Module 8
Architecture
2005 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.
Module Objectives
Explain the Documentum platform architecture
Describe the primary functions of the Content Server
Describe Documentum Content Services
Describe platform extensions
Explain the DFC and interface layer
Explain how client applications connect to the Content Server
Explain how web clients connect to the Content Server
Architecture 8-2
Platform Architecture
Platform-Based Architecture Platform Architecture
Client-Server Communication
Useful DQL Queries
Documentum is implemented as a flexible
platform that supports enterprise content management applications
Content Applications
Records Mngt.
Collaboration
Compliance
Custom
Portals
WCM
DAM
CRM
ECM
ERP
Documentum Interfaces, Components, and Tools
Content Services
Server Extensions
Content Server
Content Repository
Architecture 8-3
Content Repository Layer: The Repository
The Documentum repository:
- Stores content on a file storage system
- Stores properties in a Relational
Database Management
System (RDBMS)
- Resides on a UNIX, Linux,
or Windows server
Repository
File Storage System Database
Architecture 8-4
Services Layer: The Content Server
The Content Server is a service that
manages the repository
- The repository can only be
accessed via the Content Content Server
Server service
- Supports client-server and
web-based applications
Repository
File Storage System Database
Architecture 8-5
Services Layer: Repository Management
One Content Server usually manages a single repository
For load balancing, more than one Content Server may access a
single repository
Content Server 2
Content Server 1 Content Server 3
Repository
Architecture 8-6
Services Layer: Content Services
Content management services provided by the ECM platform
- Common to all content types
- Available to all applications
Collaboration Record Management
Web Delivery
Services Services
Auto-categorization Rich Media Dynamic Content
Auto-tagging Management Publishing
XML Content Content
Content Security
Management Transformation
BUSINESS BENEFIT: Specific services can be added based on
business needs. Documentum's platform architecture allows
these services to be available to all clients
Architecture 8-7
Services Layer: Platform Extensions
Documentum extended services products extend the capabilities of
the Content Server beyond core content management services
Can extend any aspect of the content management framework,
for example:
Rich Media Auto-categorization Content Security
Management Auto-tagging
Content Intelligence Trusted Content
Media Services Services Services
Collaboration Services
Documentum Collaborative Edition
Architecture 8-8
Interface Layer: Components and Tools
Clients and applications use the interface layer to communicate
with the Content Server
- Consists of Documentum Foundation Classes (DFC) and
standard interfaces built on top of DFC
WDK Desktop
Portlets Web Services
Components Components
ODBC FTP WebDAV File Share ADO.NET JDBC
Documentum Foundation Classes (DFC) / Business Objects Framework (BOF)
J2EE .NET
Architecture 8-9
Client Application Layer: Documentum Clients
Webtop Records Manager DCM Web Publisher
Documentum Client for Outlook Desktop Digital Asset Manager Custom Application
custom
Documentum Interfaces, Components, and Tools
Architecture 8-10
Client Application Layer: Enterprise Application Integrations
SAP Siebel Portal
Content Services Content Services
for... for...
