Software Architecture

This section describes the Portal Server software architecture. In Figure 1–2, the Portal Server software components consist of:

• Services such as search (made up of the search engine and robot), discussions, and subscriptions

• Content delivery and presentation on the Desktop

The Java^TM Development Kit (JDK) provides the Java run-time environment for all Java software in Portal Server and its underlying components.

The Sun Java System Web Server software, or the Sun Java System Application Server software, or the BEA WebLogic Server, or the IBM Websphere Application Server provides the web container. The application server provides the Portal Server with a robust, highly scalable web container for the Portal Server web applications. It also provides the Portal Server with compatibility for other applications written to use application server and for developers that want to use the additional enterprise services that are provided by these application servers.

The Directory Server software provides the user profile data repository. The Access Manager software provides support for core services such as profile, session, authentication, and logging. It also provides single-sign-on services, policy management, debug utility, and client support interfaces for the Portal Server. Use the Access Manager software administration console for user administration.

The Portal Server software Search Engine provides the search capability. It includes basic and advanced search and browse channels for the Desktop. It uses a robot to create resource descriptions for documents that are available in the intranet, and stores these resource descriptions in an indexed database. Search includes Java and C APIs for submitting resource descriptions and for searching the database. Search also includes an administration console module for editing Search service data and for configuring the search engine and the robot. The console also lets you edit the contents of the Search database.

The Desktop provides the primary end-user interface for the Portal Server and a mechanism for extensible content aggregation through the Container Provider Interface (PAPI). The Desktop includes a variety of providers that provide a container hierarchy and the basic building blocks for building some types of channels. The Desktop implements a display profile data storage mechanism on top of an Access Manager service for storing content provider and channel data.

Figure 1–2 Software Architecture