Text search services in container deployments

When deploying text search services in a container environment, you must consider container-specific configuration requirements and deployment patterns.

This topic covers container-specific considerations for text search services. For comprehensive information about text search configuration, indexing modes, and architecture, see Defining text search services.

Supported search services

Container deployments support the following text search services:

  • Elasticsearch: Recommended for new container deployments. Requires separate licensing.
  • OpenSearch: Open-source alternative to Elasticsearch. Requires separate licensing.
  • IBM Content Search Services: Supported in container deployments for existing environments. Deprecated from IBM Content Cortex V5.7.0. Not recommended for new container deployments. For container-specific CSS configuration, see Configuring Content Platform Engine for Content Search Services.
Important: Elasticsearch and OpenSearch licenses must be purchased separately, as they are not included in the IBM Content Cortex bundles. For information about supported versions, see IBM Software Product Compatibility Report External link opens a new window or tab.

Configuration in container environments

To configure text search services in a container deployment:

  1. Deploy your chosen search service (Elasticsearch or OpenSearch) in the same Kubernetes cluster or ensure network connectivity to an external cluster.
  2. Configure the search service connection parameters in the Content Platform Engine custom resource.
  3. Enable content-based retrieval (CBR) for the object stores that require full-text search capabilities.
  4. Configure the appropriate indexing mode for each object store.

For detailed configuration procedures, including indexing modes, dual-mode indexing for migration scenarios, and indexing architecture, see Defining text search services.