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