As corporations deploy strategic solutions that include business content managed by enterprise content management systems, they frequently need to make that content available on their Web portals. IBM ®DB2® Content Manager when implemented with WebSphere® Portal can provide such a solution. This article will show you how you can make enterprise data stored in DB2 Content Manager available on the Web through WebSphere Portal V5.
We'll be going through the setup for this solution, step by step. Here are the assumptions we'll begin with:
- You have WebSphere Portal V5 installed on a Microsoft Windows® machine.
- You have IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2 (CM) installed somewhere else on the network. (DB2 is not installed on your WebSphere Portal server.)
IBM provides the supported portlets for DB2 Content Manager V8.2 to provide read-only access to your CM system. They are distributed on-line in the WebSphere Portal Catalog as described in the Obtaining the DB2 Content Manager V8.2 portlet section below. From the CM perspective, the portlet is considered to be a CM client. As a CM client, it has the same prerequisites as any CM client. It must have DB2 access to the CM Library Server Database.
Since the assumption for this article was that there is no DB2 on the WebSphere Portal server, the DB2 Runtime client must be installed. This client is supplied with your CM media pack. The other prerequisite is the CM V8 connector that is part of the DB2 Information Integrator for Content (II for C). The II for C code is also supplied in the CM media pack. The resulting architecture looks like the diagram in Figure 1:
Figure 1. Architecture for this configuration
Note: To download the portlet, you will be asked to obtain a free IBM Support Download Id. The steps involved in this registration will be documented in the Obtaining the IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2 portlet section below.
Installing the DB2 Runtime Client
The DB2 Runtime Client code and fixpack can be downloaded from the Web. The url is: http://www-306.ibm.com/cgi-bin/db2www/data/db2/udb/winos2unix/support/download.d2w/report#V8LFP. Pick the appropriate platform and version to download the client code. Please see Installing the DB2 Runtime Fixpack if you need instructions for determining your needed fixpack level.
Follow these steps to install the DB2 Runtime Client:
- Go to the location where you have loaded the DB2 Run-time Client install image and click on Setup. If you have the installation CD, insert the CD in the drive now.
- Click Next on the Welcome window, as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Welcome window
- Accept the License Agreement and press Next.
Figure 3. License agreement
- Select the default Typical install and click on Next. Please be patient.
Figure 4. Select install type
- Click OK.
Figure 5. Click OK
- Take the default destination directory and click Next. Please be patient.
Figure 6. Select installation folder
- Depending on your network, you may set up NetBIOS communication. For this tutorial, we will not. Click Next.
Figure 7. Configure NetBIOS
- You are now ready to install the code. ClickInstall.
Figure 8. Start copying files
- The Status window will display.
Figure 9. Installing runtime client
- Click Finish.
Figure 10. Setup is complete
Installing the DB2 Runtime Fixpack
Your DB2 Runtime Client should be at the same fix level as your Content Manager Library Server DB2 installation. To determine that level, there is a command below that you may run on the Library Server system. After verifying the fix level, you may download the appropriate fixpack from http://www-306.ibm.com/cgi-bin/db2www/data/db2/udb/winos2unix/support/download.d2w/report#V8LFP.
- On the CM Library Server:
To determine your Content Manager Library Server DB2 fix level, start a command window on the Library Server machine.
Typedb2leveland press enter.
The example here is at FixPak 2.
Figure 11. db2level
- On the Portal Server:
Locate the appropriate fixpack and load it to the WebSphere Portal machine. If the file is zipped, unzip it. Depending on the fixpack, type eithersetuporupdate. You will then see:
Figure 12. Installing DB2 fixpak on the Portal Server
Figure 13. Preparing to install
- Continue the process and press Update.
Figure 14. Update screen
- You will see a status message.
Figure 15. Status message
- When you get the completion window, click Finish.
Figure 16. Completion window
- You have now completed the fixpack install.
Configuring the DB2 Runtime Client
Our assumption for this tutorial was that the Content Manager Library Server was on a different machine. If that is the case, then you need to configure the DB2 Runtime Client.
Configuring the DB2 Runtime Client consists of defining to DB2 the information needed to connect to the DB2 database manager where the Content Manager Library Server database resides. You need to know:
- What type communications you will use. We will use TCP/IP for the tutorial.
- What the hostname is of the remote machine.
