Topology Considerations for Siebel Product Configurator

This topic describes considerations for defining the topology for Siebel Product Configurator server-based deployments. There are two major topology approaches to deploying Siebel Product Configurator:

Running Siebel Product Configurator in the Siebel Application Object Manager component. For more information, see "Running Siebel Product Configurator in the Siebel Application Object Manager Component".
Running the Siebel Product Configuration Object Manager component on one or more dedicated Siebel Servers intended to run only Siebel Product Configurator. (Dedicated servers are sometimes referred to as remote servers, because they are remote to the computer on which Siebel Application Object Manager is running. In general, this chapter uses the term dedicated servers.) For more information, see "Running Siebel Product Configurator on Dedicated Servers".

The optimal deployment approach for Siebel Product Configurator, and the optimal number of server computers that you require for this module, depends on factors such as those described in "Performance Factors for Siebel Product Configurator". See also "Siebel Product Configurator Infrastructure".

Running Siebel Product Configurator in the Siebel Application Object Manager Component

This topic is part of "Topology Considerations for Siebel Product Configurator".

You can run Siebel Product Configurator in the Siebel Application Object Manager component, such as for Siebel Call Center.

If a small number of concurrent users require configuration sessions, or there are a small number of customizable product models, then this deployment option can yield reasonable performance and make the most effective use of your hardware resources.

With this option, you set all parameters for managing Siebel Product Configurator caching on each applicable Siebel Application Object Manager. For more information, see "About Siebel Product Configurator Caching".

Running Siebel Product Configurator on Dedicated Servers

This topic is part of "Topology Considerations for Siebel Product Configurator".

You can run Siebel Product Configurator on one or more dedicated Siebel Server computers using a server component other than the Siebel Application Object Manager. This component is Siebel Product Configuration Object Manager (alias eProdCfgObjMgr_jpn in a Japanese locale).

Possible variations on this general topology option include:

Running one eProdCfgObjMgr component with one Siebel Application Object Manager component
Running multiple eProdCfgObjMgr components with one Siebel Application Object Manager component
Running one eProdCfgObjMgr component with multiple Siebel Application Object Manager components
Running multiple eProdCfgObjMgr components with multiple Siebel Application Object Manager components

If a large number of concurrent users require configuration sessions, or there are a large number of customizable product models, then this deployment option (using one or more dedicated servers) can yield the best performance and make the most effective use of your hardware resources.

With this option, you set some parameters for managing Siebel Product Configurator caching on each applicable Siebel Application Object Manager, and some on each applicable dedicated Siebel Product Configurator server. For more information, see "About Siebel Product Configurator Caching".

Configuring Siebel Application Object Manager for Dedicated Siebel Product Configurator Deployments

When you designate one or more dedicated server computers to run the Siebel Product Configuration Object Manager (alias eProdCfgObjMgr_jpn in a Japanese locale) component, then you must configure any Siebel Application Object Manager components from which users will initiate configuration sessions to route configuration requests to these computers.

The Siebel Application Object Manager forwards each configuration session request to the dedicated Siebel Product Configurator server with the fewest concurrent users.

Table 8-1 lists server parameters for managing dedicated Siebel Product Configurator deployments. Using Server Manager, set these parameters on each Siebel Application Object Manager. Do not set these parameters on the dedicated Siebel Product Configurator server computer.

Table 8-1 Server Parameters for Dedicated Siebel Product Configurator Server Deployment

Parameter Name	Display Name	Data Type	Default Value	Description
eProdCfgRemote	Product Configurator-Use remote service	Boolean	`FALSE`	Set this parameter to `TRUE` if you are running the eProdCfgObjMgr component on one or more dedicated servers. Set this parameter to `FALSE` for Siebel Product Configurator deployments using Siebel Application Object Manager only.
eProdCfgServer	Product Configurator-Remote Server Name	Text	Not applicable	Note: Instead of using this parameter, customers are now advised to configure dedicated Siebel Product Configurator servers by using the Administration - Product screen, Cache Administration view. When you have not enabled explicit product mapping for products to a Siebel Product Configurator server, set this parameter to the names of the dedicated computers on which you are running eProdCfgObjMgr. Otherwise, set the value of this parameter to NULL.
eProdCfgTimeOut	Product Configurator-Time out of connection	Integer	20	Sets the length of time, in seconds, that the Siebel Application Object Manager tries to connect to a dedicated Siebel Server running eProdCfgObjMgr. After the timeout has been reached, an error is returned to the user.
eProdCfgKeepAliveTime	Product Configurator - Keep Alive Time of Idle Session	Integer	900	Setting in seconds to determine the maximum interval of inactivity during a configuration session. If the interval of inactivity reaches this value, then the user session is stopped and the worker returns to the pool. If this parameter is not set, then an infinite interval is assumed. Set this parameter on the Siebel Application Object Manager only. It does not apply on the remote Siebel Product Configurator server. Note: On the remote Siebel Product Configurator server (eProdCfgObjMgr component), set the parameter `ConnIdleTime` to a value like that of `eProdCfgKeepAliveTime`, plus 1 second.