PostgreSQL database planning

Determine whether PostgreSQL database components are dedicated to individual FileNet® P8 components or shared and review other PostgreSQL database requirements.

In a shared configuration, multiple FileNet P8 components can store their data in a single database. Most components allow for data to be collocated. However, follow the following best practices to keep some in dedicated table spaces:

  • The global configuration database: Do not share this table space.
  • Object stores and their workflow system data: Although those part of a single application family can be collocated and given the factors that are listed in following section. If you configure object stores in separate databases, you have more flexibility and control with security access, backup scheduling and execution, updates, and scheduled outages.
  • IBM® Content Navigator configuration data: Use of the same table space for the IBM Content Navigator configuration data and the global configuration database (GCD) is not recommended.

When you make the decision about whether to share a database for multiple components, consider the following factors:

  • Database backup or recovery requirements must allow for the data that resides in a single database that to be backed up and recovered together.
  • Database security must allow for colocation of data.
  • Sharing of a database might allow for more efficient usage of database resources like database connections.

To create a database, you must be a superuser or have the special CREATEDB privilege.

By default, PostgreSQL creates the new database by cloning the standard system database template1. A different template can be specified by writing TEMPLATE name. In particular, by writing TEMPLATE template0, you can create a pristine database (one where no user-defined objects exist and where the system objects are not altered) containing only the standard objects that are predefined by your version of PostgreSQL. This is useful if you want to avoid copying any installation-local objects that might have been added to template1. FileNet Content Manager recommends the use of template0.

Create the PostgreSQL instance with the following considerations:
  • In general the FileNet Content Manager components, require a growing amount of data storage over time. It is recommended to do some planning to ensure you can provide sizing settings to meet those needs.
  • Set max_prepared_transactions to a value that will accommodate your workload. PostgreSQL recommends that max_prepared_transactions to be at least as large as max_connections so that every session can have a prepared transaction pending. To estimate the number of database connections that might be concurrently active within a FileNet P8 domain, see the topic "Tuning a PostgreSQL database for IBM FileNet P8 components"
  • Encoding (Character set) required: UTF8
  • Locale settings (Collation) must include support for UTF8.