Installing and configuring Process Center with a DB2 database server

Process Center includes a repository for all processes, services, and other assets that were created in the IBM® Business Process Manager authoring environments. You can use the integrated Process Server in Process Center to run processes as you build them. When you are ready, you can install and run those same processes on the Process Server in your runtime environments.

Before you begin

You can create the Process database, Performance Data Warehouse database, and Common database either before or during a typical installation of IBM Business Process Manager Advanced. The databases must be created with at least a 32K page size. To create the databases during a typical installation, you must be running an existing DB2 server that is local. Otherwise, you must create the databases before installation and they must be empty when you begin the installation process.

Be prepared to specify the following information during installation:
  • The user name and password for database authentication
  • The database server host name and port
  • The name of the Process database
  • The name of the Performance Data Warehouse database
  • The name of the Common database
  • The name of the cell-only configuration database
If you are installing from downloaded images from Passport Advantage, ensure that you downloaded all required images (three disk images for Linux systems on Intel; two disk images for other Linux systems). If you are installing from the DVD images, obtain the compressed files from the DVDs. In both cases, extract all of the files from the compressed files to the same location on your hard disk. Overwrite directories, if prompted.
Restriction: Extract the installation files to a directory that does not contain spaces or special characters. The launchpad cannot be started from a directory path that contains spaces or special characters.

About this task

From the product launchpad, the typical installation process installs the software, configures the deployment manager and managed-node profiles, and configures a single-cluster deployment environment that consists of one node and one server. It also installs IBM WebSphere SDK Java Technology Edition 7 (Java 7) and the profiles use it, except on Linux on Power LE where it installs Java 7.1. On supported operating systems, you can optionally switch the profiles to a different version of Java. For more information, see Switching the edition of Java used in IBM BPM.

Only one IBM Installation Manager is required to install multiple instances of IBM Business Process Manager.

Procedure

  1. Optional: If you are connected to the Internet, the typical installation process automatically upgrades your product to the latest fix pack or refresh pack level and recommended interim fixes. If you want these upgrades to be installed from a local directory instead, or if you want to specify the fix level, you can modify a properties file to direct Installation Manager to the upgrades to install.
    Create the following file:
    • /user_home_directory/bpm_updates.properties
    Note: Ensure that you have read/write access to the folders that are specified in the bpm_updates.properties file.
    The file uses three prefixes: ifix, fixpack, and launchpad. Each prefix must be followed by a period. The name after the prefix and the period can be anything you want, which enables you to point to multiple locations for interim fixes, fix packs, and launchpad upgrades. The locations can be either local directories or URLs. The following code is an example of the prefixes and names in the properties file:
    ifix.1=/bpmUpdates
    fixpack.2=http://test/rep
    launchpad.1=/launchpad_updates
    fixpack.WAS_REP=/WAS_updates
    fixpack.BPM_REP=/BPM_updates
  2. Go to the directory into which you extracted the images and enter the following command to start the launchpad:
    extract_directory/launchpad.sh
    You can run only one launchpad at a time.
  3. Optional: If you are prompted to update the launchpad, click Update. The updates are installed and your launchpad is restarted automatically. If you do not have access to the Internet and want the updates to be installed from a local directory, you can modify a properties file with the appropriate launchpad prefix as described in step 1 to direct Installation Manager to the updates to install.
  4. On the Welcome page, click Typical installation. Ensure the Install the Basic Case Management feature check box is selected if you want and are licensed to install basic case management capabilities.
  5. Select Install Process Center and click Next.
  6. Optional: Change the location information:
    • Host name: This field shows the name of your machine.
      Important: If a value of localhost or 127.0.0.1 is used for the host name, Process Server installations on a remote system will not be able to connect to Process Center.
    • Location: Enter the installation location for Process Center, or click Browse to select the location.
      Note:
      • The installation location must either be an empty directory or a directory that does not exist and is created during installation.
      • Because you are installing DB2 Express, your installation location cannot contain National Language Strings (NLS).
  7. Specify the User name and Password for the cell administrative account. The cell administrator is the primary WebSphere® Application Server administrator. A user who is assigned to this role can assign other administrator roles, and is responsible for the administration of the cell and topology. A user who is assigned to this role is not responsible for the administration of the IBM Business Process Manager Advanced components. This role provides access to all interfaces, enabling users to alter or delete all types of available library items and assets, including process applications and toolkits. The user in this role also administers process servers, Performance Data Warehouses, and internal users and groups. You must be a user assigned to this role to deploy process ppplications on the Process Center server.
  8. Specify the User name and Password for the deployment environment administrative account. The deployment environment administrator is the primary IBM Business Process Manager administrator. A user who is assigned to this role has administrative access to Process Center and Process Admin Console. Having this role provides access to all interfaces, enabling users to alter or delete all types of available library items and assets, including process applications and toolkits. The user in this role also administers process servers, Performance Data Warehouses, and internal users and groups.
  9. Click Next.
  10. Select Yes to use an existing database.
  11. Specify the required database information.
    Table 1. Required database configuration fields for DB2
    Field Action needed
    User name Enter the user name to authenticate the user with the database.
    Restriction: User names must not contain National Language Strings (NLS).
    Password Enter a password to authenticate the user with the database.
    Host name Accept the default value of localhost or enter the correct database server host name, for example, the IP address.
    Port Accept the default value of 50000 or enter the correct server port number.
    Common database name Accept the default value of CMNDB, or enter the name for the Common database.
    Process database name Accept the default value of BPMDB, or enter the name for the Process database.
    Performance Data Warehouse database name Accept the default value of PDWDB, or enter the name for the Performance Data Warehouse database.
    Cell-only configuration database Accept the default value of CMNDB, or enter the name for the cell-scoped Common database. This database is applicable only when there is an Advanced or Advanced-only deployment environment.

    Click Test Database Connection to verify that you can connect to the BPM databases that are created. If the connections to the databases are successful, click Next to proceed.

  12. Optional: Select Create and initialize these databases during installation.

    This option is available only for DB2 databases. To use this option, the Host name must be set to localhost and you must be authorized to create databases. If you are an administrative or root user, this option creates the databases. If you are a nonadministrative or non-root user, this option adds the rights so that it can create the databases.

  13. Click Next to continue. You are prompted to provide your IBM ID and password to connect to the IBM service repositories.
    Note: If you are using a local properties file, you do not need to provide your IBM ID and password.

    A connection to the service repositories is required to download and install fix packs and required interim fixes from the Internet, including fixes for WebSphere Application Server and IBM Business Process Manager. You can obtain an IBM ID and password by registering at http://www.ibm.com.

    To continue installing without downloading the required fixes, click Cancel or clear the Use your support account to include updates with the installation option on the Installation summary page.

    After successfully installing the product, you can use Installation Manager to install the required fixes.

  14. On the Installation summary page, verify that the installation options and read the license agreements. If you agree to the terms of the license agreements, click I have read and accepted the license agreement and notices.
  15. Click Install Software.

Results

After a successful installation, the Quick Start console starts automatically.

What to do next

To learn about security for the environment and applications, see Creating a secure environment.