WCM/WSF runtime

[uh7415]

Hi

I am new to WCMWSF and have following doubts:
a) What is WCM/WSF runtime/deployment architecture?
b) Does the live site (production-apache http server, tomcat combo) based on WSF requires WCM installed? What is the minimal alfresco components that should be installed?
c) Any links/info to WCM deployment & capacity recommendatons (Clustered/High availability)
d) How to Search for articles created using Xforms?

Thanks in advance, Any help would be appreciated!
//uh7415

[sdavis]

To be clear:  WCM is the module provided by Alfresco.  WSF is a sample site using it.

For deployment details on WCM, be sure to review http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Deployment

[uh7415]

Hi

That was not I was looking out for. Let me refine question regarding WCM/WSF runtime.

We have built a small prototype using WSF/WCM. It uses the tag libaries, JSP's and structure defined by the WSF. It works fine when we preview it using the virtualization server.

Now the question is:
a) How can I deploy the prototype website on another tomcat? What is it that would be required on the production tomcat?
- I understand the various receivers/deployers: Filesytem/Alfresco, ie. posting the staging server snapshot to production environment
- For production I plan to use apache/tomcat combo. For tomcat to service the dynamic parts/contents of website (JSP's etc) what is the minimal that is required.
- Is production tomcat to be configured (somehow) to behave like virtualization server? config settings ?

Thanks
//UH

[vijay_alfresco]

The Virtualization server and Production Server (Apache/Tomcat in your case)are no way linked.

The process is simple as follows,
1. The content (jsp,html….etc) of the website which you are planning to host on Production Server can be managed using Alfresco (workflow, webforms, dynamic html generation (like articles, news..etc)).

2. Once you are satisfied with the content and website look and feel (using preview option, AlfrescoVirtualization Server).

3. Now its time to deploy the contents to your remote production server (Apache/Tomcat). Once deployed there is no connection with the alfresco (even virtualization server). Virtualization server is a module within Alfresco to see how your site looks when deployed to production and no way linked to production server.

4. You can configure deployment server to deploy pages (like HTML's) to apache server and dynamic pages (like jsp's) to Tomcat.

Let me know if this is confusing or not clear

–Vijay

[uh7415]

Hi Vijay

Thanks for the reply. Really appreciate the effort.

My confusion starts on how to get the application (build over WSF) deployed? If it would have been a normal j2ee application then I had no problems as in a simplest case i just need to map tomcat/apache combo to AVM root folder.
- WSF has components (tag libaries, JSP's, JS files) that internally used either WebScripts or AVMRemote class.

Now the production tomcat to serve the application should have some components (jars, spring config files etc) to understand and serve the "Alfresco api's". Now I need to know what components of Alfresco (WCM) should be installed/configured on production tomcat.

This is where I am missing out the link (how to get from staging to production).

Regards
//UH

[pmonks]

WSF is a "normal" J2EE application - it just happens to be managed inside a Web Project and (partially) populated via Web Forms.  That Web Project includes all of the components (JARs etc.) required for WSF to run inside a servlet container, so when you deploy it to a vanilla servlet container it'll run just fine - there's no additional installation required (beyond installing the servlet container and configuring deployment to it).

A good way to see this in action is to take a simple existing web app that you're familiar with, bulk import it into a new Web Project, promote it to staging, preview it via the virtualisation server and deploy it out to a vanilla servlet container such as Tomcat.  Then start adding content to that web app (either directly as files or via web forms that generate HTML or JSP renditions) and see what happens.  This will reduce the learning curve by allowing you to learn Alfresco WCM first, independent of WSF (which adds its own specific concepts on top of Alfresco WCM).

Cheers,
Peter