6 Configuring the File Manager

6.1 About the File Manager

The File Manager manages files in a repository or a vault in the file system. Additionally, it provides a location to store and retrieve files locally or remotely. You can install the File Manager on the same or a different server than the Agile Application Server. You can also install the File Manager in a redundant and/or distributed configuration across geographic regions.

You can deploy multiple file managers in a distributed configuration with or without a reverse-proxy web server. A distributed file manager configuration enables you to install additional file managers at remote locations so that remote sites can store and retrieve files locally, while still making the files available to the Agile PLM system.This can dramatically improve the user experience for file operations by increasing network bandwidth and reducing network latency from the end-user's client to the file manager.

Note: If you are using AutoVue, then you must install the AutoVue Server component with each File Manager.

The following is a usage model for a distributed File Manager configuration:

• The File Manager located nearest to the application server must be designated the primary File Manager.

• Users upload and download files from their preferred File Manager.

• File replication between File Managers is on-demand. When a remote user requests a file that does not exist on their preferred File Manager, the system copies the file to the remote user's preferred File Manager.

• Checking out and checking in files is the same as getting and adding files.

• Deleting a file in the application only removes references to the file and does not remove the file from the file vault. Use the vault utility to clean up additional files on non-primary File Managers.

6.2 Deployment Configurations

You can deploy the File Manager in either a standalone, or a redundant configuration. If you plan to install the Application Server and File Manager on the same server (co-deployed), select both components when installing the Agile PLM.

Note: You should run the Agile PLM installer only once on each machine and select all components you want to install on a given machine during that one install session.

In the preferred redundant configuration, each machine in the cluster has the Application Server and the File Manager co-deployed. File Managers have a shared disk for file vaults so that all file manager instances have access to the files.

You can also choose to install the File Manager and Application Server components on separate machines, though this configuration may require more hardware. Regardless which configuration you choose, the Application Server(s) and File Manager(s) should be installed before configuring and validating.

6.3 Configuring the File Manager Settings

After installing the File Manager and setting up a load balancer and/or reverse-proxy server for it, you must configure the File Manager settings in the Java Client.

Note: Before configuring the File Manager, make sure you set up any load balancer or reverse-proxy server.

To configure File Manager settings:

1. Start the Agile Application Server:

   • Windows:

     • Windows service: Start the Windows service AgilePLM.

     • Windows command line: Choose Start > All Programs > Agile > Agile PLM > Start Agile Server. The command window will appear. You can minimize this window, must remain open.

   • UNIX command line: Run the startAgile.sh script located in the AGILE_HOME/agileDomain/bin directory.

     Wait until the message "Agile PLM Server Starting Up" appears in the command window, or the application server log file , before connecting.

2. Start the Agile Java Client as described in Installing and Configuring the Java Client.

3. Log in as an Agile Administrator user.

4. Click the Admin tab.

5. Choose Server Settings > Locations. The Server Location window appears.

6. Click the File Manager tab to bring it forward.

7. Double-click the entry to display the File Manager dialog box.

8. Click the Advanced button and check the Viewer Content URL.

9. Enter the value of the File Manager URL.

   The File Manager URL is the URL the Agile Web Client connects to. The format is:

   http://<proxy_or_loadbalancer>:<port>/<fileserver_virtual_path>/AttachmentServlet

   
   

   Note: The default value for fileserver_virtual_path is Filemgr.

   
   

10. Click the Standard Vault Type to display the drop-down list.

    You can choose to have both Standard and Custom vaults. A standard vault is the default vault type and is used for new file uploads. A custom vault allows you to attach existing files to Agile PLM as-is, without reorganizing or uploading the files.

    
    

    Note: Each file manager must have at least one Standard Read-Write vault to be used for uploading files.

    
    

    A custom vault is always set up as read-only. You can attach an arbitrary file structure to the File Manager as a custom vault without the files being uploaded. Refer to the Agile PLM Import and Export Guide for more information on how to configure FileLoad for custom vaults.

11. Enter a description of the vault in the Description field.

12. Verify that the primary location where the files are stored in the Base Storage Directory field is the same location you entered during installation. The default location is \files. The location can be a shared network storage directory, such as a Storage Area Network (SAN).

