Configure a property extension database on Linux

Configure a property extension database to store attributes the LDAP directory does not or cannot store, but which to include in the portal user registry. For example, if the LDAP directory does not allow schema extensions for new attributes. A property extension database extends the user registry, making new attributes available as part of the portal user profile.

• Configure portal security with the main user registry before configuring the property extension database.

  The property extension database configuration becomes unavailable if you complete the steps in this task on the out-of-the-box security configuration, and then configure portal security with the main user registry.

• Due to a limitation with the Virtual Member Manager (VMM), there are no tasks to update attributes.

  To change an attribute, first remove the attribute then add it again. For this reason, ensure you spell all attributes correctly and use caution when adding attributes to the property extension database.

• The VMM database schema has a limit of 36 characters on the repository ID column. For this reason, use a repository Ithat is 36 characters or less.

Configure a property extension database

1. This task requires server connections.

   • In a standalone environment, ensure the WebSphere_Portal server is running.

   • In a clustered environment, stop all appservers on the system including the WebSphere_Portal server and then start the nodeagent and dmgr servers.

2. Install the required .ear file on WebSphere Application Server.
   cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine
   ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=foo

3. Stop and restart servers, dmgrs, and node agents.

4. Set up a new database, including creating a new user with appropriate database privileges:

   Database	Steps
   DB2	Create a DB2 database: Install DB2. Enter the following database tuning commands: db2 "CREATE DB dbname using codeset UTF-8 territory us PAGESIZE 8192" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING applheapsz 4096" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING app_ctl_heap_sz 1024" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING stmtheap 32768" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING dbheap 2400" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING locklist 1000" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING logfilsiz 4000" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING logprimary 12" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING logsecond 20" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING logbufsz 32" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING avg_appls 5" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname USING locktimeout 30" db2 "UPDATE DB CFG FOR dbname using AUTO_MAINT off"
   Oracle	Create an Oracle database: Install Oracle using UNICODE Database and National character sets such as UTF8, AL32UTF8, or AL16UTF16. Configure the database in Dedicated Server Mode. Enter the recommended initial buffer pool sizes or set them according to the business needs: db_block_size = 8192 db_cache_size = 300M db_files = 1024 log_buffer = 65536 open_cursors = 1500 pga_aggregate_target = 200M pre_page_sga = true processes = 300 shared_pool_size = 200M
   SQL Server	Create an SQL Server database: Install SQL Server. Set Collation to case-sensitive. Install SQL Server with the appropriate portal database collation so that your tempdb collation setting matches the collation we use for the property extension database. The tempdb collation is inherited from the master database, which you set when you install SQL Server.

5. Define the DbDriver and DbLibrary parameter values:

   1. cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine/properties

   2. Edit wkplc_dbtype.properties

   3. Set the following parameters under the appropriate database type properties heading:

      • db_type.DbDriver

      • db_type.DbLibrary

   4. Save the changes.

6. Specify values for the data source parameters in wp_add_LA.properties.

   1. cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine/config/helpers

   2. Edit wp_add_LA.properties

   3. Specify values for the following parameters:
      • la.JdbcProviderName
      • la.DbType
      • la.DbUrl
      • la.DbName
      • la.DataSourceName
      • la.DbUser
      • la.DbPassword

      Add parameters for a clustered environment: Add the following parameters to the wp_add_LA.properties if we are setting up the property extension database on a clustered environment:

      • la.schemaLocation=/path/to/dmgr/AppServer/etc/wim/setup

      • la.laPropXML=/path/to/dmgr/AppServer/etc/wim/setup/wimlaproperties.xml

      where /path/to/dmgr is the local path on the dmgr node.

   4. Save and close wp_add_LA.properties.

7. Set SOAP request timeout...

   1. cd WP_PROFILE/properties

   2. Edit soap.client.props

   3. Locate com.ibm.SOAP.requestTimeout and ensure the value is greater than 1000.
      

   4. Save and close soap.client.props.

8. If we are completing this task in a single server environment, proceed to the next step. If you have a clustered environment:

   1. Create the local dmgr WebSphere variable used to access the database jars...
      cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine
      ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-prep-vmm-db-secured-environment -DWasPassword=foo -DDbDomain=la -Ddb_type.DmgrDbLibrary=/path/to/db/jars -DDmgrNodeName=dmgr_node_name

      Set db_type to your database type, for example db2.