Content Services Content Services Content Services
for SAP for Siebel for Portals
Application Integration Framework
Architecture 8-11
The Connection Broker Platform Architecture
Client-Server Communication
Useful DQL Queries
The connection broker is a process on the
server that provides connection information to client sessions
Determines which clients connect to a Content Server
Maintains a list of available Content Servers and repositories
Eliminates the need for Content Server names on every client
Client
2
1 Content Server A
Connection Broker
Content Server B
Architecture 8-12
Connecting to Multiple Content Servers
Connection brokers can hold connection information for
multiple Content Servers
- Content Servers can register with multiple connection brokers
- Each client specifies a connection broker in its dmcl.ini file
- An application server is considered
a client
Munich
dmcl.ini
Content Server
Client A Connection Broker Host 1 London
dmcl.ini Content Server
Connection Broker Host 2
Paris
Client B
Content Server
Architecture 8-13
The DMCL
The Content Server API, referred to as DMCL, is a library
with interfaces to all server functionality
Documentum strongly discourages direct calls to the DMCL API
- Java developers would need to implement their own
Java support layer
- The DMCL does not support the higher level capabilities
of the DFC, such as virtual document management,
XML content management, and business objects
Access to the DMCL is provided for compatibility with previous
releases
DMCL DMCL
Client Application Content Server
Architecture 8-14
The DFC
The DFC provides an object-oriented framework for accessing
the capabilities of the Content Server
- Implemented as a set of Java classes and interfaces, along with a Java-COM
bridge for accessing DFC via COM from Visual Basic or Visual C++
Provides a Primary Interop Assembler (PIA) that supports
Microsoft.NET programming languages
- Can be used by applications developed in Java, Visual Basic,
C#, C++, and other development environments
Every computer running a client application has a copy of the
DFC running on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM)
DFC
DMCL
DMCL
Client Application Content Server
Architecture 8-15
Client-Server Application Communication
1
1. The Content Server Tier 1
projects to the Client Application
connection broker
DFC
2
2. The client connects to the
dmcl.ini
3 DMCL
connection broker to retrieve
connection information for
the Content Server Tier 2
2
3
3. The client establishes a
5
connection and issues API DMCL
commands to the Content
Server via the DFC 1
4
4. The Content Server processes Connection Broker Content Server
the client APIs and retrieves
the requested information 4
Tier 3
from the repository
5
5. The Content Server sends the
information back to the client
using APIs via the DFC
Repository
Architecture 8-16
WDK
The Documentum Web Development
Kit (WDK) provides a framework on
which to build Web applications that
connect to the Content Server
WDK
- Webtop
- Documentum Administrator DFC
- Web Publisher DMCL
- etc... Application/Web
Server
WDK applications reside on a
J2EE-compliant application server
- Communicate with the Content
Server via the DFC
Users access WDK applications through
a web browser
Content Server
Architecture 8-17
Web Application Communications (1 of 2)
Tier 1
1
1. The Content Server Web Browser
registers itself with the
connection broker
2. The application server
2 3
connects to the connection Tier 2
broker to retrieve
connection information for WDK
the Content Server
DFC
3
3. The client issues a URL to DMCL DMCL
the application server Application Server
1 Content Server
The application server dmcl.ini 2
resolves the request to
the correct JSP page
Connection Broker
The JSP engine dynamically
Tier 3
creates a servlet from the
JSP page
Repository
Architecture 8-18
Web Application Communications (2 of 2)
Tier 1
4
1. The servlet uses WDK Web Browser
methods that call DFC
classes or Business Objects
that issue API commands
to the Content Server 7 Tier 2
5
2. The Content Server
processes the APIs and WDK
retrieves the requested
DFC 6
information from the DMCL
DMCL 4
repository
Application Server
6
3. The Content Server sends Content Server
dmcl.ini
the information back to the
servlet
5
7
4. The servlet sends the Connection Broker
content to the browser
Tier 3
Repository
Architecture 8-19
Useful Queries: Content Server Platform Architecture
Client-Server Communication
Useful DQL Queries
How many concurrent connections are
allowed by the Content Server:
select concurrent_sessions from dm_server_config
What is the default location for server log files:
select log_location from dm_server_config
List the machine names where connection brokers reside:
select projection_targets from dm_server_config
What is the oldest client version from which the
repository will accept a connection (0=any version):
select check_client_version from dm_docbase_config
Architecture 8-20
Test Your Knowledge Platform Architecture
Client-Server Communication
Useful DQL Queries
1. Which programming interface is used by
client applications to communicate with
the Content Server:
A) WDK
B) DFC
C) dmcl.ini
D) Connection broker
2. True/False: Multiple Content Servers can project to a single
connection broker.
3. True/False: For Web applications, the browser is the actual client
to the Content Server.
Architecture 8-21
Classroom Exercise: Lab 8 Estimated time: 10 min
During the exercise, you will:
- Use Documentum Administrator to
examine the Content Server and
repository configuration settings
- Answer questions about the
configurations
Architecture 8-22
