Review your deployment options
You can install Cloud Pak capabilities in multiple environments, and for several different reasons. Install a containerized starter deployment at the beginning of a project or install customized deployments for testing and production. The operator lifecycle manager (OLM) is used in all OpenShift® installation options.
OLM helps you to install, update, and manage the lifecycle of all operators and services that are deployed in OpenShift Container Platform clusters. OLM is part of the Operator Framework, which is an open source toolkit that is designed to manage Kubernetes applications. The Operator Hub catalogs help you to discover all of the certified products and services that you can install on your system.
IBM Cloud Pak® for Business Automation has an operator (CP4BA multi-pattern) that can be used to install one or more capability patterns, and also has operators to install the FileNet® Content Manager pattern, Workflow Process Service Runtime, and Process Federation Server. Other operators are also used to manage Automation Decision Services, Operational Decision Manager, and IBM Automation Document Processing when these patterns are selected by the CP4BA multi-pattern operator.
If you want to use the scripts to help you install a Cloud Pak for Business Automation pattern (including the script to create the required databases and secrets), then use the CP4BA multi-pattern operator installation steps.
If you want to use the Cloud Pak for Business Automation FileNet Content Manager operator directly, then use the Cloud Pak for Business Automation FileNet Content Manager installation instructions that use the OpenShift Container Platform console or use the Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern scripts and select only FileNet Content Manager.
The following table summarizes the type of operators that are provided by Cloud Pak for Business Automation, and highlights the installation instructions that you can choose.
Operator | Scripts (cert-kubernetes) | OCP console | Online starter deployments | Online production deployments | Offline production deployments (air-gap) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CP4BA multi-pattern | yes | yes By using the CP4BA multi-pattern operator. |
yes | yes | yes |
CP4BA FileNet Content Manager | yes By selecting FNCM in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script. |
yes By using the CP4BA FileNet Content Manager operator. |
yes | yes | yes By selecting FNCM in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script or by using the OpenShift Container Platform console. |
CP4BA Automation Decision Services | yes By selecting ADS in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script. |
yes By selecting ADS in the CP4BA multi-pattern operator. |
yes | yes | yes By selecting ADS in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script or by using the OpenShift Container Platform console. |
CP4BA Operational Decision Manager | yes By selecting ODM in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script. |
yes By selecting ODM in the CP4BA multi-pattern operator. |
yes | yes | yes By selecting ODM in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script or by using the OpenShift Container Platform console. |
CP4BA Document Processing Runtime | yes By selecting ADP runtime in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script. |
yes By selecting ADP runtime in the CP4BA multi-pattern operator. |
yes | yes | yes By selecting ADP in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script or by using the OpenShift Container Platform console. |
CP4BA Workflow Process Service Runtime | no | no (OCP CLI documented path) | no | yes | yes By following the Workflow Process Service Runtime installation instructions after setting up the offline environment. |
CP4BA Process Federation Server | no | no (OCP CLI documented path) | no | yes | yes By following the Process Federation Server installation instructions after setting up the offline environment. |
CP4BA Workflow Runtime and Workstream Services | yes By selecting Workflow Runtime and Workstream Services in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script. |
yes By selecting Workflow Runtime and Workstream Services in the CP4BA multi-pattern operator. |
yes | yes | yes By selecting Workflow Runtime and Workstream Services in the CP4BA multi-pattern deployment script or by using the OpenShift Container Platform console. |
Online starter deployments
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern starter deployments on Red Hat® OpenShift on IBM Cloud® (ROKS classic) and OpenShift Container Platform
-
You can install Cloud Pak for Business Automation to do demos or evaluations. You might want to demo projects or programs to showcase the Cloud Pak in a particular business sector, or you might want to evaluate one or more capabilities.
Tip: If you are installing Cloud Pak for Business Automation for the first time, use the Quick reference Q&A for multi-pattern starter deployments.The following diagram shows the steps for installing a multi-pattern starter deployment.
- Planning for a multi-pattern starter deployment
- Preparing for a starter deployment and then Setting up the cluster in the OpenShift console or Setting up the cluster with the admin script
- Installing the capabilities in the Red Hat OpenShift console or Installing the capabilities by running the deployment script
A deployment that is intended for demonstration purposes does not need the same preparation that a production deployment does. The patterns that are used to install a "
starter
" deployment take care of dependencies and prerequisites. As a result, a starter deployment takes fewer steps and is quicker compared to a production deployment. - Cloud Pak for Business Automation FileNet Content Manager starter deployments on Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Cloud (ROKS classic) and OpenShift Container Platform
-
You can install a FileNet Content Manager starter deployment by using the CP4BA FileNet Content Manager operator to do demos or evaluations. You might want to demo projects or programs to showcase a capability in a particular business sector, or you might want to evaluate the capabilities.
The following diagram shows the steps for installing a Cloud Pak for Business Automation FileNet Content Manager starter deployment.
Online single-pattern production deployments
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation single-pattern production deployment on ROKS classic and OpenShift Container Platform by following installation guides in PDF
-
If you want to start with a single pattern of Cloud Pak for Business Automation and you want to use the installation scripts, then go to Installing a pattern by following the instructions in PDF files.
If you know that you want to immediately combine capabilities or you want to use the OpenShift console to install, then use the other options to find the instructions.
Online production deployments
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern production deployment on ROKS classic and OpenShift Container Platform
-
Tip: If you are installing Cloud Pak for Business Automation for the first time, use the Quick reference Q&A for online deployments.
The following diagram shows the steps for installing a production deployment.
Each section includes tasks that are needed if you include the capability. You do not need to complete the tasks if the capabilities are not in your deployment. The choice between running the provided scripts or the Form user interface in OpenShift Container Platform "Step 3" might be a company choice or a personal decision.
After you complete all the steps, you are ready to build a business automation.
Install the Cloud Pak for Business Automation (CP4BA) multi-pattern operator from the OpenShift console to use the Form UI for your deployment.
- Deciding which type of license to attribute to the deployment. Valid values for the sc_deployment_license parameter are non-production and production.
- Planning for a production installation
- Option 1: Preparing your cluster for an online deployment, Preparing your chosen capabilities, and Creating a production deployment
- Checking and completing your custom resource and Option 1b: Deploying the custom resource you created with the deployment script
- Completing post-installation tasks
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern production deployment with Okta or Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory or Azure AD) integration
-
You can install a Cloud Pak for Business Automation production deployment with a third-party authentication mechanism known as an identity provider (IdP) without the need for an LDAP. The Identity Management (IM) Cloud Pak foundational service can be configured to integrate with Okta or Microsoft Entra ID by a system administrator before you install your Cloud Pak for Business Automation deployment. Installing a CP4BA multi-pattern production deployment with Okta or Microsoft Entra ID integration.
For more information about what is not supported, see Known limitations.
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation FileNet Content Manager production deployment on ROKS classic and OpenShift Container Platform
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The following diagram shows the steps for installing a production deployment.
After you complete all the steps, you are ready to build a business automation.
The Operator Hub catalogs help you to discover all the certified products and services that you can install on your system. Install the CP4BA FileNet Content Manager operator from the OpenShift console to use the Form UI for your deployment.
- Deciding which type of license to attribute to the deployment. Valid values for the sc_deployment_license parameter are non-production and production.
- Planning for a CP4BA FileNet Content Manager production deployment
- Preparing FileNet Content Manager operator components, and Creating a production deployment
- Configuring FileNet Content Manager
- Completing post-installation tasks
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation Workflow Process Server deployment on ROKS classic and OpenShift Container Platform
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After you installed a Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern deployment, you can install Workflow Process Service on OpenShift Container Platform. The Workflow Process Service operator catalog in the OpenShift Container Platform Operator Hub provides a user interface for you to install a production deployment with operator lifecycle manager (OLM). For more information, see Installing a CP4BA Workflow Process Service Runtime production deployment.
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation Process Federation Server deployment on ROKS classic and OpenShift Container Platform
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After you installed a Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern deployment, you can install Process Federation Server on Red Hat OpenShift. The OpenShift Container Platform Operator Hub provides a user interface for you to install a deployment with operator lifecycle manager (OLM).
The Process Federation Server deployment can be set up to federate traditional (on-premises) Business Automation Workflow servers, Business Automation Workflow on containers servers, and Workflow Process Service instances.
For more information, see Installing a CP4BA Process Federation Server production deployment.
- Business Automation Insights stand-alone on ROKS classic and OpenShift Container Platform
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You can install Business Automation Insights on a OpenShift cluster as an add-on to traditionally installed programs like IBM Workflow and IBM FileNet. You can connect these installed programs to an instance of Business Automation Insights to collect event data and derive insights.
For more information, see Installing a stand-alone Business Automation Insights production deployment.
Offline production deployments
- Cloud Pak for Business Automation multi-pattern production deployment in an air gap environment
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An air gap configuration supports OpenShift Container Platform clusters that might be disconnected from the internet (offline) to continue to use the Cloud Pak for Business Automation (CP4BA) multi-pattern operator and components.
Tip: If you are installing Cloud Pak for Business Automation for the first time, use the Quick reference Q&A for offline deployments.OpenShift Container Platform includes an API (
ImageContentSourcePolicy
) that can automatically redirect image pull requests from a specified registry location to an alternative location. The redirect is fundamental to enabling an air gap for disconnected installations, as it removes the need to update image references in every pod definition. To avoid caching and inconsistency problems, it needs all images to reference an imageid
ordigest
rather than atag
.The operator catalog index image enables the Cloud Pak containers to be installed as an OLM air gap. The catalog image can be included as part of a
CatalogSource
resource to enable an installation from the Operator Hub catalog.The following diagram shows the steps for installing with an air gap environment.
- Planning for a production installation, Option 2: Preparing your cluster for an air-gapped (offline) deployment, and Preparing your chosen capabilities
- Option 2: Installing a production deployment in the OpenShift console or Option 1a: (Recommended) Generating the custom resource with the deployment script
- Checking and completing your custom resource
- Option 1b: Deploying the custom resource you created with the deployment script
- Completing post-installation tasks
Traditional installations
- Traditional installation entitlements
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Information on how to install the entitled software of Cloud Pak for Business Automation on-premises is provided in Cloud Pak traditional license entitlement. Some capabilities like FileNet Content Manager, Operational Decision Manager, and Business Automation Workflow can also be installed on a private cloud or on ROKS.
Moving your existing workloads to the cloud
- Moving from traditional installations to the Cloud Pak
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Moving your traditional on-premises entitlements to OpenShift container-based deployments is an option that needs preparation and expert guidance. For more information, see Moving from traditional on premises deployments to Cloud Pak for Business Automation.