Configuring a proxy server

You can use the configureProxyServer.py script to create the routing server functionality for the Process Center cluster or the Process Server clusters when you have more than one node in your topology.

Use this information to configure the WebSphere proxy server. Alternately, you can use any other proxy server or HTTP server. For information about configuring a different proxy server or an HTTP server, see the documentation for the product that you use.

Tip: For IBM® BPM V8.5 or later, you are not required to have a router to access Process Portal in a three cluster environment.

Before you begin

If you want to use the WebSphere proxy server, decide whether you want to configure it manually using the administrative console or by running a script.

Tip: The script uses defaults that are suitable for creating a proxy server in a simple environment. The script is not suitable for more complex environments, for example if the proxy must run in a DMZ without normal access to the rest of the cell, or if you do not want to use the default values that are used by the script.

About this task

The configureProxyServer script provides a simple way to create the routing server functionality for Process Center server or Process Server when you have more than one node in your topology.

Procedure

To configure a WebSphere proxy server by running a script, perform the following actions.
1. Change to the directory were the proxy scripts are located.
  - cd install_root/BPM/Lombardi/tools/proxy
  - cd install_root\BPM\Lombardi\tools\proxy
  This directory contains the following scripts.
  - configureProxyServer.py
  - configureProxyServer.sh
  - configureProxyServer.bat
  The .sh and .bat files provide a convenient way to run the .py script.
2. Create and configure the WebSphere proxy server by running one of the following commands.
  - wsadmin -f configureProxyServer.py options
  - configureProxyServer.sh options
  - configureProxyServer.bat options
  Where options can include any of the following parameters:
  -d, --deployment-environment environment_name
  
  Optionally specifies the name of the deployment environment to configure a proxy server for. If you do not specify a deployment environment, a proxy server will be created for each deployment environment.
  
  -n, --node node_name
  
  Optionally specifies the name of the node to deploy the proxy servers to. If you do not specify a node, one will be selected for you.
  
  --no-save
  
  Optionally specifies not to save changes to the configuration.
  
  --no-sync
  
  Optionally specifies not to synchronize changes across all nodes.
3. You must restart all clusters in the deployment environment after running the configureProxyServer script.
To configure a WebSphere proxy server manually using the administrative console, perform the following actions.
1. Decide which node will host the proxy server. If necessary, create and federate a new managed node. Make a note of the node's host name as proxy_host_name.
2. Create the proxy server using the administrative console by clicking Servers > Server types > WebSphere proxy servers > New.
3. Identify the proxy server's port numbers. Click Servers > Server types > WebSphere proxy servers > your_proxy_server > Ports and note the port values proxy_http_port and proxy_https_port that correspond to the port values of the end points named PROXY_HTTP_ADDRESS and PROXY_HTTPS_ADDRESS.
4. If proxy_http_port and proxy_https_port are using the default values 80 and 443, skip to step 8.
5. Add the following host aliases to the default_host virtual host:
  - Host name: * Port: proxy_http_port
  - Host name: * Port: proxy_https_port
6. For each cluster member in the application deployment cluster in your deployment environment, note the port value of the end point named WC_defaulthost_secure as cluster_member_https_port.
7. Add rewrite rules. Click Servers > Server types > WebSphere proxy servers > your_proxy_server > HTTP Proxy Server Settings > Rewriting rules, then for each value of cluster_member_https_port that you noted in step 6, add the following re-writing rule to the proxy server that you created in step 2:
  - From URL Pattern: https://proxy_host_name:cluster_member_https_port/*
  - To URL Pattern: https://proxy_host_name:proxy_https_port/*
8. Set the cache.query.string custom property. Click Servers > Server types > WebSphere proxy servers > your_proxy_server > HTTP Proxy Server Settings > Proxy settings > Custom properties, and add the following custom property to the proxy server settings:
  - Name: cache.query.string
  - Value: true
9. Restart all the clusters in your deployment environment.
10. Start the proxy server.
To configure a different type of routing server or an existing routing server, such as a web server, proxy server, or reverse proxy server, use the documentation for the product that you are using for routing requests.

Results

You have a routing server that is configured to support a topology with more than one node.

What to do next

After configuring the proxy server and depending on your network topology, the firewall and web clients can access only through the proxy server ports, you must customize IBM BPM to work with a web server, which will complete the endpoint configuration.

If you are using a third-party authentication product, make sure that it works correctly with the new proxy. For more information, see Configuring third-party authentication products.