- What port number on the remote machine is the database manager listening to for remote communication. The default is 50000.
The steps below will help you determine the port number on the Content Manager Library server and then configure the DB2 Runtime Client.
On the Content Manager Library Server
- Go to Start -> Programs -> IBM DB2 -> Command Line Tools -> Command Line Processor.
Figure 17. DB2 Command line processor
- Type
get database manager configuration. The configuration is listed in the DOS window - Look for the TCP/IP Service Name. The default is db2c_DB2. There will be a name or an actual port number. The name is an entry in the services file that equates to a port number.
Figure 18. TCP/IP Service Name
- To determine the port number in the services file, navigate to WINNT\system32\drivers\etc. Use notepad to open the services file. Look the entry that matches the TCP/IP Service Name from step 3.
Figure 19. Services file
- With this information, you may now go to the WebSphere Portal machine.
- Go to Start -> Programs -> IBM DB2 -> Command Line Tools -> Command Line Processor.
- In the DB2 command window type:
catalog tcpip node <your CM LS host name> remote <your CM LS host name> server <your service port from step 4>
and then press enter.
For example:catalog tcpip node iccdemols remote iccdemols server 50000
- Now type
catalog database <your CM LS database name> at node <your LS host name>and press enter.
For example:catalog database icmnlsdb at node iccdemols
- To test your connection, type
connect to <your CM LS database name> user <your CM LS admin id> using <your CM LS admin password>.
For example:connect to icmnlsdb user icmadmin using oneclick
If successful, you will get a list of database connection information. - Type
connect reset. This will close the connection. You may now close the DB2 command line window. You have configured your DB2 Runtime Client.
Installing the DB2 Information Integrator for Content
This installation guide will take you through the steps necessary to install the DB2 Content Manager connector code.
Note: The DB2 Content Manager V8.2 media pack includes a copy of the Information Integrator for Content (II for C) installation CD for use with DB2 Content Manager. This CD contains the DB2 Content Manager V8 connector code that you will install.
Several assumptions have been made:
- First, it is assumed that there exists a DB2 Content Manager V8.2 Library Server installation somewhere on the network. The II for C install needs to be at the same fixpack level as the DB2 Content Manager V8.2 Library Server. You will apply this fixpack. For this lab, you will use II for C fixpack 2. You may determine the latest level available by viewing the internet support ftp site at:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/enterprise_information_portal/fixes/v8.2/.
The corresponding fix pack for DB2 Content Manager may be accessed on the internet support ftp site at: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/content_manager/fixes/v8.2/
- The second assumption is that the portal machine has WebSphere Portal V5 and all its prerequisites installed and tested.
- The third assumption is that at a minimum, DB2 Client Connect V8.1 has been installed and the connection to the DB2 Content Manager Library Server database has been configured and tested.
- Finally, an assumption is made that you have the Information Integrator for Content installation image and fixpack 2 loaded on your system.
Data collection
To install on your system, you will need to ask your DB2 Content Manager Administrator for:
- The Windows Database Connection ID and password used to access the Content Manager Library Server
- The Library Server Alias name set up in the previous section
- The Library Server schema name
For this tutorial, we will use ICMNLSDB as the Library Server Name, ICMADMIN as the schema name, ICMCONCT as the Database Connection ID and oneclick as the password.
- To begin, start the Information Integrator for Content install. Go to the location where you have loaded the DB2 Information Integrator for Content install image and click on Setup. If you have the installation CD, insert the CD in the drive now.
- Click Next on the Welcome window
- Accept the default and click Next on the Save Files in Folder window.
- Wait about 10 minutes for the files to extract.
- Accept the License Agreement.
Figure 20. Software license agreement
- Click Next.
Figure 21. Continue install
- Take the default Desktop Client and click Next
Figure 22. Select machine type
- Take the default destination directory and click Next.
Figure 23. Select destination
- The Component Selection window is displayed. Select only the Content Manager V8 connector subcomponent. The Local connectors Component will be automatically selected.
Click Next.
Figure 24. Component selection
- The RMI feature will not be used. Click Next.
Figure 25. RMI feature
- This tutorial will have all files local. When Content Manager was installed at your location, an implementation decision may have been made and either the Local or the remote options could be used.
Click Next.
Figure 26. System configuration
- Uncheck Catalog remote EIP database.
Change Database name to ICMFED.
