System architecture and components

To prepare for installation, you must set up the required components of a Control Desk deployment.

Control Desk requires multiple software servers that are referred to as middleware. The middleware components can run on one or more computers. The components that are used in a typical Control Desk installation are illustrated in the following figure.

Image components described in the following text.

The following components are required for a Control Desk installation:

Administrative workstation

Used to install Control Desk. After the installation, use the administrative workstation to make updates or changes to the configuration.

Database

Stores all information about assets, such as their conditions, their locations, and related records in any of the supported databases.

You can store this information in the IBM® DB2® database that is provided in the product installation image.

A list of supported databases is provided in the system requirements information, available from the Quick Start.

Application server

Manages the Control Desk JavaServer Pages (JSPs), XML, and business logic components. Control Desk uses a commercial Java™ 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application server.

You can use the IBM WebSphere® Application Server software that is provided in the product installation image.

Control Desk supports Oracle WebLogic Server.

Web browser

You access the Control Desk applications by using a Web browser, connected over a company network or over the Internet.

In addition to the required components, you can use the following optional components with Control Desk:

HTTP server: You can configure a separate, dedicated HTTP server to work with the J2EE application server.

Directory server: You can configure a directory server, such as a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server, to provide identity management and authentication for the J2EE server.