Chapter 3. Preparing to deploy Red Hat Process Automation Manager in your OpenShift environment

Before deploying Red Hat Process Automation Manager in your OpenShift environment, you must complete several tasks. You do not need to repeat these tasks if you want to deploy additional images, for example, for new versions of processes or for other processes.

3.1. Ensuring your environment is authenticated to the Red Hat registry

To deploy Red Hat Process Automation Manager components of Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform, you must ensure that OpenShift can download the correct images from the Red Hat registry.

OpenShift must be configured to authenticate with the Red Hat registry using your service account user name and password. This configuration is specific for a namespace, and if operators work, the configuration is already completed for the openshift namespace.

However, if the image streams for Red Hat Process Automation Manager are not found in the openshift namespace or if the operator is configured to update Red Hat Process Automation Manager to a new version automatically, the operator needs to download images into the namespace of your project. You must complete the authentication configuration for this namespace.

Procedure

  1. Ensure you are logged in to OpenShift with the oc command and that your project is active.
  2. Complete the steps documented in Registry Service Accounts for Shared Environments. You must log in to Red Hat Customer Portal to access the document and to complete the steps to create a registry service account.
  3. Select the OpenShift Secret tab and click the link under Download secret to download the YAML secret file.
  4. View the downloaded file and note the name that is listed in the name: entry.
  5. Run the following commands:

    oc create -f <file_name>.yaml
    oc secrets link default <secret_name> --for=pull
    oc secrets link builder <secret_name> --for=pull

    Replace <file_name> with the name of the downloaded file and <secret_name> with the name that is listed in the name: entry of the file.

3.2. Creating the secrets for KIE Server

OpenShift uses objects called secrets to hold sensitive information such as passwords or keystores. For more information about OpenShift secrets, see What is a secret in the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform documentation.

In order to provide HTTPS access, KIE Server uses an SSL certificate. The deployment can create a sample secret automatically. However, in production environments you must create an SSL certificate for KIE Server and provide it to your OpenShift environment as a secret.

Procedure

  1. Generate an SSL keystore with a private and public key for SSL encryption for KIE Server. For more information on how to create a keystore with self-signed or purchased SSL certificates, see Generate a SSL Encryption Key and Certificate.

    Note

    In a production environment, generate a valid signed certificate that matches the expected URL for KIE Server.

  2. Save the keystore in a file named keystore.jks.
  3. Record the name of the certificate. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is jboss.
  4. Record the password of the keystore file. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is mykeystorepass.
  5. Use the oc command to generate a secret named kieserver-app-secret from the new keystore file:

    $ oc create secret generic kieserver-app-secret --from-file=keystore.jks

3.3. Creating the secrets for Business Central

In order to provide HTTPS access, Business Central uses an SSL certificate. The deployment can create a sample secret automatically. However, in production environments you must create an SSL certificate for Business Central and provide it to your OpenShift environment as a secret.

Do not use the same certificate and keystore for Business Central and KIE Server.

Procedure

  1. Generate an SSL keystore with a private and public key for SSL encryption for Business Central. For more information on how to create a keystore with self-signed or purchased SSL certificates, see Generate a SSL Encryption Key and Certificate.

    Note

    In a production environment, generate a valid signed certificate that matches the expected URL for Business Central.

  2. Save the keystore in a file named keystore.jks.
  3. Record the name of the certificate. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is jboss.
  4. Record the password of the keystore file. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is mykeystorepass.
  5. Use the oc command to generate a secret named businesscentral-app-secret from the new keystore file:

    $ oc create secret generic businesscentral-app-secret --from-file=keystore.jks

3.4. Creating the secrets for the AMQ broker connection

If you want to connect any KIE Server to an AMQ broker and to use SSL for the AMQ broker connection, you must create an SSL certificate for the connection and provide it to your OpenShift environment as a secret.

Procedure

  1. Generate an SSL keystore with a private and public key for SSL encryption for the AMQ broker connection. For more information on how to create a keystore with self-signed or purchased SSL certificates, see Generate a SSL Encryption Key and Certificate.