Note: you are NOT creating a Federated Database, but something is required anyway.
Enter database connection password of oneclick.
Figure 27. Federated server connection screen
- Caution, this window looks very similar to the last window. The database name used here is the database alias set up by the DB2 Client Connect for the CM Library Server database.
Enter the database and Schema names.
Enter the Database connection ID and Password. Click on Next.
Figure 28. Configure Content Manager Server connection
- Click Next to start copying the files.
Figure 29. Start copying files
- Click Finish to complete the installation. NOTE: this will reboot the system.
Figure 30. Setup complete
- After the system has rebooted, you will now install the II for C fixpack. Normally you should read the readme file for specific instructions, but the instructions below are the instructions for II for C V8.2 fixpack 2.
At this point you should have downloaded the II for C fixpack that matches the Content Manager V 8.2 Server fixpack level. The minimum level required to support the Portlets is fixpack 2. The url is ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/enterprise_information_portal/fixes/v8.2/. - Start a command prompt window.
- Change to the directory that contains the downloaded fixpack. Start the fixpack program by typing
Update_EIP_win_ENU.
Figure 31. Update_EIP_win_ENU
- Be patient – after five or more minutes, the Install Shield wizard window will eventually display. Click Next.
Figure 32. Update_EIP_win_ENU
- The summary window is displayed. Click Next.
Figure 33. Install summary
- The status window is displayed. No action (except patience) is required.
Figure 34. Status window
- When the Installation Complete window is displayed, click on Finish.
Figure 35. Finish
- At this point, you have completed adding the prerequisites to the WebSphere Portal V5 platform. The next section will deploy the CM V8 Portlet.
- This is the end of the II for C install.
Obtaining the IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2 portlet
The Portlets for IBM DB2 Content Manager are made available on the WebSphere Portal Catalog. The catalog is on the Internet at url http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/zones/portal/catalog.
As a reminder, this section will also cover the steps to obtain a free IBM Support Download ID.
- Go to the WebSphere Portal Catalog home page using the url above and then click on the Click HERE to….. link.
Figure 36. WebSphere Portal Catalog home page
- Click the NavCode option, enter the code for the portlet 1WP1000G6, and click GO.
Figure 37. NavCode option
- Click the Download now button to start the download of the portlet war file. Optionally, you may also view the portlet installation documentation for any changes. This tutorial is based on Version 1.2 of the portlet.
Figure 38. Download now
- You will be warned that you are leaving the Portlet Catalog web site. Some Portlets in the catalog reside on the web site of other companies. Click Continue.
Figure 39. Leaving Portlet Catalog Web site
- If you do not have an existing IBM Support ID, click on I have not registered before.
Figure 40. Registration process
- Fill out the registration information and click Accept License.
Figure 41. Registration
- You should be automatically redirected to the download page.
Figure 42. Redirect to download page
- Click Download now.
Figure 43. Download now
- Depending on your browser setting you may see this File Download window. Click Save.
Figure 44. File download
- Save the file in a location you remember. At cable modem speeds the download takes less than one minute.
Figure 45. Save file
- You have now successfully obtained the IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2 portlet. You may close the Web browser and proceed to the next section.
Configuring WebSphere Application Server for the portlet
Once the prerequisites have been installed, there are two sets of actions required to deploy the portlet.
- The first is a set of environmental changes made using the WebSphere Administrative Console.
- second set of actions is the portlet deploy using the WebSphere Portal administration functions.
This section will cover the WebSphere Application server environmental changes. We assume that the WebSphere Application Server is started.
Data Collection
You will need to know the following information for this section:
- Is WebSphere security enabled for the WebSphere Application server supporting your WebSphere Portal?
- If so, what is the WebSphere administrative ID and password?
- What is the path you designated for the Information Integrator for Content install? The tutorial will use the default location.
Warning
The WebSphere Application Server configuration parameters are CASE SENSITIVE. You must pay attention or you will end up with a Java “Class not found" error when you try to deploy the portlet.
- Click on Start->Programs -> IBM WebSphere -> Application Server V5.0 -> Administrative Console.
- If WebSphere security is not enabled, enter any character string. Enter a and click OK.
If WebSphere security is enabled, login with a valid WebSphere administrator ID.
Figure 46. WebSphere security
- Within the WebSphere Administrative Console window, left hand panel, click on Environment -< Manage WebSphere Variables.