      Set path to DB jar files on the dmgr host:

      • DB2 Type 2 driver: db2java.zip
      • DB2 Type 4 driver: db2jcc4.jar;db2jcc_license_cu.jar
      • DB2 for z/OS Type 2 driver: db2java.zip
      • DB2 for z/OS Type 4 driver: db2jcc4.jar;db2jcc_license_cisuz.jar
      • Oracle: ojdbc14.jar
      • SQL Server JDBC driver: sqljdbc.jar

   2. Include each node name as a comma separated list in the command:

      1. Ensure you have specified the property value for la.DbType in the wp_add_LA.properties.

      2. Create the variable used to access the VMM database jars...
         ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-node-prep-vmm-db-secured-environment -DWasPassword=foo -DDbDomain=la -DVmmNodeName=node_name,node_name,node_name -Ddb_type.NodeDbLibrary=/path/to/db/jars

         VmmNodeName is a list of one or more nodes names in the cell which share the same database driver paths. The db_type in db_type.NodeDbLibrary should be set to the type of database we are using, for example db2.

   3. Stop and restart all necessary servers to propagate the changes.
      

9. Add a property extension repository to the federated or stand-alone LDAP repository.
   cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine
   ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-configure-la-complete -DWasPassword=foo -DparentProperties=/path/to/profiles/wp_profile/ConfigEngine/config/helpers/wp_add_LA.properties

10. Stop and restart servers, dmgrs, and node agents.

11. Specify values for the following parameters in wp_add_LA.properties.

    Add several attributes: You must add attributes to the property extension database one at a time. Complete this step to specify the parameters for a specific attribute then complete the next step to run the task to add that attribute. Repeat both steps for each attribute you plan to add.

    1. cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine/config/helpers

    2. Edit wp_add_LA.properties

    3. Specify values for the following parameters:
       • la.providerURL
       • la.propertyName
       • la.entityTypes
       • la.dataType
       • la.multiValued

       Values for the dataType parameter: Available data types defined in com.ibm.websphere.wim.SchemaConstants:

       • String
       • Int
       • Date
       • AnySimpleType
       • AnyURI
       • Boolean
       • Long
       • Double
       • Short

       A complete overview of valid dataType values can be found in the Configure a property extension repository in a federated repository configuration file. Constant values of DATA_TYPE_* fields are valid input for la.dataType. Only the String data type is valid for displaying attributes in the Profile Management portlet. These attributes can be added to the Profile Management portlet through the configuration mode interface.

12. Add the attribute to the property extension database.
    cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine
    ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-add-la-property -DWasPassword=foo -DparentProperties=/path/to/profiles/wp_profile/ConfigEngine/config/helpers/wp_add_LA.properties

    The attributes become available in the property extension database.

    1. Add the attributes to Web Content Manager if we use web content user profiling and/or Category selection trees.

       Ensure you have specified a value for la.providerURL in wp_add_LA.properties.

       cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine
       ./ConfigEngine.sh add-wcm-la-attributes -DWasPassword=foo -DparentProperties=/path/to/profiles/wp_profile/ConfigEngine/config/helpers/wp_add_LA.properties

       If the path name contains blank space, enclose the path in quotation marks.

    Receiving an authentication prompt: This task makes an EJB call to WAS, which requires authentication. You may receive a prompt asking for authentication. Enter the appropriate WAS user ID and password.

13. Stop and restart servers, dmgrs, and node agents.

If you created the clustered environment, including the additional nodes, and then completed the steps in this task, run update-jcr-admin on the secondary nodes.

Parent: Update the user registry on Linux
Related:
Start and stop servers, dmgrs, and node agents
Enable LDAP security after cluster creation
Related:
Remove attributes