    Note

    In a production environment, generate a valid signed certificate that matches the expected URL for the AMQ broker connection.

  2. Save the keystore in a file named keystore.jks.
  3. Record the name of the certificate. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is jboss.
  4. Record the password of the keystore file. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is mykeystorepass.
  5. Use the oc command to generate a secret named broker-app-secret from the new keystore file:

    $ oc create secret generic broker-app-secret --from-file=keystore.jks

3.5. Creating the secrets for Smart Router

In order to provide HTTPS access, Smart Router uses an SSL certificate. The deployment can create a sample secret automatically. However, in production environments you must create an SSL certificate for Smart Router and provide it to your OpenShift environment as a secret.

Do not use the same certificate and keystore for Smart Router as the ones used for KIE Server or Business Central.

Procedure

  1. Generate an SSL keystore with a private and public key for SSL encryption for Smart Router. For more information on how to create a keystore with self-signed or purchased SSL certificates, see Generate a SSL Encryption Key and Certificate.

    Note

    In a production environment, generate a valid signed certificate that matches the expected URL for Smart Router.

  2. Save the keystore in a file named keystore.jks.
  3. Record the name of the certificate. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is jboss.
  4. Record the password of the keystore file. The default value for this name in Red Hat Process Automation Manager configuration is mykeystorepass.
  5. Use the oc command to generate a secret named smartrouter-app-secret from the new keystore file:

    $ oc create secret generic smartrouter-app-secret --from-file=keystore.jks

3.6. Building a custom KIE Server extension image for an external database

If you want to use an external database server for a KIE Server and the database server is not a MySQL or PostgreSQL server, you must build a custom KIE Server extension image with drivers for this server before deploying your environment.

Complete the steps in this build procedure to provide drivers for any of the following database servers:

  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • IBM DB2
  • Oracle Database
  • Sybase

Optionally, you can use this procedure to build a new version of drivers for any of the following database servers:

  • MySQL
  • MariaDB
  • PostgreSQL

For the supported versions of the database servers, see Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7 Supported Configurations.

The build procedure creates a custom extension image that extends the existing KIE Server image. You must import this custom extension image into your OpenShift environment and then reference it in the EXTENSIONS_IMAGE parameter.

Prerequisites

  • You are logged in to your OpenShift environment using the oc command. Your OpenShift user must have the registry-editor role.
  • For Oracle Database, IBM DB2, or Sybase, you downloaded the JDBC driver from the database server vendor.
  • You have installed the following required software:

    • Docker: For installation instructions, see Get Docker.
    • Cekit version 3.2: For installation instructions, see Installation.
    • The following libraries and extensions for Cekit. For more information, see Dependencies.

      • docker, provided by the python3-docker package or similar package
      • docker-squash, provided by the python3-docker-squash package or similar package
      • behave, provided by the python3-behave package or similar package

Procedure

  1. For IBM DB2, Oracle Database, or Sybase, provide the JDBC driver JAR file in a local directory.
  2. Download the rhpam-7.8.0-openshift-templates.zip product deliverable file from the Software Downloads page of the Red Hat Customer Portal.
  3. Unzip the file and, using the command line, change to the templates/contrib/jdbc/cekit directory of the unzipped file. This directory contains the source code for the custom build.
  4. Enter one of the following commands, depending on the database server type:

    • For Microsoft SQL Server:

      make mssql
    • For MySQL:

      make mysql
    • For PostgreSQL:

      make postgresql
    • For MariaDB:

      make mariadb
    • For IBM DB2:

      make db2 artifact=/tmp/db2jcc4.jar version=10.2

      In this command, replace /tmp/db2jcc4.jar with the path name of the IBM DB2 driver and 10.2 with the version of the driver.

    • For Oracle Database:

      make oracle artifact=/tmp/ojdbc7.jar version=7.0

      In this command, replace /tmp/ojdbc7.jar with the path name of the Oracle Database driver and 7.0 with the version of the driver.

