Using Intrexx Demo Portal as a Portal Template

The INTREXX GmbH provides you with a demo portal. You can select this as a template when creating a portal.

The Intrexx Demo Portal is a fully functional portal that contains a wealth of applications, among other things. As an Intrexx user, you can open the demo portal in the Portal Manager and make any changes or extensions.

As a portal user, you can open the demo portal immediately after creating it in the browser and use all its functions.

Step-by-step guide

To create a portal based on the Intrexx demo portal, proceed as follows:

  1. Click on "File -> New portal...". Or press Ctrl+N.

  2. The "New portal... - General settings" dialog box is displayed.

    Portal name

    Provide the portal with a unique name here.
    When you create a portal, Intrexx uses the name entered here for the portal directory on the portal server. Portal-specific files are stored in the portal directory.
    The portal name does not correspond to the URL used to access the portal in the browser. You define the URL in the front-end web server. (For more information, see Add website in IIS.)

    Portal directory

    All of the portal's files can be found in the portal directory on the Intrexx portal server. When you enter a portal name, the name for the subdirectory is automatically formed from the portal name.

    Portal log directory

    The directory where the portal log files are stored is stated here. The same applies here: When you enter a portal name, the name for the subdirectory is automatically formed from the portal name.

  3. Click on "Next".

    The "New portal... - Portal Template" dialog box is displayed.

    Switch to the "Standard" tab if it is not already selected.

  4. Click on "Next".

    Database server

    Click on "Next" to go to the "Database server" dialog.

    Select the database server for your new portal.

    For the Oracle database server, you must obtain the database drivers directly from the manufacturer. Copy your driver into the installation directory "/lib" and then restart the portal service.

    The subsequent dialogs where the connection to the database server is configured varies from database to database.
    In this guide, PostgreSQL will be used as an example.
    Select "PostgreSQL" and click on "Next" to go to the "PostgreSQL connection data" dialog.


    PostgreSQL connection data

    Database name

    The name of the database can be edited here.

    Port number

    Enter the communication port for the database.

    SSL

    Define whether the connection to the database server should be encrypted or not.
    You can select "No SSL" while creating the portal and then configure an encrypted connection to the database server later as needed.
    If you configure an encrypted connection and select "SSL with certificate validation", you need to add the certificate to the corresponding place on the database server before creating the portal.
    Once the portal has been created, you need to add the certificate to the Intrexx portal server for the encrypted connection to the database to work correctly.

    Login

    Enter the username of the database user.

    Password

    Enter the password of the database user.

    Connection database

    If you do not want to create a new database, you can select an existing database here.

    CockroachDB mode

    If you are using CockroachDB, you can activate CockroachDB mode here.

    Click on "Next" to go to the "PostgreSQL database settings" dialog.

    PostgreSQL database settings

    New database

    A new database is created with this option.

    Use existing empty database

    An existing database is used with this option.

    Database name

    The name of the database can be edited here.

    Encoding

    Select the encoding (character set) for the new database here. The preset (UNICODE - UTF 8) can be kept in most cases.

    Click on "Next" to go to the "Front-end web server (reverse proxy / load balancer)" dialog.

    Front-end web server (Reverse proxy / Load balancer)

    In this dialog, you can define which front-end web server (reverse proxy) should be used for communications between the Intrexx portal server and the browser.

    For detailed information on using frontend web servers, see the section Using a reverse proxy.

    Internet Information Services (IIS)

    Intrexx provides a graphical user interface for configuring Internet Information Services.

    Use IIS if you are working in a Windows environment.

    More information about using Internet Information Services (IIS) is available in the chapter Windows - Configure IIS (Internet Information Services).

    Please note that to use a front-end web server, you need to add a corresponding entry in your DNS server (A or AAAA record). More information about this is available in the chapter Define hostnames in DNS.

    IIS website

    Select the website that you added to IIS for your portal earlier. Do not use the "Default Web Site" from IIS.

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port that you used in the previous version of Intrexx will be shown here. You can leave this port as it is.

    Please note: The port 1337 is predefined for a new installation.

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here.
    By default, the displayed base URL is derived from the website binding information in the Internet Information Service (IIS). These are the "Type" and "Hostname" specifications. (Please refer to the section Add website in IIS.)

    Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    NGINX

    Intrexx provides a graphical user interface for configuring NGINX.

    Use NGINX if you are working in a Linux environment.

    More information about using NGINX is available in the chapter Linux - Configure NGINX.

    Please note that to use a front-end web server, you need to add a corresponding entry in your DNS server (A or AAAA record). More information about this is available in the chapter Define hostnames in DNS.

    NGINX virtual host

    "NGINX virtual host" refers to the embedded Tomcat. NGINX connects to the Intrexx portal service via the virtual host. Typically, "localhost" should be entered here. (One exception to this is when NGINX is installed on a different server to Intrexx. In this case, the Intrexx server should be specified here.)

    NGINX configuration file

    You can generate the NGINX configuration file with Intrexx.

    Enter the path to the directory that the NGINX configuration file should be generated in.

    Example: /myfolder/portal.example.com.conf

    Afterwards, copy and link the NGINX configuration file to the desired folder within "/etc/nginx".

