IBM COLLABORATIVE PORTAL 2.2.1 User Manual

This section helps you understand and execute steps that should be performed prior to starting the 
implementation. 

Specifically, this solution illustrates how to design and implement a collaborative portal solution. Portals 
are websites targeted at specific audiences and communities, providing content, collaboration, and 
services, as well as applications access, for target audiences delivered in a customized manner. The 
implementation steps described in 

 on page 

12 can be used as a starting point for building your own customized portal, or simply as an illustration for 
demonstration or learning purposes. 

The primary focus of this solution is to install IBM WebSphere Portal Express with collaborative 
components on the Portal Server. 

12 outlines other deployment scenarios including installing a base portal without the collaborative 
components. 

The paths for following variations are identified for you throughout. 

Understanding the Implementation 

The instructions in this Solution Starting Point explain how to set up the complete solution - that is, no 
assumptions of existing e-mail servers, Web servers, database servers, etc. are made.  If you are 
installing this solution in your customer's environment, you may not need to install all of these items.  This 
Solution Starting Point explains how to perform the following: 

●  Installing a base IBM WebSphere Portal Express Server, where the portal server, supporting IBM 

WebSphere Application Server, and HTTP server are combined on one system. 

●  Installing the two backend application servers that will be used to demonstrate this solution. 

These include:  

○ A 

Lotus

(R)

 Domino

(R)

 server for e-mail and applications, also to be used as the Lightweight 

Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory server in this example.  This Domino server also 
acts as the master server for the secondary Domino servers in the domain. Even though the 
Domino product is included in IBM WebSphere Portal Express V6.0, using Domino in the way 
described here requires an additional license. See 

○  A Lotus Domino server for IBM Lotus Sametime Connect 

●  Integrating the portal server with the external LDAP directory to enable the collaborative features. 

●  Configuring the portal interface, and the installation and configuration of portlets. A portlet is the 

basic building block of a portal.  The term refers to an application that provides access to 
applications, Web-based content or other services.  Portlets usually display their contents in a 
small window-like box within the portal framework.  Similar to a window in a PC desktop, each 
portlet owns a portion of the browser or personal digital assistant (PDA) screen where it displays 
results. 

This portal solution does not require a database server, but your customer could choose to use one 

for data storage.  IBM DB2 Express Edition is included as part of IBM WebSphere Portal Express V6.0; it 
is used as the underlying database for the Portal Server and not as a generic relational database. 

For more information about integrating Lotus Domino with IBM Lotus Sametime Connect, see the IBM

(R)

 

Redbook Lotus Domino 6.5.1 and Extended Products Integration Guide, SG24-6357-00. Redbooks

(TM)

 

are available at: 

 

1 

Collaborative Portal: Implementation Guide