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HCL Connections Documentation
  • Administering Connections 7.0
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  1. Home
  2. Administering Connections 7.0Welcome to the HCL Connections documentation site. HCL Connections is social networking software designed for the workplace. Its features help you to establish dynamic networks that connect you to the people and information you need to achieve your business goals.
  3. Installing or upgrading Component Pack for ConnectionsHCL Connections 7.0 now supports the latest Component Pack based in Harbor, an open-source container and Helm registry hosted by HCL for the Component Pack build. Deployments that are new or carrying Component Pack 7 will use this approach for a simplified installation/upgrade process, while releases prior to 7.0 will first need to upgrade to Component Pack 7 using a zip file and a local Docker registry.
  4. Configuring the Component PackConfigure the offerings and related components in the Component Pack for HCL Connections™.
  5. Configuring the Elasticsearch Metrics componentConfigure the Elasticsearch offering of the Component Pack for HCL Connections™ to provide Metrics data.
  • Administering Connections 7.0Welcome to the HCL Connections documentation site. HCL Connections is social networking software designed for the workplace. Its features help you to establish dynamic networks that connect you to the people and information you need to achieve your business goals.
    • What's new in HCL ConnectionsFind out about features that are new or updated in this release of HCL Connections.
    • Product overviewLearn how to deploy, customize, and administer the HCL Connections social networking product.
    • PlanningBefore installing HCL Connections™, study the system requirements, deployment options, and documentation conventions.
    • Installing ConnectionsTo install HCL Connections™, you need to follow a detailed series of procedures.
    • Installing or upgrading Component Pack for ConnectionsHCL Connections 7.0 now supports the latest Component Pack based in Harbor, an open-source container and Helm registry hosted by HCL for the Component Pack build. Deployments that are new or carrying Component Pack 7 will use this approach for a simplified installation/upgrade process, while releases prior to 7.0 will first need to upgrade to Component Pack 7 using a zip file and a local Docker registry.
      • Component Pack offeringsThe Component Pack for HCL Connections introduces new connectivity capabilities that enhance collaboration and boost productivity.
      • Overview of Component Pack architectureComponent Pack for HCL Connections™ is both designed and deployed upon a different software stack from Connections. Therefore, it requires a separate hardware infrastructure.
      • Prerequisites for Component PackOn a very high level, to install and successfully run HCL Component Pack, you will need HCL Connections plus additional resources to satisfy the following requirements:
      • Installation and upgrade Use Harbor to do an automated installation or upgrade to the latest Component Pack for HCL Connections. It's best for new and existing customers to read this introduction to better understand how to integrate the Harbor-based Component Pack with the Connections version currently deployed.
      • Configuring the Component PackConfigure the offerings and related components in the Component Pack for HCL Connections™.
        • Configuring the HTTP server Set up proxy rules for Customizer, Orient Me, Microsoft Teams integration, Tailored Experience for Communities, Activities Plus, and the Microsoft Outlook add-in.
        • Configuring the Orient Me componentThe Orient Me component is responsible for populating the Top Updates tab on a Connections user's homepage. Once populated, this page will display cards representing the user's top activity stream updates.
        • Configuring the Customizer componentConfigure the Customizer offering of the Component Pack for HCL Connections™ by setting up a reverse proxy server.
        • Configuring the OpenSearch Metrics componentConfigure the OpenSearch offering of the Component Pack for HCL Connections™ to provide Metrics data.
        • Configuring the Elasticsearch Metrics componentConfigure the Elasticsearch offering of the Component Pack for HCL Connections™ to provide Metrics data.
          • Removing SSL settings that were configured for type-ahead searchTemporarily remove SSL settings that were configured for type-ahead search in an HCL Connections™ deployment, so that you can successfully enable Metrics.
          • Granting access to global Elasticsearch MetricsConfigure the metrics-report-run security role to grant users the authority to view and interact with global metrics.
          • Granting access to Elasticsearch Metrics for communitiesConfigure the community-metrics-run security role to grant users the authority to view community metrics using static reports.
          • Changing the number of shards for the Elasticsearch Metrics indexIf your environment requires, you can change the default number of shards that will be assigned to the Elasticsearch Metrics index when it is created.
          • Enabling Elasticsearch Metrics to connect to a Component Pack serverFor the Elasticsearch Metrics component to work with HCL Connections Component Pack, you must run a script on the Component Pack system to set the Elasticsearch server base URL in Highway. Also, WebSphere Application Server, which hosts the Metrics component, must run Java 8 and use an SSL client certificate when sending HTTPS requests to Elasticsearch on the Component Pack system.
          • Deploying Elasticsearch MetricsDeploying Elasticsearch-based metrics for HCL Connections™ involves testing the environment and then switching users to the Elasticsearch Metrics component.
          • Deploying Elasticsearch Metrics with the data migrated from the metrics relational databaseIf you previously used Cognos® to provide Metrics data for your HCL Connections™ deployment, Metrics events data is stored in your RDBMS, while older data is stored in the Cognos Power Cube. You can deploy Elasticsearch Metrics with the existing Metrics events data in your RDBMS. The procedure involves migrating the events data, testing the environment, and then switching users to the Elasticsearch Metrics component.
        • Configuring the LTPA cookie nameConfigure the ic-auth-token-name property to allow access to Tailored Experience, Orient Me, and Customizer for Component Pack.
      • Customizing email notifications using the app registryIf Component Pack for HCL Connections™ is installed in your deployment, you can use the app registry to change the look and content email notifications and newsletters, making them particular to your organization.
      • Integrating with other appsWith Component Pack for HCL Connections, you can deploy microservices for apps that create points of integration between Connections and other products.
      • Troubleshooting Component Pack installation or upgradeIf you encounter issues when installing or deploying the Component Pack images, see the Troubleshooting Component Pack guide on the HCL Software product documentation site, or consult HCL Support Services for recent tech articles on Component Pack.
      • Uninstalling Component PackFollow these steps to remove the Component Pack services from your Connections deployment.
    • Post-installation tasksAfter installation, you need to perform further tasks to ensure an efficient deployment.
    • Optional: Installing and configuring Tiny Editors for HCL ConnectionsThe Tiny editors are alternative rich-text editors which can be installed for HCL Connections™. They provide additional features and extensive customization options not available with the default editor.
    • Optional post-installation tasksComplete the post-installation tasks that are relevant to your deployment.
    • UninstallingUninstall HCL Connections.
    • Upgrading and updatingUpgrade HCL Connections and its supporting software to the latest release and then update the installation with the latest interim fixes or cumulative fixes. Refer to the What's New in HCL Connections to review the features in the latest release and gather download links or links to the latest fix list and update strategy information.
    • AdministeringRun administration and maintenance tasks to keep your environment up-to-date. For example, learn how to customize your deployment or how to use the wsadmin utility to edit configuration files. You can also schedule tasks, maintain application databases, moderate content, or manage users and their roles.
    • CustomizingCustomize HCL Connections™ to fit your environment.
    • SecurityHCL Connections™ provides a flexible security infrastructure that supports an open, easily shareable data model.
    • MobileSee the HCL Connections™ Mobile documentation for Connections Cloud and Connections on-premises.
    • DevelopingGet information about how to use the APIs provided with HCL Connections™ and how to use Connections Customizer to modify the Connections pages that are returned to users.
    • Troubleshooting and supportTo isolate and resolve problems with your HCL products, you can use the troubleshooting and support information. This information contains instructions for using the problem-determination resources that are provided with your HCL products, including HCL Connections™.

