Installing xPlore

I downloaded and installed xPlore (Documentum’s new search engine) a few weeks ago.  I found the deployment documentation to be accurate and the install easy.  Granted, I had the simplest install scenario: a 6.6 repository on Windows with no instance of FAST and no HA or fail-over requirements.

The basic process goes like this:

• Install and configure the DSS (xPlore) query plugin.  This consists of unzipping a file and running a Docbasic script (yes, Docbasic…).
• Install the primary xPlore instance. This step will install a new instance of JBoss and the xPlore web app (dsearch).  The default port for xPlore is 9300. The installation and configuration is guided by a wizard.
  • This step will result in the installation of two Windows services: Documentum xPlore PrimaryDsearch (Primary) and Documentum xPlore Watchdog.
• Install and configure index agents (also a wizard-based installation and configuration). Note the dsearch.log is found at ..\xPlore\jboss4.3.0\server\DctmServer_PrimaryDsearch\logs. The index agent base port is 9200.
  • This process will result in the installation of a Windows service named: Documentum Indexagent.

xPlore runs in its own instance of JBoss.  You can choose to deploy it to an existing instance if you choose.

The new Documentum xPlore Administrator is very nice and is also deployed to the xPlore JBoss instance.  As you would expect, the Administrator gives you complete control over the xPlore environment including testing, tracing and debugging xPlore instances.

There are at least three (more depending upon how many nodes you install) URLs you will want to keep handy:

• Index Agent – http://host:9200/IndexAgent/login_dss.jsp
• xPlore Administrator – http://host:9300/dsearchadmin (this URL is conveniently added to the DA home page.)
• To test if the primary xPlore instance is running – http://host:port/dsearch (should respond:  Node PrimaryDsearch [version=1.0.0.122] normal)

To determine if Webtop (for example) is really querying against xPlore, issue a query that includes the ENABLE(FTDQL_DATA) DQL hint like this:

SELECT r_object_id FROM dm_sysobject SEARCH DOCUMENT CONTAINS ’dmadmin’ ENABLE(FTDQL_DATA)

if the result contains an XQuery snippet like this:

( (dmftinternal/i_all_types = '0300000180000105') ) and ( (dmftversions/iscurrent = 'true') ) Native Query:[((. ftcontains ( (('dmadin') with stemming) ) )) and ( ( (dmftinternal/i_all_types = '0300000180000105') ) and ( (dmftversions/iscurrent = 'true') ) )]

you are using xPlore.  Congratulations!

UPDATE:  There is a new best practices document available on the EDN for installing xPlore in a multi-node, high-availability environment using Windows clustering.  Get it here.

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