Behind the Scenes of Novell Portal Services: A Technical Architectural Explanation

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Behind the Scenes of Novell Portal Services A
Technical Architectural Explanation

• Matt Brooks
• Senior Software Engineer
• mgbrooks_at_novell.com
• Tim Schmanski
• Development Manager
• tschmans_at_novell.com

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Agenda

• Overview/requirements
• The gadget
• Page layout
• Directory integration
• Key features
• Implementation scenarios

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Overview

• Novell Portal Services is the face of your One
  Net
• Users can access your portal from any web browser
• No client or plug-ins are required
• Content delivered is based on directory
  attributes
• Personalize delivery and presentation

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System Requirements

• NDS eDirectory 8.5
• JVM 1.2.2 or higher compliant platform
• JVM 1.3 is recommended
• Web server
• Servlet engine compliant with JavaServlet 2.2
  Spec.

Novell Directory Services
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System Requirements

• Supported browsers
• Windows and Macintosh
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x and above
• Netscape 4.5 and above
• Note any browser should work (these are just
  the ones that have currently been tested)

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System RequirementsTested Configurations
Platform Web server Servlet engine
NetWare 5.1 SP 2 and JVM 1.2.2 Novonyx Apache (1.3.14) Tomcat (3.2)
Windows NT Service Pack 6a IIS (4.0) Apache (1.3.14) Tomcat (3.2)
Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 IIS (5.0) Apache (1.3.14) Tomcat (3.2)
Linux Apache (1.3.14) Tomcat (3.2)
Solaris I-Planet Apache (1.3.14) Tomcat (3.2)
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System Requirements

• Administration
• 100 browser/portal-based
• All administration is done via the portal/any
  compliant web browser
• 100 LDAP-based
• All communication to the directory is done via
  LDAP
• The portal can easily be placed inside or outside
  the firewall

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High-Level Design
Web server
Novell Portal Services
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The Gadget

• What is a gadget?
• It provides the data and layout that makeup the
  portal pages
• XML and XSL are used to format the portal pages
• Gadgets return an XML stream and XSL URL

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Gadget Interfaces
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How Data Gets intoNovell Portal Services
Gadgets

• There are different ways to bring data into the
  portal
• HTML
• Any URL that generates HTML can be linked into
  the portal
• HTML, ASP, JSP, scripting, etc.
• XML
• Any URL that streams XML data can be formatted
  with a stylesheet at the portal and included
• Java
• Any back-end service that can be accessed via
  Java can be presented in the portal

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HTML Content

• Wizard-based
• Can pass credentialsNovell SecretStore
• Basic
• Form fillPOST or GET
• Subdivide the page
• Only grab the data you want
• Personalize content
• Add any LDAP attribute into HTML
• ltbhgtcnlt/bhgt inserts common name

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XML Data

• XML remote
• URL where XML data exists
• Any sourceASP, JSP, Novell Script, etc.
• Location of a stylesheet to render the data
• RSS
• Any site that publishes in this format can be
  consumed and catagorized
• Hundreds of these feeds are currently available
• http//www.novell.com/newsfeeds/
• http//w.moreover.com/categories/category_list_xml
  .html

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Java Integration

• Native gadget environment
• Interface and controls available via the SDK
• Developers can leverage the published API to
  hookinto their applications
• Tools include APIs for state, session,
  identity,single sign-on, and more
• SDK for Novell Portal Services is available
• http//developer.novell.com

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Application IntegrationChoice Is the Key

• Use a wizard
• Wizards are provided to record access to web
  pages
• Credentials are recorded and stored to provide
  one-step access
• Build links and hooks with existing gadgets
• Citrix
• XML
• iFrame
• SDKLeverage integration with JAVA
• Leverages the API set in portal services
• APIs included
• Session, state, authentication, credential store,
  and more

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Gadgets Included with Portal Services

• Collaboration
• Exchange
• GroupWise inbox
• GroupWise calendar
• POP3/IMAP
• NNTP

System Authentication HTML iFrame JDBC PortalStats
Portal administration Preferences RSS Self-regist
ration Shortcut User admin XML remote
Application Applet Citrix News Phonebook Stock Wea
ther NetworkFileGadget
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Page Layout

• Branding area
• Branding schemes
• Static portal framework
• Inheritable area
• Object schemes
• Gadgets inherited through assignment

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Branding Area Layout

• Create a branding scheme
• Choose number of columns
• Assign gadgets
• Identify inheritable area
• For example
• Column 1Corporate news gadget
• Column 1Logout gadget
• Column 2Inheritable area

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Branding Area Layout Example
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Inheritable Area Layout

• Create an Object Scheme
• Set on per object basis (U/G/C or Portal Group)
• One object can have multiple schemes
• Controls which gadgets are assigned
• Controls the layout of the assigned gadgets
• Choose number of columns to useone, two, or three

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Inheritable Area Layout Example
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Combined Layout Example
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Directory Object Relationships
Branding schemes Object schemes
AUX CLASS
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Utilize the Strengths of the Directory

• Who you are in the directory matters
• All assignments are based on user/groups/container
  s even attributes

• Before you start configuring Portal, stop and
  consider
• Which people should have access to what gadgets?
• How are you going to grant your users access to
  different gadgets?

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Inheritance and Assignments
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PersonalizationEnd User

• As much as the administrator is willing to allow
• Granularity
• Administrators can determine what they want the
  end user to be able to modify
• Overwrite
• Administrators can allow users to change or not
  tochange by enabling the users ability to
  overwriteassignments and settings
• All overwrites are stored on theuser object in
  the directory

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Portal Groups

• Attribute-based inheritance
• Membership list
• Attributes only
• LDAP query of attributes creates dynamic
  memberships at login time
• Name Level Location Title
• John Doe Manager Provo Sr. Engineer

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Single Sign-on

• Directory credentials for authentication
• There are two types of authentication basic and
  form fill
• Basic is a browser-to-web site method
• Form fill is used by most web applications to
  sign-in with a POST or a GET
• Novell Portal Services will use either of these
  methods with your directory credentials to login

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Single Sign-onCredential Store

• Non-standard credentials for access to web-based
  applications are encrypted and stored in the
  directory
• Novell Portal Services will prompt you and, via
  LDAP in the directory, will store the credentials
  used for authentication
• It will use these in basic or a form fill (POST
  or GET)

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CustomizationAdministrator

• Highly customizable
• Novell Portal Services is based on XML
• XML separates data from the presentation
• This makes it easy and efficient to change and
  update look without touching the data set
• The look of the portal can be easily updated to
  fit the look of the corporation it is being
  implemented in

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CustomizationDevice Support

• XML provides an easy way to modify the lookfor
  any device
• Change the stylesheets for whatever platform you
  need
• Platforms that cannot handle native XML will be
  fed HTML
• Non-XML platforms are detected and rendering is
  done on the back end

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Implementation ScenariosAll-in-One
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Implementation ScenariosOne Better
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Implementation ScenariosDNS Redundant
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Implementation ScenariosMultiple Replicas
Platform
Platform
Platform
Replica
Replica
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Implementation Scenariosi-Login
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