    • For Sybase:

      make build sybase artifact=/tmp/jconn4-16.0_PL05.jar version=16.0_PL05

      In this command, replace /tmp/jconn4-16.0_PL05.jar with the path name of the downloaded Sybase driver and 16.0_PL05 with the version of the driver.

      Alternatively, if you need to update the driver class or driver XA class for the Sybase driver, you can set the DRIVER_CLASS or DRIVER_XA_CLASS variable for this command, for example:

      export DRIVER_CLASS=another.class.Sybase && make sybase artifact=/tmp/jconn4-16.0_PL05.jar version=16.0_PL05
  5. Enter the following command to list the Docker images that are available locally:

    docker images

    Note the name of the image that was built, for example, jboss-kie-db2-extension-openshift-image, and the version tag of the image, for example, 11.1.4.4 (not the latest tag).

  6. Access the registry of your OpenShift environment directly and push the image to the registry. Depending on your user permissions, you can push the image into the openshift namespace or into a project namespace. For instructions about accessing the registry and pushing the images, see Accessing registry directly from the cluster in the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform product documentation.

3.7. Preparing Git hooks

In an authoring environment you can use Git hooks to execute custom operations when the source code of a project in Business Central is changed. The typical use of Git hooks is for interaction with an upstream repository.

To enable Git hooks to interact with an upstream repository using SSH authentication, you must also provide a secret key and a known hosts file for authentication with the repository.

Skip this procedure if you do not want to configure Git hooks.

Procedure

  1. Create the Git hooks files. For instructions, see the Git hooks reference documentation.

    Note

    A pre-commit script is not supported in Business Central. Use a post-commit script.

  2. Create a configuration map (ConfigMap) or persistent volume with the files.

    • If the Git hooks consist of one or several fixed script files, use the oc command to create a configuration map. For example:

      oc create configmap git-hooks --from-file=post-commit=post-commit
    • If the Git hooks consist of long files or depend on binaries, such as executable or JAR files, use a persistent volume. You must create a persistent volume, create a persistent volume claim and associate the volume with the claim, and transfer files to the volume.

      For instructions about persistent volumes and persistent volume claims, see Storage in the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform documentation. For instructions about copying files onto a persistent volume, see Transferring files in and out of containers.

  3. If the Git hooks scripts must interact with an upstream repository using SSH authentication, prepare a secret with the necessary files:

    1. Prepare the id_rsa file with a private key that matches a public key stored in the repository.
    2. Prepare the known_hosts file with the correct name, address, and public key for the repository.
    3. Create a secret with the two files using the oc command, for example:

      oc create secret git-hooks-secret --from-file=id_rsa=id_rsa --from-file=known_hosts=known_hosts
      Note

      When the deployment uses this secret, it mounts the id_rsa and known_hosts files into the /home/jboss/.ssh directory on Business Central pods.

3.8. Provisioning persistent volumes with ReadWriteMany access mode using NFS

If you want to deploy Business Central Monitoring or high-availability Business Central, your environment must provision persistent volumes with ReadWriteMany access mode.

If your configuration requires provisioning persistent volumes with ReadWriteMany access mode but your environment does not support such provisioning, use NFS to provision the volumes. Otherwise, skip this procedure.

Procedure

Deploy an NFS server and provision the persistent volumes using NFS. For information about provisioning persistent volumes using NFS, see the "Persistent storage using NFS" section of the OpenShift Container Platform 4.3 Storage guide.

3.9. Extracting the source code from Business Central for use in an S2I build

If you are planning to create immutable KIE servers using the source-to-image (S2I) process, you must provide the source code for your services in a Git repository. If you are using Business Central for authoring services, you can extract the source code for your service and place it into a separate Git repository, such as GitHub or an on-premise installation of GitLab, for use in the S2I build.

Skip this procedure if you are not planning to use the S2I process or if you are not using Business Central for authoring services.

