAGESIZE 16 K MANAGED BY AUTOMATIC STORAGE BUFFERPOOL FEB16KBP


Ta-TAAAAAAA!

“Oohh, of questions many you have?”