Purpose Of This Redpaper - IBM BS029ML - WebSphere Portal Server Self Help Manual

1.1 Purpose of this Redpaper

The WebSphere Portal Self Help Guide focuses on the who, what, where, when, and why of a
WebSphere Portal Server Version 6 deployment. The goal of this guide is to introduce and
explain the various scenarios that you should consider before, during, and after the
installation of WebSphere Portal Server. Our mission as authors is to arm you with the
conceptual information that you need to deploy and manage your portal infrastructure, with
the goal of problem avoidance. We do recognize that even in the best of circumstances
problems can occur, so we also introduce you to various tools and techniques for problem
determination and problem solving, including obtaining and installing fixes, how to contact
support, and what type of information you should provide before engagement.
For the purposes of this Redpaper, our concentration is focused on the underlying framework
that composes the WebSphere Portal Server core (that is, access control, integration,
administration, and presentation). Our goal is to assist you in answering such questions as:
What tools can I use to obtain sizing estimates for my portal environment?
When/Why should I convert my portal server(s) from Cloudscape™ to an external
database?
What can I do to optimize the runtime in my portal environment?
How do I convert my portal server(s) from a test LDAP to a production LDAP?
Why are dual lines of production important in a portal cluster?
For customers looking to leverage the additional services and features that WebSphere Portal
offers, we do provide information about recommended supplemental materials that help make
up WebSphere Portal's portfolio, such as WebSphere Content Management, Portal
Document Manager, and Personalization, among others.
For customers who are looking to install and configure a enterprise deployment of
WebSphere Portal Server Version 6, refer to the IBM Redbooks publication, WebSphere
Portal Version 6 Enterprise Scale Deployment Best Practices, SG24-7387.
For existing customers looking for a step-by-step guide to migrate their WebSphere Portal
Server environment from Version 5.1 to Version 6, we encourage you to read the Redpaper
IBM WebSphere Portal V6: Best Practices for Migrating from V5.1, REDP-4227.
This Redpaper is oriented toward Portal Administrators and IT Architects at all levels of
administration and architectural design. A working knowledge of J2EE™ Architecture and
WebSphere Application Server administration, as well as a basic understanding of Java™
programming concepts, are assumed.
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IBM WebSphere Portal V6 Self Help Guide