Question 1: In how many databases does FileNet Process Engine (PE) stores data?

Answer:

FileNet Process Engine (PE) stores data in to one database named VWDB.

Question 2: What is 'Workflow Roster'?

Answer:

'Workflow Roster' is a database structure that stores information about all workflows (or workitems) in an isolated region. Workflow Roster is part of Process Engine VW database.

Workflow rosters provide the Process Engine with an efficient way to locate specific workflows.

When we initialize a new isolated reason in process engine, a roster called DefaultRoster is created for that isolated reason. Additional rosters can be created using Process Configuration Console (PCC) to easy administrative tasks.

 

Question 3: What is an Isolated Region?

Answer:

An isolated region is a logical subdivision of the workflow database that contains the queues for the work items, event logs, rosters, and other configuration information.

Below are few facts about isolated region:

• FileNet Process Engine have Isolated Regions
• ‘Process Configuration Console (PCC)’ is used to create and manage Isolated Regions.
• One PE can have multiple Isolated Regions.
• Multiple Isolated Regions cannot connect to same Content Engine (CE).
• Initializing new Isolated Region creates default structure as Inbox, default roster and event log.
• A system administrator uses FileNet Enterprise Manager (FEM) to define the isolated region. A Process Engine host, the communication point, a password, and isolated region number are required to define isolated region in CE.

Question 4: Why do we need multiple ‘Isolated Regions’?

Answer:

An isolated region is a logical subdivision of the workflow database in FileNet Process Engine.

Different units in an organization who do not want to share workflow data can create different isolated region.

For example the research department and the finance department in an organization have two all together logically different processes. It is recommended to have two different isolated regions for these two departments.

Multiple isolated regions also make it easy to maintain the systems. Changes made into one region don’t affect the users of another region.

 

Question 5: How to determine if FileNet Process Engine (PE) is running fine?

Answer:

Following things can be checked to find out if FileNet PE is running fine:

• Try following URL:
  http://hqdemo1:32776/IOR/ping
  
  If PE is running, the PE server page is displayed.
  If PE is not running, an error 'Page not found' is displayed.
  
  IOR Port (Interoperable Object Reference Port): IOR port is used by AE to communicate with PE. This is a unidirectional port from AE to PE. It has 32776 and 32777 as the default port numbers.
• Try opening the FileNet Workplace - 'Tasks' page.
  If tasks page opens, PE is running fine.
  If request to 'Tasks' page get timed out and 'Process Engine Exception' occurred then PE is not running.
• Examine following Windows services for the process Engine and make sure they are running.
  1. Process Engine IMG ControlService
  2. Process Engine Service Manager
•  

Question 6: What are different types of Queue's in Process Engine?

Answer:

Process Engine (PE) queues holds the work items waiting to be processed. The queues in PE can be managed using Process Configuration Console (PCC).

PE has 4 different types of queues:

User Queues

User queues hold work items assigned to a users or being tracked by a user. There are two different type of user queues created when an Isolated Region is initialized:

• Inbox
• Tracker

Work Queues

Work queue hold work item which can be processed by one or many users part of a group.

i.e. For processing an insurance claim, a work queue 'Claim' can be created and any employee from claim processing department can pick up the work item and process it.

Component Queues

Component queue holds work items to be processed by component step in workflow. The components steps are to process a work item using an external component.

System Queues

Internally used by Process Engine, System queues are not accessible to the users or administrators. Conductor, Delay, and InstructionSheetInterpreter are few of the examples of system queues.

 

Question 7: How to delete a queue in Process Engine?

Answer:

FileNet doesn't provide any mechanism to delete a queue; whether it is a work queue or a component queue.

The only workaround is to initialize the isolated region in following way:

Export isolated region configuration data to XML - Use Process Configuration Console (PCC) to export all components of selected isolated region.

Initialize a isolated region.

Take a backup of XML file from the export in step 1 and carefully edit the XML file to remove the nodes of unwanted queue.

Import the XML file in recently initialized isolated region with the option 'overwrite'.

Validate the configuration.

Note: When an isolated region is initialized, it makes changes to the workflow database structure and the data in workflow database is deleted.

FileNet developer should design and configure the queues very carefully to avoid a situation where they will have to delete a queue.

 

Question 8: What happens to the work items when a work queue is deleted from PE?

Answer:

Process Engine work queue holds the work items. FileNet P8 doesn't provide any easier way to delete a queue.

Queues can be deleted by initializing the isolated region. When a queue is deleted all the work items in it are also deleted.

