Install > Deployment architecture

Deployment architecture

You can install Service Manager in a production environment or in non-production environments: development, test, and reporting environments. We recommend that you perform the installation in a development environment and then convert or push the installation to your production environment.

  • Production environment: The production environment enables you to deploy your customizations and provide services to your user base. Most production environments run 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, support many simultaneous users, and process large numbers of transactions and requests. In a production environment, you typically install the components of Service Manager on dedicated servers to maximize system performance.
  • Development environment: A development environment enables you to evaluate application features and customize your installation prior to deployment in a production environment. In a development environment, you typically install all Service Manager components on one test system with a limited number of users and data.
  • Test environment: A test environment is an installation that mirrors your production environment where you can safely test performance, upgrades, and backup and restore procedures. In a test environment, you typically install Service Manager in the same configuration as your production environment.
  • Reporting environment: A reporting environment is an installation that mirrors the data from your production environment that you use to generate and view reports. In a reporting environment, you typically install Service Manager to synchronize data with your production environment but limit the number of users that access the system.

Service Manager environment overview diagram

The Service Manager environment overview diagram describes the components of a Service Manager installation. The Service Manager table below provides a description for each component and lists whether the component is required or optional.

Note This diagram does not include the following Service Manager components: Solr Search Engine, Smart Analytics, Service Manager Collaboration, and Micro Focus Identity Manager (IdM). Refer to their specific installation sections for their deployment architectures.

Item Name Required? Description
1 Database Tier Required Consists of one or more supported RDBMS servers. Your Service Manager application data must reside in an external RDBMS.
2 RDBMS Required A relational database management system for storing Service Manager applications and data. Requires a 1 GB network connection to the Service Manager Server.
3 Server Tier Required Contains servers that provide or process data for clients. The server tier includes the Service Manager server, which runs the Service Manager applications and manages the connections between the client and web tiers to the database tier.
4 Micro Focus Service Manager Server Required Manages connections between clients and the database tier.
5 Help Server N/A

This is the Micro Focus documentation server on which the Service Manager help center is published: docs.microfocus.com.
6 Web Applications Server Optional Offers Java applications and content for web clients.
7 Web Server Optional Provides HTTP or HTTPS content to web clients.
8 Client Tier Required Contains the applications and methods available for connecting to Service Manager.
9 Web Applications Optional

Applications that can connect to or communicate with Service Manager through a web services API.

10 Micro Focus Products Optional

The suite of applications that can connect to or communicate with the Service Manager server. Temporary licenses are integrated with the Service Manager server.

For a complete and up-to-date list of Micro Focus integrations, see the Service Manager Compatibility Matrix on the Micro Focus Software Integration Portal.
11 Windows Client Required Intended for Service Manager administrators or implementers. The Windows Client must be installed on a Windows workstation and requires a separate installation on each system that you want to connect to Service Manager. Each installation consumes a license. You must install at least one Windows Client, depending on the number of administrators and power users. The Windows Client enables you to design forms and work with the dbdict, capabilities that are not available to the Web client user. Requires a 100 MB network connection to Service Manager (SOAP over HTTP or HTTPS).
12 Web Client Optional

Recommended for end users. A web client enables users to connect to the Service Manager server using a web browser, without needing to install any additional software on the user’s system. You can install a web client once and then any number of web users can access Service Manager from a single URL without consuming a license.

Service Manager provides three end user portals: Employee Self-Service (ESS), Service Request Catalog (SRC), and Service Manager Service Portal. You can select one of them according to your needs.

You must install the web tier, SRC, or Service Manager Service Portal to support web clients. A web client can run on non-Windows platforms.

Note There are scaling issues to consider: one web application server can only handle so many concurrent users before you need additional servers to handle the load.
13 Web Tier Optional

Web application server and web server combinations that enable users to connect via a web browser.

Third-party server software that provides the HTTP or HTTPS content to Service Manager web clients. Some web application servers also include built-in or bundled web servers.

Components

A Service Manager installation may include the following components:

  • Core components
    • Server

    • Windows Client

      Install at least one Windows Client for the system administrator or group of power users. The Windows Client provides some system administration functionalities that are not available from the Web Tier client.

    • Web Tier

      The Web Tier client provides several views: Power User, Employee Self-Service (ESS), Accessible, and Self-Service Accessible.

    • Database
    • Applications
  • Other components

    • Language Packs: A language pack is required when users need to use a localized version of Service Manager.

    • Smart Analytics or Solr Search Engine

      To enable Knowledge Management search, install either of them. If you have purchased Smart Analytics, do not use the Solr Search Engine. Additionally, once Smart Analytics is enabled, you can no longer use the Solr Search Engine.

    • Service Request Catalog (SRC) or Service Manager Service Portal

      SRC or Service Manager Service Portal can be used as a replacement for the ESS user portal. Both of them are a user portal through which users can submit support requests, order catalog items, search knowledge, and complete surveys.

