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HCL Digital Experience Product Documentation
Welcome to the product documentation for HCL Digital Experience. Find information about how to install, configure, maintain, and use HCL Web Content Manager and HCL Portal Server, Enable, and Extend solutions.
HCL Digital Experience 8.5
Learn how to install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain, and use Version 8.5 of HCL Web Content Manager and HCL Portal Server, Enable, and Extend.
Configuring
Run the following tasks after you install and deploy HCL Digital Experience. They address tasks that are typically run one time and have a global effect. Some configuration changes are made more frequently or do not have a global effect. These tasks are addressed in the Administering section.
HCL Portal
First, finish your HCL Digital Experience deployment with the Configuration Wizard. Then, you can configure your environment further. For example, you can tune your servers to improve performance. You can change the default context root.
Configuring portal behavior
Configure various options related to your portal.
Caching
Caching affects the performance of your HCL Digital Experience environment. Learn about some simple ways to improve the caching performance. After you have reviewed this content, you should also review the HCL Digital Experience Performance Tuning Guide which provides more information about caches for both HCL Portal and Web Content Manager.
Security issues
Storing authenticated pages in a shared cache introduces security holes. If a malicious user discovered the URL for an authenticated page, that user could read pages containing private information.

HCL Digital Experience Product Documentation
Welcome to the product documentation for HCL Digital Experience. Find information about how to install, configure, maintain, and use HCL Web Content Manager and HCL Portal Server, Enable, and Extend solutions.
- HCL Digital Experience 9.5
- HCL Digital Experience 9.5 [Legacy Content]
- HCL Digital Experience 9.0
  Learn how to install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain, and use Version 9.0 of HCL Web Content Manager and HCL Portal Server, Enable, and Extend.
- HCL Digital Experience 8.5
  Learn how to install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain, and use Version 8.5 of HCL Web Content Manager and HCL Portal Server, Enable, and Extend.
  - Overview
    HCL Digital Experience (formerly IBM WebSphere Portal and IBM Web Content Manager) empowers you to create, manage, and deliver engaging omnichannel digital experiences to virtually all audiences with responsive content, targeted offers, seamlessly integrated applications, and consistent branding across channels (web, mobile. and hybrid mobile/web applications and more).
  - Roadmaps to deploy your system
    Review the roadmaps to understand the common deployment, configuration, migration, and integration patterns.
  - Roadmaps to create your website
    Review the roadmaps to understand how to create your website.
  - Online Help
    This Online Help is made available in the HCL Digital Experience Help Center for quick references on how to install, configure, maintain, and use HCL Digital Experience.
  - Installing
    HCL Digital Experience provides flexible deployment options that range from proof-of-concept where you can examine and test functionality to a highly available and scalable production environment. Review the planning information to learn more about hardware and software requirements, high availability, scalability, supported topologies, and much more. Select your operating system and then select the installation pattern that most reflects your business needs.
  - Configuring
    Run the following tasks after you install and deploy HCL Digital Experience. They address tasks that are typically run one time and have a global effect. Some configuration changes are made more frequently or do not have a global effect. These tasks are addressed in the Administering section.
    - Configuration Wizard
      Use the Configuration Wizard to set up stand-alone servers and new deployments, create clusters, migrate and update to new versions, and add new capabilities to existing deployments.
    - Setting up a stand-alone server
      Use the Configuration Wizard to set up a stand-alone server. A stand-alone server is useful for different environments, such as a content authoring environment, test environment, and more.
    - Setting up a cluster
      Use the Configuration Wizard to set up either a dynamic or static horizontal cluster.
    - Tune your environment
      HCL Digital Experience is not tuned for a production environment by default. Complete the steps in the Performance Tuning Guide to optimize performance.
    - Web servers
      HCL Digital Experience uses the internal HTTP transport within IBM WebSphere Application Server to handle requests. However, because WebSphere Application Server also supports the use of an external web server, you can access HCL Portal from your web server. You can use a local web server on the same server as HCL Portal or you can use a remote web server on a different server. A remote web server is typical for a production environment or other high-traffic configuration and is also typically placed in DMZ outside a firewall to protect portal ports.