Procedure

  1. Use the following command to extract the source code:

    git clone https://<business-central-host>:443/git/<MySpace>/<MyProject>

    In this command, replace the following variables:

    • <business-central-host> with the host on which Business Central is running
    • <MySpace> with the name of the Business Central space in which the project is located
    • <MyProject> with the name of the project
    Note

    To view the full Git URL for a project in Business Central, click MenuDesign<MyProject>Settings.

    Note

    If you are using self-signed certificates for HTTPS communication, the command might fail with an SSL certificate problem error message. In this case, disable SSL certificate verification in git, for example, using the GIT_SSL_NO_VERIFY environment variable:

    env GIT_SSL_NO_VERIFY=true git clone https://<business-central-host>:443/git/<MySpace>/<MyProject>
  2. Upload the source code to another Git repository, such as GitHub or GitLab, for the S2I build.

3.10. Preparing for deployment in a restricted network

You can deploy Red Hat Process Automation Manager in a restricted network that is not connected to the public Internet. For instructions about operator deployment in a restricted network, see Using Operator Lifecycle Manager on restricted networks in Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform documentation.

Important

In Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.8, deployment on restricted networks is for Technology Preview only. For more information on Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Scope.

In order to use a deployment that does not have outgoing access to the public Internet, you must also prepare a Maven repository with a mirror of all the necessary artifacts. For instructions about creating this repository, see Section 3.11, “Preparing a Maven mirror repository for offline use”.

3.11. Preparing a Maven mirror repository for offline use

If your Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform environment does not have outgoing access to the public Internet, you must prepare a Maven repository with a mirror of all the necessary artifacts and make this repository available to your environment.

Note

You do not need to complete this procedure if your Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform environment is connected to the Internet.

Prerequisites

  • A computer that has outgoing access to the public Internet is available.

Procedure

  1. Configure a Maven release repository to which you have write access. The repository must allow read access without authentication and your OpenShift environment must have network access to this repository.

    You can deploy a Nexus repository manager in the OpenShift environment. For instructions about setting up Nexus on OpenShift, see Setting up Nexus in the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 3.11 documentation. The documented procedure is applicable to Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform version 4. Use this repository as a separate mirror repository.

    Alternatively, if you use a custom external repository (for example, Nexus) for your services, you can use the same repository as a mirror repository.

  2. On the computer that has an outgoing connection to the public Internet, complete the following steps:

    1. Click Red Hat Process Automation Manager 7.8.0 Offliner Content List to download the rhpam-7.8.0-offliner.zip product deliverable file from the Software Downloads page of the Red Hat Customer Portal.
    2. Extract the contents of the rhpam-7.8.0-offliner.zip file into any directory.
    3. Change to the directory and enter the following command:

      ./offline-repo-builder.sh offliner.txt

      This command creates a repository subdirectory and downloads the necessary artifacts into this subdirectory.

      If a message reports that some downloads have failed, run the same command again. If downloads fail again, contact Red Hat support.

    4. Upload all artifacts from the repository subdirectory to the Maven mirror repository that you prepared. You can use the Maven Repository Provisioner utility, available from the Maven repository tools Git repository, to upload the artifacts.
  3. If you developed services outside Business Central and they have additional dependencies, add the dependencies to the mirror repository. If you developed the services as Maven projects, you can use the following steps to prepare these dependencies automatically. Complete the steps on the computer that has an outgoing connection to the public Internet.

    1. Create a backup of the local Maven cache directory (~/.m2/repository) and then clear the directory.
    2. Build the source of your projects using the mvn clean install command.
    3. For every project, enter the following command to ensure that Maven downloads all runtime dependencies for all the artifacts generated by the project:

      mvn -e -DskipTests dependency:go-offline -f /path/to/project/pom.xml --batch-mode -Djava.net.preferIPv4Stack=true

      Replace /path/to/project/pom.xml with the correct path to the pom.xml file of the project.

    4. Upload all artifacts from the local Maven cache directory (~/.m2/repository) to the Maven mirror repository that you prepared. You can use the Maven Repository Provisioner utility, available from the Maven repository tools Git repository, to upload the artifacts.