Within the WebSphere Variables right hand panel, click on Browse Servers.
Figure 47. Browse servers
- Select WebSphere_Portal and click OK.
Figure 48. Select WebSphere Portal
- Two new environmental variables will be used to define paths. Scroll down and click NEW.
Figure 49. Defining environment variables
- Enter
Name: CMB_LIB
Value: C:/CMBROOT/LIB
(Yes, with the forward slash.) Use the install location for Information Integrator for Content for your system.
Description: IBM Information Integrator for Content jar file directory
Click OK.
Figure 50. Configuration properties
- Create the second new environmental variable. Scroll down and click NEW.
Figure 51. Creating second environment variable
- Enter
Name: CMB_INSTALL_ROOT
Value: C:/CMBROOT
(Yes, with the forward slash.) Use the install location for Information Integrator for Content for your system.
Description: IBM Information Integrator for Content Installation root directory
Click OK.
Figure 52. Creating CMB_INSTALL_ROOT environment variable
- Verify that the environmental variable DB2_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH exists and has a path that points to the DB2java.zip file. This tutorial uses C:\Program Files\IBM\SQLLIB\java.
Figure 53. DB2_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH
- Within the WebSphere Administrative Console window, left hand panel, click on Environment -> Shared Libraries.
Within the Shared Libraries right hand panel, click on Browse Servers.
Figure 54. WebSphere administrative console
- Select WebSphere_Portal and click OK.
Figure 55. Select WebSphere_Portal
- Create a new shared library for the Information Integrator for Content jar files using the following steps.
Scroll down and click New.
Figure 56. New shared library
- Enter
Name: idmlib
Description: IBM Content Manager V8 Connector shared libraryI Classpath $(CMB_LIB)/cmbview81.jar
$(CMB_LIB)/cmb81.jar
$(CMB_LIB)/cmbsdk81.jar
$(CMB_LIB)/cmbtag81.jar
$(CMB_LIB)/cmbservlets81.jar
$(CMB_LIB)/cmbutil81.jar
$(DB2_JDBC_DRIVER_PATH)/db2java.zip
Native Library Path: $(CMB_INSTALL_ROOT)/DLL
Click OK.
Figure 57. Save file
- Within the WebSphere Administrative Console window, left hand panel, click on Servers -> Application Servers.
Within the Application Servers right hand panel, click on WebSphere_Portal -> Classloader -> Classloader_1 -> Libraries.
The click on Add.
Figure 58. Add libraries
- In the drop down list, pick idmlib and click OK.
Figure 59. Pick idmlib library
- Within the WebSphere Administrative Console window, left hand panel, click on Servers -> Application Servers.
Within the Application Servers right hand panel, click on WebSphere_Portal -> Process Definition -> Java Virtual Machine.
Add the path to the CM V8 Connector .ini files C:/Progra~1/IBM/CMgmt.
Click OK.
Figure 60. JVM
- Note at the top of the window there is a message that changes have been made to the local configuration. You will now save those changes to the master configuration files. Click Save.
Figure 61. Save to master configuration
- Now click the Save button,
Figure 62. Save file
- Click the Logout button to end this session.
Figure 63. Save file
- On the services panel, stop and start the WebSphere Portal service.
NOTE: After the services panel status for WebSphere portal says “Started", monitor the Windows Task Manager performance window. Wait until the processor activity finishes. WebSphere Portal starts a number of processes once it is started. They must finish their startup before you proceed. - Now you are ready to deploy the CM portlet.
Deploying and using the IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2 portlet
Deploying the portlet involves installing the portlet you downloaded earlier and then adding it to a portal page. What page you add the portlet to depends on your solution. The screen captures below are based on a very simple default implementation and will probably not match your customized portal pages. The administration section should be the same.
Data Collection
You will need:
- A WebSphere Portal administrative user ID and password. We will use ID wpsadmin and password wpsadmin.
- The location where you downloaded the portal war file.
- A DB2 Content Manager user ID and password. We will use ID icmadmin and password oneclick.
- To begin, start your browser and enter the url to access your portal.
We will use the default url of http://localhost/wps/myportal. - Click on Login.
Figure 64. Click on login
- Enter User ID: wpsadmin, Password: wpsadmin and click Log in.
Figure 65. Log in
- Click Administration.