    - HCL Portal
      First, finish your HCL Digital Experience deployment with the Configuration Wizard. Then, you can configure your environment further. For example, you can tune your servers to improve performance. You can change the default context root.
      - Configuring portal behavior
        Configure various options related to your portal.
        Setting the language of the portal
        Specify the default language in which the portal appears with the Global Settings portlet.
        Renaming the HTTP session cookie
        The Java Servlet API up to Version 2.5 states that the session identification cookie must be named JSESSIONID. WebSphere Application Server Version 8 supports the Java Servlet API 3.0 that offers applications the option to rename the JSESSIONID cookie name. Therefore HCL Portal 8.5 also supports this option.
        Customizing the home page login URL with the Page Builder theme
        In the Page Builder theme the login link points to a protected URL to the home page of the default portal installation. If you remove this page, or if you want your users to be directed to a different page after login, modify the theme by the following procedure.
        Using portal light mode
        HCL Portal now provides a portal light mode which can improve portal startup time and reduce memory consumption in production environments.
        Creating or editing a custom unique name
        You can create a new custom unique name for a portal resource or update an existing custom unique name.
        Setting the portal entry page
        Use the Global Settings portlet to specify the page that a user sees when the user logs in to HCL Digital Experience.
        Configuring your time settings
        Some applications, like Calendar, are capable of adapting to the time zone settings of a user.
        Setting the search engine that opens when users select Find
        Specify the search engine that is used when users click Find with the Global Settings portlet.
        Configuring how to handle portlets that a user is not authorized to view
        Specify how you want the portal to display portlets that a user is not authorized to view with the Global Settings portlet.
        Configuring user session persistence
        With the persistent session state feature, portal users can resume and continue a previously interrupted working session at the same state where they ended the session. When the user logs out or the session times out, the portal stores the current navigational state into the database. As a portal administrator, you can give users the option to resume the navigational state of their last session when they log in again. When the user chooses to resume the last session, the navigational state that is stored previously is restored, and the user can continue working where the user stopped before.
        Configuring dynamic fragment cache
        Dynamic fragment cache (also known as servlet caching) is a component of WebSphere Application Server that provides content caching. You configure and enable dynamic fragment cache by using the WebSphere Integrated Solutions Console.
        Configuring portlet filtering
        A portlet filter enables the administrator of a portal to intercept and modify the output of a portlet before it is aggregated to the entire portal page. This way you can support different languages and markups other than those for which the portlet was originally designed. You can use portlet filters also for adding additional information to the portlet output, for example, a copyright statement, deleting unimportant or restricted content, and for parsing destructive JavaScript.
        Configuring authentication filters
        The portal authentication filters are a set of plug-in points. You can use them to intercept or extend the portal login, logout, session timeout, and request processing by custom code, for example to redirect users to a specific URL.
        Caching
        Caching affects the performance of your HCL Digital Experience environment. Learn about some simple ways to improve the caching performance. After you have reviewed this content, you should also review the HCL Digital Experience Performance Tuning Guide which provides more information about caches for both HCL Portal and Web Content Manager.
        Caching pages shared by multiple users
        If you use a proxy server such as WebSphere Edge Server and your system has content that can be shared among multiple users, you can improve performance by caching this shared content.
        cookie.ignore.regex parameter
        Use the cookie.ignore.regex parameter to configure which cookies to ignore from the header field. Ignoring these cookies excludes them from the digest computation.
        Cache scope
        The cache scope determines where the content is cached.
        Expiry time
        The expiry time determines how long the page is stored in a cache.
        Cache scope and expiry time settings
        There are resources that contribute to the overall remote cache information on a page.
        Default cache scope and expiry time settings
        You can set the default cache scope and expiry time settings for HCL Portal in the portal WP Navigator Service.
        Factors affecting cache scope and expiry time
        Multiple factors can affect the cache scope and expiry time for a page.
        Cache limitations
        When tuning your environment to improve performance, review the limitations to ensure success.
        Security issues
        Storing authenticated pages in a shared cache introduces security holes. If a malicious user discovered the URL for an authenticated page, that user could read pages containing private information.
        Troubleshooting the cache
        In general, you should monitor the cache hit rate on the proxy server and adjust the cache size appropriately. If the hit rate is not what you expected, increase the cache size.
        URL mapping
        URL mappings were deprecated starting with HCL Portal Version 8.5. Instead, you can now use friendly URLs or Vanity URLs as an alternative to URL mapping.
        HTTP proxy configuration
        Some portlets use HCL Portal resources to support HTTP proxy. Loading and caching remote URLs (such as RSS streams or HTML files) is done in the portal by the URL Manager service. If you specify an HTTP proxy in the configuration of the service, all remote requests are loaded using this HTTP proxy. This feature enables servers behind a firewall with no direct access to the Internet to load external data, such as news or stock information.
        Delayed cleanup of deleted portal pages
        Get an overview of the cleanup service for portal pages and their dependent resources.
        Deleting orphaned data
        You use the SLCheckerTool to delete orphaned data in the database.
        Setting service configuration properties
        HCL Digital Experience comprises a framework of services to accommodate the different scenarios that portals need to address. Services are available for both HCL Portal and HCL Web Content Manager. You can configure some of these services.
      - Changing ports
        One can change the HCL Digital Experience port numbers assigned to DX Portal Server after installation.
      - Changing your site URL
        You can change your site URL during and after installation to create URLs that are more reflective of your site and easier to remember. If you entered a different value for the context root during installation, there are additional steps that must be performed to implement the new context root value in your site URL. If you decide to change your site URL after installation, you can use the Configuration Wizard to remove the context root and default home values (/wps/portal) from your site URL or to change these values. You can also use the Configuration Wizard to remove or add navigational state information to your URL.
      - Changing the portal URI after an installation
        You can change the default portal Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) any time after you install HCL Digital Experience. Some applications have a fixed context root that cannot be changed.
      - Configuring managed pages
        When you create a new installation of HCL Digital Experience 8.5, managed pages are enabled by default. However, you can also manually disable and enable the feature as needed.
      - Create an HCL Portal profile
        During the installation process, the IBM Installation Manager creates the HCL Portal profile. If you are on HCL Portal Version 8.5 without a Combined Cumulative Fix applied, then you can use this option in the Configuration Wizard to create an additional profile.
      - Remove an HCL Portal profile
        Use the Configuration Wizard to remove a portal profile.
      - Managing your HCL Portal environment
        After you install HCL Digital Experience, you can use the IBM Installation Manager function to manage your environment. The Installation Manager function consists of updating and modifying the environment. You can also uninstall or roll back the modifications you made to your environment.
      - Setting up and maintaining a portal farm
        The term "farm" refers to a series of identically configured, stand-alone server instances. The stand-alone servers allow the farm to be increased or decreased without having to worry about complex cluster configurations or inter-server awareness. Server farms offer a simple way to build and maintain a highly scalable, highly available server environment. Creating the farm requires an established content subscriber, two or more installed instances of HCL Digital Experience, and a configured web server for load balancing. The farm documentation covers only the HTTP server plug-in. However, you can use any supported web server.
      - Configuring the IBM License Metric Tool | HCL Digital Experience
        IBM License Metric Tool monitors license compliance. It recognizes and monitors what product offerings and their versions, releases, and fix packs are installed and used on the system. It measures the processor value units (PVU) available to and used by these assets. The tool ensures compliance with IBM® subcapacity licensing requirements and to demonstrate good IT governance. Information about installed software is collected from monitored computers by an agent that can be deployed on a range of operating systems. It is stored on a central server in a DB2® database and can be accessed through pre-configured reports that are available from a web user interface.
      - Upgrading your existing product offering
        After your initial HCL Digital Experience installation, you can purchase a license for an upgraded product offering.
    - HCL Web Content Manager
      Set up a content server by installing HCL Web Content Manager in various deployments to provide robust and flexible environments for web content development and delivery. After you install the content server, more configuration steps must be completed according to the role that the server plays in your web content environment.
    - Syndication
      Use syndication to replicate web content library data from one server to another server. Syndication is based on a syndicator and subscriber relationship. The syndicator has the current data. The subscriber received the current data from the syndicator.
    - Database Management Systems
      Configure the connection between HCL Digital Experience and your database management system. The Database Transfer configuration option in the Configuration Wizard assigns users and permissions, creates databases, obtains support for database collation, and transfers your database.
    - User registry
      User information is stored in your user registry. You can enable LDAP referrals, configure HCL Digital Experience to use dynamic groups, update your user registry, or delete your user registry configurations.
    - Search
      You use Portal Search to search for text that is displayed in websites that are created by HCL Web Content Manager.
    - Document Conversion Services
      Document Conversion Services are used when you work with HCL Web Content Manager authoring, previewing, and search.
    - Setting up a remote spell checker
      Using a local spell checker is not supported. You cannot run spell checker on 64-bit systems. Instead, you must install and configure spell checker on a remote application server and access that server from the local HCL Portal server.
    - HCL Connections
      HCL Connections portlets give the HCL Digital Experience users access to more collaboration and social networking features such as activities, blogs, and bookmarks.
    - Reference: Configuration properties
      For your convenience, the properties files that are used to configure HCL Digital Experience are included in the product documentation. Information that is specified in the properties files is used to configure databases, LDAP integration, security, including external security managers, and more.
  - Backup and restore
    Backup and recovery of data files and databases is an essential operation for any business system, particularly for data and applications that run in production environments. Create and follow a plan for backing up and recovering data on all tiers of your HCL Digital Experience deployment. IBM Installation Manager must also be included in backup and recovery planning. If you back up the HCL Portal file structure and then install a fix pack, your HCL Digital Experience and IBM Installation Manager become out of sync after you restore the HCL Portal file system. This condition is not recoverable.
  - Migrating
    Successful migration requires significant planning and preparation, understanding the tools that are involved, and careful execution of the appropriate steps in the order provided.
  - Integrating
    Integrate HCL Digital Experience with software such as HCL Sametime to enable your users to collaborate more easily. You can also use the unified task list portlet to integrate HCL with your backend business process software, such as IBM Process Server.
  - Administering
    Use the administration tools that are provided with the portal to do various day-to-day administration tasks. There are two methods for editing portal setup: using the administration portlets or the XML configuration interface. The administration portlets are a convenient way to make real-time updates to the portal's configuration. While the XML configuration interface is suited to more advanced administration, including batch processing of updates.
  - Securing
    Security tasks include setting up property extension databases and custom user repositories, configuring and activating SSL, and configuring authentication. In addition, tasks such as activating Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and NIST SP800-131a security modules and configuring external security managers such as Security Access Manager might be required to secure your portal environment.
  - Monitoring
    HCL Portal includes tools and features to help you monitor the portal site.
  - Setting up a website
    Setting up a website includes, creating pages, adding navigation, setting up search, and adding content to the site. Themes are used to customize the portal's look-and-feel. Out-of-the-box templates and the site wizard can help you set up your portal site faster. You can add wikis and blogs to your site and let users tag and rate content on your site.
  - Staging to production
    During portal solution development, the solution is initially developed, tested, and refined on one server or a limited number of servers. The solution is deployed later on live systems, referred to as the production environment. The process of moving the solution from the development environment to the production environment is called staging.
  - Developing
    This section includes developer documentation on extending applications and development assets for HCL Portal and HCL Web Content Manager.
  - Troubleshooting
    This section helps you resolve problems, use diagnostic tools and tracing to capture HCL Digital Experience system errors.
  - Reference
    View information that can help you use the Digital Experience Help Center including directory conventions, terms of use, trademarks, a glossary, and more.
  - Glossary
    This glossary includes terms and definitions for HCL Digital Experience.
  - Content Template Catalog 4.4
    The Content Template (CTC) is a set of templates that accelerate the process of building a website.

Security issues | HCL Digital Experience

Storing authenticated pages in a shared cache introduces security holes. If a malicious user discovered the URL for an authenticated page, that user could read pages containing private information.

By default, HCL Portal does not permit shared caching for authenticated pages. You can use the Properties portlet or the XML configuration interface to override these default settings using the com.ibm.portal.IgnoreAccessControlInCaches parameter, but in most cases this is not recommended.

Note: In some rare circumstances, it might be useful to store authenticated pages in a shared cache. For example, if all authenticated users receive identical content, then storing authenticated pages in a shared cache might be acceptable.