 

Question 9: What is the difference between a roster and a queue?

Answer:

There is no gross difference in querying a queue or a roster. Each is a table and the issue in querying them will be based on the number of items needed to be reviewed by the database, the effort in deconstructing what needs to be returned and the number of objects that are returned. 

Some general rules. 
1. A roster is used to find work. It represents work that could be in any number of different queues. Otherwise you'd have to scan each queue to find work. Think of it as a lookup to your work regardless of queue. 
2. A queue is used to separate similar work for similar actions. Work is processed from a queue and can be filtered. It is rare to look for work via a queue as a roster is more efficient. 
3. To process work you either know the queue its in (inbox style application), or look it up in the roster and then process it. 
4. You always return queue elements or roster elements in a query where you don't know how many items are returned. This is simply a return of columns in the table. 
5. You only return work objects, step elements or instruction elements when you have a small number or a known number of items to process. Typically, browse for queue elements, lock an item, get a step element, process the item, dispatch, and then back to browse. 
6. Getting data elements via work object, step element or instruction elements requires more processing by the process engine as the data isn't in the columns of the table but is in the blob data. For a large number of objects this is a performance impact, but understand the impact, and if necessary do it. Do not do it for an unknown number of returned results. 
7. Make sure you expose business data on the queue for filtering work and on the roster to find it. The same data can be exposed on each. This puts the data in a column on the roster or the queue and means you can retrieve the roster element of queue element without a great overhead in the database or process engine. 
8. Make sure you build indices on the data elements that are exposed so that table scans aren't needed to retrieve your data. 

Your process design will not be impacted by the query you build. You build the query based on the process requirements, the process design and the configuration that is created for the queues and rosters that are needed to support your query.

 

Question 10: What is the use of Process Administrator?

Answer:

FileNet Process Administrator allows FileNet administrator to view and manage work in progress.

Process Administrator is a Java Applet based UI and can be invoked from IBM Workplace's admin section.

Following tasks can be performed though Process Administrator:

Search workflows, work items, workflow events, and workflow statistics.

It allows the administrator to search in specific area. Following areas are available for search:

• Workflow roster
• User queue
• Component queue
• Work queue
• System queue
• Event log (only for searching events)

It allows to manage the workflows and work items in following ways:

• Assign or reassign work to a user
• Change workflow attributes, such as data field values and workflow group members.
• Complete work and send it on to the next step
• Terminate work and send it to the termination step
• Delete work, one or more work items or an entire workflow
• Unlock work based on the current user or queue

It allows opening Process Tracker for the selected work item.

 

Question 11: Where to find information about the workflows or work items which are terminated?

Answer:

The FileNet Process Administrator allows administrator to search for events in event logs. The information about the terminated work items can be found though Process Administrator by search for events.

Please note that PE queues only hold the information about active work items / workflows

 

Question 12: What is Process Engine Connection Point?

Answer:

Connection point (or Process Engine Connection Point) allows Process Engine API’s to connect to an associated isolated region. The router process in FN 3.5 was replaced by connection points in FN 4.0 onward releases.

FileNet CE uses connection points to connect to PE.

Connection points are defined in CE APIs and persisted in the Global Configuration Data (GCD) on the Content Engine. The Content Engine's Enterprise Manager UI is used to create and manage connection points.

PE Connection Point sample:

PE Server DNS, Port, Isolated Region Number

i.e

hqdemo1,32776,1

Question 13: What is the difference between Workplace and Workplace XT? What are the benefits of using FileNet Workplace XT?

Answer:

IBM FileNet Workplace, a part of FileNet Content Manager product suite, is an out-of-box web based user interface for FileNet P8 Products.

Workplace XT is the next-generation FileNet P8 platform Web application.

Most of Workplace XT feature are same as Workplace; however, the procedures user perform to complete an activity are different.

Workplace XT is faster, user friendly and has features like drag and drop to add documents.

IBM launched Workplace XT to compete with documentum and Alfresco, who has similar web interfaces.

While most of the functionalities of Workplace XT are similar to the Workplace, it cannot be considered as product upgrade as Workplace XT is built using Java Server Faces (JSF) technology.

Workplace XT has better folder structure and nicer way to organize favorites.

Workplace XT does not provide a development environment for customization; however, Workplace continues to provide the Workplace Application Toolkit and related development tools for Workplace customization.

Note: IBM has plans to release the Workplace XT development tool kit in future releases.

 

Question 14: What are the types of document class?

Answer: