Preparing to install Document Processing

Before you install Document Processing, you must prepare your environment. These preparation items include creating or designating LDAP users and groups, preparing databases for the application data and managed content, and configuring storage for the applications.

About this task

You prepare storage and security to support the different component containers that are used in a Document Processing environment.
Understanding environments for document processing
The model for deploying and using Document Processing assumes two stages or environment types.
  • In an authoring environment, also called a development or design environment, you can use the Document Processing Designer to develop and refine your document processing project. You can then use the Application Designer to build and deploy a preview version of your document processing application.
  • A runtime environment includes the test, staging, and production iterations (also separately deployed environments) of your document processing solution.
The following diagrams show the components that you can select for the Document Processing runtime and development environments from the document_processing pattern. Each environment is optional but whichever one you decide to install, the services that are represented as purple boxes are always installed.
document_processing pattern visual
document_processing pattern visual

For more information, see the Automation Document Processing information in the Capabilities for Production deployments topic.

Your installation and usage steps might look something like the following example:
  1. Install an authoring environment.
  2. Use the Document Processing Designer tool to develop your document processing project, including document types and fields, and deploy the project from the tool.
  3. Use the Application Designer to integrate your document processing project with the document processing templates and create and test your document processing application.
  4. Install a runtime environment, which includes a subset of the containers that were included for the previous installation. You can use a new cluster or a new namespace in the same cluster that you used for the authoring environment.
  5. Iterate and test your application for production.
  6. Optimally install another runtime environment if you want separate test, staging, and production environments. You can use a new cluster or a new namespace in the same cluster that you used for the authoring or test or staging environments.
  7. On a new cluster or a new namespace in the same cluster, install another runtime environment as your production environment.
  8. Deploy your production level application for use in the new environment.

The preparation steps that you take depend on which environment you are deploying. Sometimes, you can reuse resources that you prepared for previous environments.

For both pattern environments, the services require minimum CPU and memory resources. For more information, see System requirements.

In terms of storage, you might want to customize the MongoDB and the Git service persistent volumes. The embedded MongoDB is provided for demo purposes only. It is NOT recommended in production, so you must provide an external MongoDB for production deployments. An external MongoDB allows high availability scenarios and finer control of the database configuration.

Before you install Document Processing, you must provide:
  • An LDAP configuration for users.
  • Databases for document processing capabilities.
  • (Authoring or development environment) A Git server for staging your Document Processing project.
  • An external MongoDB, if you do not want to use the embedded MongoDB.
  • A secret to hide sensitive configuration information.

What to do next

The next task to complete depends on the capabilities that you selected for your deployment. You must prepare all these capabilities and any dependencies. Go to the capability in the table of contents or find it in the parent link.

After you complete all the preparation steps for all the capabilities that you want to install, go ahead and create a production deployment. For more information, see Creating a production deployment.