    Example: /etc/nginx/sites-available/ portal.example.com.conf

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port for the Embedded Tomcat is displayed here. (For a new installation, this is port 1337.)

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here. The first part refers to the protocol. Please note that here https is indicated. The second part is made up of the hostname that you defined in the NGINX configuration file. Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    No front-end web server

    Select this option if you do not want to configure a front-end web server (reverse proxy) for your portal.

    Please note that this option can only be recommended for test and development portals.
    More information about this option is available in the section No front-end web server.

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port for the Embedded Tomcat is displayed here. (For a new installation, this is port 1337.)

    Encryption (HTTPS)

    Activate this checkbox if you would like to encrypt communications between the embedded Tomcat and the browser.

    Self-signed certificate for "localhost"

    Select this option if communications between the embedded Tomcat and the browser should be encrypted using a self-signed certificate (for test and development portals).

    In this case, Intrexx automatically generates a self-signed certificate and uses it for the encrypted connection.

    Certificate file

    Click on the icon to search for the certificate.

    Certificate type

    Select the type of certificate store (keystore) that the certificate is saved in.

    Keystore password

    Enter the password for the keystore that the certificate is saved in.

    Certificate key password

    Enter the password for the certificate (certificate file).

    Please note: The password for the keystore and certificate store are often identical.

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here. The first part refers to the protocol. Please note that here https is indicated. The second part consists of the host name. Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    You can generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) in this dialog. Detailed information on this can be found in the section Generate CSR (Certificate Signing Request) without a front-end web server.

    Manual setup

    You have the ability to manually configure communications between embedded Tomcat and the browser. In doing so, you forgo the dialog-supported configuration that is available for the "Internet Information Services (IIS)", "NGINX" and "No front-end web server" options.

    Further technical specifications for the manual setup can be found in the following files. This are included with Intrexx.

    • <portal directory>\tomcat\conf\server-https-default.xml

    • <portal directory>\tomcat\conf\server-http-default.xml

    • <portal directory>\external\htmlroot\WEB-INF\web.xml

    • <intrexx-installation-directory>\samples\web-tls-configuration\nginx\portal-internet.conf

    • <intrexx-installation-directory>\samples\web-tls-configuration\nginx\portal-remote.conf

    • <intrexx-installation-directory>\samples\web-tls-configuration\nginx\portal-intranet.conf

    Get in contact with the Intrexx Support Center if you need more information.

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here. The first part refers to the protocol. You have configured an encrypted connection between the Intrexx portal server and the browser. The second part consists of the host name. Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    This guide will use Internet Information Services (IIS) as an example of a front-end web server.
    Click on "Next" to go to the "Front-end web server: Internet Information Services (IIS)" dialog.

    Front-end web server: Internet Information Services (IIS)

    IIS website

    Select the website that you added to IIS for your portal earlier. Do not use the "Default Web Site" from IIS.

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port that you used in the previous version of Intrexx will be shown here. You can leave this port as it is.

    Please note: The port 1337 is predefined for a new installation.

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here.
    By default, the displayed base URL is derived from the website binding information in the Internet Information Service (IIS). These are the "Type" and "Hostname" specifications. (Please refer to the section Add website in IIS.)

    Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    Solr search server

    Each portal has a search function. "Solr", Apache's search server, is the infrastructure that provides this feature.

    In this dialog, you determine whether you want to apply the default Solr settings or a custom configuration.

    Intrexx version 12.0.0

    Default settings for Solr installed by Setup

    By default, the Solr search server is installed in standalone mode. The Solr search server is installed on the same server as the Intrexx Portal Server. The default user and password are used for authentication on the Solr search server.

    If you are using only one instance of the Solr search server, i.e. you are not using SolrCloud, you can usually select the default setting.

    Custom Solr configuration

    Select this option if you want to configure custom settings for the Solr search server. This is especially the case if you want to make authentication changes to the Solr search server.

    For detailed information about the Custom Solr Configuration, see the section Custom Solr configuration.

    Intrexx version 12.0.1

    As of Intrexx 12.0.1, you have the option of using OpenSearch or Elasticsearch as a "preview feature" for the portal search.

    Click on "Next" to go to the "Summary" dialog.

    Summary

    General properties

    Opens a dialog where the portal name and directory can be edited.

    Web server

    Opens a dialog where the web server settings can be edited.

    Advanced settings

    Opens a dialog where the ports, search engine and other settings can be modified.

    Portal template

    Opens a dialog in which the portal template and the default portal language can be changed.

    After you have clicked on Portal template, the "Portal template" dialog box is displayed.

    Click on "Next".

    The "Language" dialog box is displayed.

    Here you can change the default language of the portal.

    Database

    Opens a dialog where the database can be changed.

    Advanced settings

    Opens a dialog where the ports, search engine and other settings can be modified.

    Click on "Start" to start the portal creation and open the "Creating portal" dialog.

    Creating portal

    Show messages

    Click here to view the list of messages about the portal creation.

    Show tasks

    Goes back to the original view.

    Click on "Finish" to go to the "Success" dialog.

    Success

    Show portal in browser

    Opens the portal you just created in the browser.

    You have created a portal based on the Intrexx demo portal.