Concepts: FileNet P8 Domain

The FileNet P8 domain represents a logical grouping of physical resources (object store databases, full text index areas, file storage areas, and content cache areas) and Content Engine servers providing access to those resources. Each resource, and each Content Engine server, belongs to one and only one domain. A Content Engine server can access any resource in its domain, but cannot access any resource that lies outside of its domain.

The FileNet P8 domain is associated with one or more Java™ 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) security realms (typically one) used to authenticate callers and establish their group memberships. The identity and group membership information obtained from the realm is used by the Content Engine server to determine which domain objects the caller may access.

A FileNet P8 domain has the following characteristics:

Global Configuration Data

The heart of a FileNet P8 domain is its Global Configuration Data, or GCD, which defines Content Engine servers and resources that reside within the domain. Specifically, the GCD contains descriptive and location information for:

WARNING   Deleting an active Content Engine Server Instance can cause unexpected behavior. Do so only after the Content Engine application is undeployed from application server. Otherwise, the Content Engine software tries to block requests to delete itself, but fails if the delete request is routed to a separate JVM from the active Server Instance.

Creating a FileNet P8 domain

You create a FileNet P8 domain by using Enterprise Manager; a GCD is created automatically if one does not already exist. Thereafter, you can add additional servers to an existing FileNet P8 domain by running the installation program again on a server that is a member of the J2EE domain in which the FileNet P8 domain resides. See FileNet P8 Platform Installation and Upgrade for instructions on installing Content Engine.

GCD Security

The GCD is stored in a database, and contains a security descriptor which controls access to specific GCD objects. Access to the GCD table is a function of how access to the database is controlled.

See Help for Security for more information on the FileNet P8 domain's association with its authentication provider.

Backup and restore considerations

If the database server hosting the GCD database is totally lost, the system administrator cannot reach the P8 domain; therefore, it is important to back up the GCD database. See Back up Content Engine for more information.