    • Collaboration

      Collaboration is an instant messaging solution combining IT Collaboration and End User Chat.

    • Micro Focus Identity Manager (IdM) service

      The IdM service is required only if you want to enable SAML Single Sign-On for Service Manager.

JRE support

As of version 9.50, Service Manager (SM) adds the support of Open Java Development Kit (OpenJDK) for all SM components that require a JRE or JDK to work.

Important Out-of-box, an OpenJDK JRE is bundled with the Windows Server, Windows Client, and Service Manager Service Portal so that you do not have to manually install a JRE for them. For the other components, including the Linux Server installation package, you need to manually install either an OpenJDK JRE or Oracle JRE.

You have the option to use either Oracle JDK or OpenJDK with Service Manager. For the supported versions of Oracle JRE and OpenJDK JRE, see the Service Manager Support Matrix.

JRE bitness

For the Server (both Windows and Linux) and Windows Client: use 32-bit JRE.

For the rest of the components: use a JRE with the same bitness as the operating system.

How to use OpenJDK with Service Manager

Use OpenJDK with SM components as described in the following table.

Caution Service Manager does not support enabling FIPS mode with OpenJDK. If you want to enable FIPS mode for Service Manager, use Oracle or IBM JDK as needed. For more information, see Configure Java for FIPS mode.

Component(s) How to use OpenJDK
  • Windows Server
  • Windows Client
 An OpenJDK jre folder is already bundled with the components. No installation is required.
Linux Server

Follow the steps for specific for your Linux operating system.

Important For Red Hat Linux 7.1, the 32-bit OpenJDK cannot be installed by the yum command. You need to upgrade to version 7.2 or higher or use Oracle JDK instead.

  1. Make sure your Linux host has Internet access.

  2. Go to the SM Server installation directory, run one of the following scripts as a superuser (such as root) according to your Linux platform:

    For Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Oracle Enterprise Linux: installOpenJDK.sh -i4sm

    For Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise: installOpenJDKSUSE.sh -i4sm

    Running each of the scripts will install OpenJDK and the related 32-bit dependent libraries. Each script will also install a “fontconfig” rpm that is required for exporting reports generated by the Service Manager Reports functionality.

    Note If your Linux host has no Internet access, you can use 32-bit Oracle JDK. Alternatively, do the following to use OpenJDK:

    1. Install 32-bit OpenJDK by yourself.
    2. Update the JAVA_HOME environment variable to make it point to the OpenJDK jre directory.
    3. From the SM Server's RUN directory, run "setupLink.sh jre" as the owner of the Service Manager installation directory. This will create a symbolic link for the OpenJDK JRE.
  • Web tier
  • SRC
  • Mobility Client

Note If the web tier or Mobility Client is deployed on WebSphere, IBM JDK must be used instead.

  1. Install an appropriate version of OpenJDK on the Tomcat host. You can download it from https://zulu.org/.

  2. On the Tomcat host, update the JAVA_HOME variable to make it point to the OpenJDK.
Solr Search Engine
  1. Install an appropriate version of OpenJDK according to the operating system bitness of the Tomcat host. You can download it from https://zulu.org/.
  2. Update the JAVA_HOME variable on the Tomcat host to make it point to the OpenJDK.

How to use Oracle JDK with Service Manager

Note Before you proceed, make sure that Oracle JDK or JRE is already installed on the corresponding system (SM Server, Windows Client, and so on).

Use Oracle JDK as described in the following table.

Component How to use Oracle JDK
Windows Server
  1. Rename the <SM Server installation path>\RUN\jre folder to create a backup copy.
  2. Download an appropriate version of 32-bit Oracle JRE from the Oracle website.
  3. Copy the Oracle jre folder to the SM Server's RUN folder.
Windows Client

  1. Rename the Client's jre folder to create a backup copy. For example:

    C:\Program Files (x86)\Micro Focus\Service Manager 9.61\Client\jre.bak

  2. Download an appropriate version of Oracle JRE from the Oracle website.
  3. Copy the Oracle jre folder to the <Service Manager installation path>\Client folder.
Linux Server
  1. If there is an existing jre link or jre folder in the Server's RUN directory, remove it.
  2. Update the JAVA_HOME environment variable to make it point to the Oracle JRE.

  3. From the Server's RUN directory, run the "setupLinks.sh jre" command as the owner of the Service Manager installation directory. This will create a symbolic link for the Oracle JRE.

Web tier

SRC

Mobility Client

Note If these components are deployed on WebSphere, you must use IBM JDK instead.

  1. Install an appropriate version of Oracle JRE according to the operating system bitness of the Tomcat host.
  2. Update the JAVA_HOME variable on the Tomcat host to make it point to the Oracle JRE.
Solr Search Engine
  1. Install an appropriate version of Oracle JRE according to the operating system bitness of the Tomcat host.
  2. Update the JAVA_HOME variable on the Solr Search Engine host to make it point to the Oracle JDK.