Alternative CLM deployment topologies

Standard topologies overview

This page describes the Alternate CLM Deployment Topologies for versions 3.x and 4.x. Refer to Standard deployment topologies overview for high-level description of the standard topologies, how they are categorized and their key characteristics.

These alternative deployment topologies for the Rational solution for Collaborative Lifecycle Management (CLM) are a subset of the standard CLM deployment topologies. For the rest of the standard topologies, see Recommended CLM deployment topologies.

Alternate evaluation topology

(CLM-V1) Evaluation - Single server / Tomcat / Derby

This is a simple, single server topology whose primary use is supporting evaluations, demonstrations, proofs of concept and training. Given the use of Derby and Tomcat, it can be stood up very quickly, especially with the upcoming express install feature.

(CLM-V1) Evaluation - Single server / Tomcat / Derby

Alternate departmental topologies

(CLM-D1) Departmental - Single application server, Windows / DB2

This departmental topology uses Windows for the server operating systems. The CLM applications and JTS are deployed to a single WAS instance. Virtual host names are used to ensure public URI stability. DB2 is used for the databases and is hosted on a separate server. Rational Reporting for Development Intelligence (RRDI) is included in this department configuration but is hosted on a separate server and WAS instance for performance reasons. Finally, licenses are served by a floating license server and Active Directory provides the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) based user management.

(CLM-D1) Departmental - Single application server, Windows / DB2

Alternate enterprise topologies

(CLM-E3) Enterprise - Clustered / Linux / Oracle

This enterprise topology uses Linux for the server operating systems. The CLM applications and JTS are each deployed to a cluster of WAS nodes. Though clusterable, RRDI is hosted on a separate server pending completion of reliability and performance tests. A load balancer fronts multiple reverse proxy servers (used to ensure public URI stability) and balances the inbound requests between them. Oracle is used for the databases and is hosted on a separate server. Finally, licenses are served by a token license server and Tivoli Directory Server provides the LDAP based user management.

Please Note as announced with CLM v4.0.6: IBM will be simplifying the approach to high availability for the Rational CLM platform. Customers and IBM are increasingly using other technologies, such as cloud and virtualization strategies, that provide a solution which adapts to business demands for both availability and scale in a cost-effective manner. Please see Approaches to implementing high availability and disaster recovery for Rational Jazz environments for guidance and best practice. IBM will be removing support for WebSphere Application Server based application clustering from the CLM platform. For further details, please contact Support or your Technical Sales representative.

(CLM-E3) Enterprise - Clustered / Linux / Oracle

(CLM-E4) Enterprise - Clustered / AIX / all IBM

This enterprise topology uses AIX for the server operating systems. The CLM applications and JTS are each deployed to a cluster of WAS nodes each in a separate LPAR. Though clusterable, RRDI is hosted on a separate server pending completion of reliability and performance tests. A load balancer fronts multiple reverse proxy servers (used to ensure public URI stability) and balances the inbound requests between them. DB2 is used for the databases and is hosted on a separate server. The server-side converter.war, needed to view graphical artifacts in RRC, is deployed on a Linux server. Finally, licenses are served by a token license server and the AIX LDAP server provides the user management.

Please Note as announced with CLM v4.0.6: IBM will be simplifying the approach to high availability for the Rational CLM platform. Customers and IBM are increasingly using other technologies, such as cloud and virtualization strategies, that provide a solution which adapts to business demands for both availability and scale in a cost-effective manner. Please see Approaches to implementing high availability and disaster recovery for Rational Jazz environments for guidance and best practice. IBM will be removing support for WebSphere Application Server based application clustering from the CLM platform. For further details, please contact Support or your Technical Sales representative.

(CLM-E4) Enterprise - Clustered / AIX / all IBM

(CLM-E5) Enterprise - zOS / Linux on System z / DB2

This enterprise topology uses Linux on System z for the operating system on the CLM server. The CLM applications, RRDI and JTS run in separate profiles on a single WAS instance. A reverse proxy is used to ensure public URI stability. DB2 is used for the databases and is hosted on a separate z/OS LPAR. Finally, licenses are served by a floating license server and Tivoli Directory Server provides the LDAP based user management. Each of these run on a Linux server.

(CLM-E5) Enterprise - zOS / Linux on System z / DB2

(CLM-E6) Enterprise - zOS / DB2

This enterprise topology uses z/OS for the operating system on the CLM. The CLM applications and JTS run in separate profiles on a single WAS instance. RRDI does not run on z/OS so is deployed on WAS hosted on a Linux server. A reverse proxy is used to ensure public URI stability. DB2 is used for the databases and is hosted on a separate LPAR. Finally, licenses are served by a floating license server running on Linux and Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) provides the user management.

(CLM-E6) Enterprise - zOS / DB2

Applying the topologies

Every customer's environment is different with unique, necessary and often immutable requirements and constraints. We recognize that these standard topologies may not provide enough detail to make them immediately implementable in some customer environments, but we wanted to describe several topologies with enough variability to give an indication of what is possible and where our recommendations start.

While we recommend customers start with a standard topology that is most applicable to them, we recognize they will need to make changes and customizations to support their own unique requirements and constraints. IBM will support your own implementations, but may ask you to describe which topology is most applicable to your deployment and ask you to document what is unique in your environment to expedite any potential support situation.

To aid you in documenting your chosen deployment topology, we have made the following Rational Software Architect (RSA) model files available:

• CLM standard topologies
• CLM standard topologies 5.0.2
• SSE standard topologies 4.0.3 and 4.0.4
• SSE standard topologies 4.0.5
• SSE standard topologies 4.0.6
• SSE standard topologies 5.0.0
• SSE standard topologies 5.0.1
• SSE standard topologies 5.0.2

These may be imported into RSA then further modified or expanded to represent your environment. Look at the Installation_Instructions.txt file for information on how to import the models into RSA.

Datasheets and sizing guidelines

Find CLM-specific performance datasheets, sizing guidelines and performance-related case studies on the Performance datasheets and sizing guidelines page.

Next steps

This topic is meant to briefly introduce these standard topologies and describe how they might be applied. Work is already underway to build upon and apply them. Subsequent updates to this topic and supporting topics will provide additional insight into their usage.

Future updates to this topic or supporting topics may cover:

• Deeper look at select topologies
• Provide suggested tuning parameters
• Consider high availability database topologies
• Begin to expand this topology model into other domains
• Discussion of strategic integrations with other Rational and non-Rational products.

Related topics: Recommended CLM deployment topologies, Deployment planning and design

External links:

• None

Additional contributors: None