    
    

    Important: Do not specify a mapped drive that may not be mapped automatically after a reboot. Instead, specify a local drive or UNC name, including directory path, like this: \\fileserver\filevault

    
    

13. Enter a location where the purged (deleted) files are automatically moved to in the Purge Directory field. The default location is \files\purge. The location can be a shared network storage directory, such as a SAN.

    
    

    Important: Do not specify a mapped location. Instead, specify a local drive or UNC name including directory path, like this: \\fileserver\filevault\purge

    
    

14. Set the vault as Read-Write or Read-Only from the Category drop-down list.

    
    

    Note: Each file manager must have at least one Standard Read-Write vault (used for uploading files) and each File Manager can have only one Read-Write vault.

    
    

    If you have multiple vaults, define additional vaults as Read-Only.

15. If you have additional vaults, then click the plus-sign to add these vaults.

16. Click OK when done.

17. Start the File Manager, as described in "Starting the File Manager"

There are additional configuration settings used to fully configure File Manager through the Java Client. These settings are:

• Filename Prefix (Preferences)

• Checksum computation (Preferences)

• DFM Optimized Replications (Preferences)

For more information on these additional settings, see the Agile PLM Administrator Guide.

6.3.1 Reconfiguring File Manager and WebDAV after Setting up a Web Proxy Server

If you set up a Web proxy server for Agile File Manager that is different from the server or port you specified when you installed Agile PLM, you must make sure that File Manager and WebDAV point to the proxy server on the correct port. Otherwise, File Manager may not start successfully and Agile PLM clients will not be able to access file attachments.

To configure File Manager and WebDAV after setting up a Web proxy server:

1. Configure File Manager locations in Java Client.

2. Stop the File Manager.

3. Using a text editor, open the server.conf file for File Manager in the AGILE_HOME\agileDomain\config directory.

4. Find the file.server.url entry, and update it to reflect the proxy server hostname or alias and port number. After you modify the file.server.url.entry, it will look similar to this:

   file.server.url=http://webserver.company.com:80/Filemgr/services/FileServer

   
   

   Note: The file.server.url entry must match the File Manager Internal Locator entry (defined in Java client: Server Settings > Locations) or the File Manager will not successfully initialize.

   
   

5. Save the server.conf file.

6. Restart the File Manager (Tomcat).

6.4 Starting the File Manager

After configuring the File Manager, start the server as follows:

To start the File Manager on Windows:

1. Choose Start > Administrator Tools > Services.

2. Start the Apache Tomcat AgileFM service.

   
   

   Note: You can check for errors in the stdout and stderr logs in the AGILE_HOME\FileManager\logs directory.

   
   

To start the File Manager on UNIX:

1. Open a terminal window.

2. Change to the AGILE_HOME/FileManager/bin directory.

3. Start the File Manager using the following UNIX command:

   > ./startup.sh

6.5 Stopping the File Manager

To stop the File Manager on Windows:

1. Select Start > Administrator Tools > Services.

2. Stop the Apache Tomcat AgileFM service.

   
   

   Note: You can check for errors in the stdout and stderr logs in the AGILE_HOME\FileManager\logs directory.

   
   

To stop the File Manager on UNIX:

1. Open a terminal window.

2. Change to the AGILE_HOME/FileManager/bin directory.

3. Stop the File Manager using the following command:

   ./shutdown.sh -force

6.6 Validating the File Manager Installation

This step verifies the File Manager was installed successfully.

To validate the File Manager installation:

Check the following URL:

http://<fileserver_home>:<port>/<fileserver_virtual_path>/Configuration

Note: The default value for fileserver_virtual_path is Filemgr.

For example, you can type the following URL:

http://filevault.mycompany.com:8080/Filemgr/Configuration

If you are using a Web proxy server for File Manager, the URL could resemble:

http://webproxy.mycompany.com:80/Filemgr/Configuration

After a moment, the File Manager Configuration page will appear. This page tests the File Manager and Application Sever connections. If Success is listed in the Status column for all connections, your installation was successful.