Configuring the Elasticsearch Metrics component

Configure the Elasticsearch offering of the Component Pack for HCL Connections™ to provide Metrics data.

After you have configured Elasticsearch, review the topic on Backing up and restoring data for Elasticsearch-based components

  • Removing SSL settings that were configured for type-ahead search
    Temporarily remove SSL settings that were configured for type-ahead search in an HCL Connections deployment, so that you can successfully enable Metrics.
  • Granting access to global Elasticsearch Metrics
    Configure the metrics-report-run security role to grant users the authority to view and interact with global metrics.
  • Granting access to Elasticsearch Metrics for communities
    Configure the community-metrics-run security role to grant users the authority to view community metrics using static reports.
  • Changing the number of shards for the Elasticsearch Metrics index
    If your environment requires, you can change the default number of shards that will be assigned to the Elasticsearch Metrics index when it is created.
  • Enabling Elasticsearch Metrics to connect to a Component Pack server
    For the Elasticsearch Metrics component to work with HCL Connections Component Pack, you must run a script on the Component Pack system to set the Elasticsearch server base URL in Highway. Also, WebSphere Application Server, which hosts the Metrics component, must run Java 8 and use an SSL client certificate when sending HTTPS requests to Elasticsearch on the Component Pack system.
  • Deploying Elasticsearch Metrics
    Deploying Elasticsearch-based metrics for HCL Connections involves testing the environment and then switching users to the Elasticsearch Metrics component.
  • Deploying Elasticsearch Metrics with the data migrated from the metrics relational database
    If you previously used Cognos® to provide Metrics data for your HCL Connections deployment, Metrics events data is stored in your RDBMS, while older data is stored in the Cognos Power Cube. You can deploy Elasticsearch Metrics with the existing Metrics events data in your RDBMS. The procedure involves migrating the events data, testing the environment, and then switching users to the Elasticsearch Metrics component.
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