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Configure a property extension database

A property extension database stores attributes the LDAP directory does not or cannot store, but to include in the portal user registry. This situation occurs when we are using an LDAP directory that does not allow schema extensions for new attributes to support portal applications. A property extension database extends the user registry to make new attributes available as part of the portal user profile.

It is preferable to store all user attributes in the main user registry. Configure a property extension database only if we cannot add attributes to the LDAP directory.

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

The Virtual Member Manager has a limitation that includes no tasks to update attributes. To change an attribute, remove the attribute, then add it again.

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


Configure property extension database

  1. In a stand-alone environment, ensure the WebSphere_Portal server is running.

    In a clustered environment, stop all application servers on the system. Verify the WebSphere_Portal server is stopped. Then, start the node agent and deployment manager servers.

  2. Install the wp-la-install-ear file on WebSphere Application Server:

    Stand-alone environment

    Clustered environment

      cd AppServer_Root/ConfigEngine
      ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=dmgr_password -DServerName=dmgr -DNodeName=node

    Value for dmgr can be found at...

      System administrator | dmgr | Configuration tab | General Properties | Name

    node value can be found at...

      System administrator | dmgr | Runtime tab | General Properties | Node Name

  3. Stop and restart the appropriate servers to propagate the changes.

  4. Set up databases:

    • Create a DB2 database:

      1. Install DB2.

      2. Create a database user with the appropriate privileges for accessing the database

      3. Enter the following commands to tune the database:

          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"

    • Create an Oracle database:

      1. Install Oracle with UNICODE database and National character sets such as UTF8, AL32UTF8, or AL16UTF16.

      2. Configure the database in Dedicated Server Mode.

      3. Enter the initial buffer pool sizes or set them according to your business needs:

          db_block_size = 8192
          db_cache_size = 300M
          db_files = 1024
          log_buffer = 65536
          open_cursors = 1500 open_cursors = 1500
          pga_aggregate_target = 200M
          pre_page_sga = true
          processes = 300
          shared_pool_size = 200M

    • Create an SQL Server database:

      1. Install SQL Server.

      2. Set Collation to case-sensitive.

      Install SQL Server with the appropriate portal database collation so the tempdb collation setting matches the collation that we use for the property extension database. The tempdb collation is inherited from the master database, which we set when installing SQL Server.

  5. Define the DbDriver and DbLibrary parameter values:

    1. cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine/properties

    2. Open wkplc_dbtype.properties with a text editor.

    3. Set the following parameters in 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 the wp_add_LA.properties file:

    1. Go to the WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine/config/helpers directory.

    2. Open the wp_add_LA.properties file with a text editor.

    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=WAS_install_location_on_DMGR/AppServer/etc/wim/setup

      • la.laPropXML=WAS_install_location_on_DMGR/AppServer/etc/wim/setup/wimlaproperties.xml

      Where WAS_install_location_on_DMGR is the local path on the deployment manager node.

    4. Save the changes.

  7. Set the value for the com.ibm.SOAP.requestTimeout parameter:

    1. Go to the WP_PROFILE\properties directory.

    2. Open the soap.client.props with a text editor.

    3. Locate the com.ibm.SOAP.requestTimeout parameter.

    4. Verify the value is greater than 1000.

    5. Save the changes.

  8. Complete the following step in a clustered environment:

    1. Open the wpkplc.properties file.

    2. Set the property value for federated.db.DbType if we are using a database user registry or if the cell is migrated from a previous version.

    3. Save the changes.

    4. Open a command prompt.

    5. cd WP_PROFILE/ConfigEngine.

    6. Create the local Deployment Manager WebSphere variable used to access the database JAR files: 

        ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-prep-vmm-db-secured-environment \
                  -DWasPassword=foo -DDbDomain=la \
                  -Ddb_type.DmgrDbLibrary=local path of the database jars on the dmgr \
                  -DDmgrNodeName=dmgr_node

      Set the db_type in db_type.DmgrDbLibrary to the type of database we are using, for example db2. The /path/to/db/jars on the Deployment Manager is one of the following options:

        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 provided : sqljdbc.jar

    7. Run the following task on each node to create the variable used to access the VMM database JAR files. Include each node name as a comma-separated list in the command: 

          
./ConfigEngine.sh wp-node-prep-vmm-db-secured-environment \
               -DWasPassword=foo \
               -DDbDomain=federated.db \
               -DVmmNodeName=node,node,node \
               -Ddb_type.NodeDbLibrary=/path/to/db/jars

      VmmNodeName is a list of one or more WebSphere Portal nodes names in the cell which share database driver paths. Set the db_type in db_type.NodeDbLibrary to the type of database we are using, for example db2.

    8. Stop and restart all necessary servers to propagate your changes.

  9. Add a property extension repository to the federated LDAP repository: 

        ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-configure-la-complete \
                    -DWasPassword=foo \
                    -DparentProperties=wp_profile_root/ConfigEngine/config/helpers/wp_add_LA.properties

  10. Stop and restart the appropriate servers to propagate the changes.

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

    • 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. All 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: 

      ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-add-la-property \
                  -DWasPassword=foo \
                  -DparentProperties=wp_profile_root/ConfigEngine/config/helpers/wp_add_LA.properties

    To add the attributes to Web Content Manager if we use user profiling or Category selection trees:

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

      ./ConfigEngine.sh add-wcm-la-attributes \
                  -DWasPassword=foo \
                  -DparentProperties=wp_profile_root/ConfigEngine/config/helpers/wp_add_LA.properties

    Receiving an authentication prompt: This task makes an EJB call to WebSphere Application Server, which requires authentication. We might receive an authentication prompt. Enter the appropriate WebSphere Application Server user ID and password.

  13. Stop and restart the appropriate servers to propagate the changes.


Parent Update the user registry