Figure 66. Click Administration
- Click on Portlets. You will now locate the portlet war file that was downloaded from the WebSphere Portal Catalog and install the IBM Portlet for IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2. Click Install
Figure 67. Begin portlet install
- Click Browse
Figure 68. Cllick Browse
- Locate the directory where you have downloaded the portlet war file, idm.war.zip, and click Open.
Figure 69. Portlet war file
- Click Next.
Figure 70. Click Next
- Verify that this is the correct portlet (it is) and click Install.
Figure 71. Begin install of portlet
- When you receive the successfully installed message, you are finished with the install. The portlet is available to place on a portal page.
Note: Iif you receive errors at this point, check the WebSphere environment settings you entered in the previous section; this is the most likely problem area.
Figure 72. Portlets installed
- To position the CM Portlet on a portal page, click Portal User Interface -> Manage Pages - > My Portal -> Welcome.
Figure 73. Positioning the portlet
- On the My Page row, click the Edit Page Layout icon.
Figure 74. Edit page layout
- At the bottom of the middle column, click on Add portlets.
Figure 75. Add portlets
- There are 9 pages of portlets that could be added. Type v8.2 in the Search for: field and click on Search.
Figure 76. Searth
- There should be one search result. Click on the Select checkbox and then click on OK.
Figure 77. Select portlet title
- When the portlet has been successfully added, click Done.
Figure 78. Portlet added
- Now it is time to test your portal page. At the top of the page, click My Portal.
Figure 79. Click My Portal
- Click on the Welcome tab. From the second row of tabs on the top, click My Page.
Figure 80. Testing
- Note that the portlet now has an Edit icon. Click the Edit icon.
Figure 81. Edit icon
- You will now configure the portlet as deployed on My Page.
For this scenario, a Content Manager Library Server (as defined to the Information Integrator for Content CM V8 connector) is selected.
Note several may be defined, but only one selected at a time. The corresponding default user ID and password are entered.
Use icmadmin and oneclick.
Click the Automatic Logon checkbox.
Figure 82. Configuring the portlet
Then click Save Changes.
Figure 83. Save changes
- At this point, the portlet has logged on to Content Manager. You may search, create new folders to organize your content, or import new content. We will click on the search to find some existing content.
Figure 84. Portlet window
- The portlet has now queried the Library Server and determined what Item Types the logon ID is allowed to view. They are listed in the portlet window. The Item Types listed will be those defined in your CM Library Server.
Figure 85. Item types
- The search criteria associated with the item type are displayed. The default action when no criteria values are entered is to find all entries.
Click on Search.
Figure 86. Click on Search
- The result list is displayed. Note the icon is a folder icon. Content Manager can organize content by folder in addition to the item type associated with an individual item of content. Your display may have just document icons. Click one of the content icons.
Figure 87. Result list
- The folder has been opened. Note in row A you could navigate back to the other folders in the search results, execute another search on the Insurance Folder Item Type, or pick another Item Type to search.
Figure 88. Portlet
Row B lists the Item Types of all content associated with the Insurance Folder. The Insurance Policy Item Type is active and the content items are displayed. Since Content Manager is flexible enough to support different attributes for each Item Type, the attributes displayed are those associated with the active Item Type
Row C lists the individual content items of type Insurance Policy. One item per row is listed with the specific attribute values for that item. This item may be a specific content object or it may a sub-folder, used to allow nested organization of content.
Click on the document icon C.
- The Document Viewer window is opened. Note this is a window outside the portlet to address the size of content that is displayed. (8 ½" X 11") does not show well in a small portlet space.
Use the Zoom Icon to increase the display size.
When finished viewing the content, click the X to close the window.
Figure 89. Document viewer
- You may review the other content items in this folder or search another Item Type.
- Select Log out.
Figure 90. Log out
- Congratulations. You have successfully deployed, searched and retrieved content using the CM Portlet!
Figure 91. Log out
You have now gone through the steps to install the IBM DB2 Content Manager V8.2 Portlets and their prerequisites. You may now bring business content into your portal. One last comment, deployed with the portlet is the Java code used to create the Portlets. That code may be found at <WebSphere Portal Root>\installedApps\idm_PA_1_0_69.ear\idm.war\JavaSource. You may use that source to create your own content enabled portlets.
I hope this tutorial has been helpful in meeting your business needs.




