Getting started with IBM PEM integration

IBM PEM integrates with the Sterling File Gateway on-premises product to form a hybrid cloud solution. To get started with this solution, Sterling File Gateway, PEM Partner Repository and PEM Partner Provisioner must be set up. With this solution, you can work with IBM PEM and the Sterling File Gateway product to set up and perform tasks such as Partner self-service onboarding.

1. Ensure that the Sterling File Gateway 2.2.6.1 fix pack or later is installed in your environment.
   1. Create a system user with internal or external authentication in Sterling File Gateway to be used for the integration with IBM PEM.

      This user must have APIUser permission in Sterling File Gateway. Record the system user information to add to the topology configuration in PEM Partner Repository later. For more information, see Creating User Accounts (Version 2.2.2 and Later).

   2. Optional: If you are using LDAP in your configuration, configure the LDAP script template and command line in Sterling File Gateway. For more information, see Configuring command line for LDAP and LDAP script configuration information.
   3. Optional: If you are using PGP in your configuration, configure the PGP script template and command line in Sterling File Gateway. For more information, see Configuring command line for PGP and PGP script configuration information.
   4. Create routing channel templates in Sterling File Gateway for as many partner groups as required. For more information, see Creating a routing channel template.
   5. Create communities in Sterling File Gateway to which the partners will be onboarded.
   6. Create a partner in Sterling File Gateway to represent your own organization. For more information, see Creating a partner.
   7. For protocol-specific configurations, see Customizing the PEM Portal context data parameters for predefined activities.
2. Install the B2Bi APIs. For more information, see Installing the B2Bi APIs.
3. The applications that are provided with the IBM PEM Docker image must be deployed on the customer's database.
4. Onboard to IBM PEM as a sponsor. For more information, see Getting started as a sponsor administrator.
   You need to invite partners, and can also invite users in your organization. You can also customize the IBM PEM user interface, and create groups and attributes.
5. Add users to PEM Partner Repository and PEM Partner Provisioner. For more information, see Inviting sponsor users to register.
   Note: Since PEM Partner Repository and PEM Partner Provisioner share a database, users that you add to PEM Partner Repository are added to PEM Partner Provisioner and vice versa.
6. In PEM Partner Provisioner, create an application such as Sterling File Gateway and associate the application with one or more topologies. For more information, see Creating applications.
   Note: A default sponsor need not create any application. The default sponsor can get started with the integration activities by using the applications that are already created.
7. In PEM Partner Provisioner, set up your topology to select the product components that are installed, for both production and test deployments. Specify the associated URLs. For more information, see Creating topologies.
8. Import certificates as needed for the protocols your partners use. For more information, see Uploading a certificate.
9. Prepare the activities that you need to roll out to your partners for onboarding through the IBM PEM Integration.
   1. Identify the predefined activities you need for the protocols your partners use for Sterling File Gateway. For more information, see Predefined activities in IBM PEM and Predefined activities in Partner Provisioner.
   2. Customize the IBM PEM predefined activities as needed. You need to extract the activities from the compressed file that was downloaded, and import them from the IBM PEM Activity Definitions page. Enter your information for host, port, user ID and other required details in the context data of the activity. You need to enter the information only once, and the information is automatically added to the IBM PEM REST API configurations. For more information, see Customizing PEM predefined activities.
   3. Customize the PEM Partner Provisioner predefined activities as needed. You need to extract the activities from the compressed file that was downloaded, and import them from the PEM Partner Provisioner Activity Definitions page. Enter your information for host, port, user ID and other required details in the context data of the activity. You need to enter the information only once, and the information is automatically added to the PEM Partner Provisioner REST API configurations. For more information, see Customizing Partner Provisioner predefined activities.
10. Create rules in PEM Partner Provisioner. For more information about creating rules, see Creating rules.
11. Roll out the onboarding activities to your partners. Each partner should receive one protocol activity. For more information, see Rolling out an activity.
    Note: You can also share activities that your partners can use to make updates to their information as needed later. For more information, see Sharing or unsharing an activity definition.
12. Monitor activities in both the PEM Portal and PEM Partner Provisioner Activity Monitoring pages until the onboarding process is complete. For more information, see Monitoring activities.

    To fully use all of the functionality of the IBM PEM product, see the PEM section of the Knowledge Center. To fully use all of the functionality of the PEM Partner Repository and PEM Partner Provisioner components, see the PEM Integration section of the Knowledge Center.