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FileHold architecture
FileHold uses a web services architecture to enable various types of standard or custom clients to access documents and metadata over an HTTP(S) connection. This facilitates a wide variety of deployments options including traditional servers and public and private clouds while enabling secure connectivity with a wide variety of clients.
Architecture components
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Application server | The application server is the core of any FileHold system. It consists of seven web applications: document repository, library manager, full text search, user role manager, web client, mobile web client, and help system. The first four web applications are core on every application server. They have a one-to-one relationship to an associated database isolating data access to only the web services published by the application. Every FileHold system has exactly one application server. The application server requires the services of SQL Server to host its four databases and Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services to manage information about local users (for versions up to 14). The application server requires access to a Windows file system location for the document repository and full text search index. These locations should have reliable high performance storage such as RAID, SAN, or high speed NAS. |
| Document repository | Handles storage and retrieval of documents to and from one or more repository locations. This is a core web application. |
| Library manager | This is the busiest web application as it provides a front end to most information about documents, metadata, and configuration. This is a core web application. |
| Full text search | When the library manager is requested to search for documents using full text, it uses the services of the full text search application. This application also updates the index as documents are added to the system. This is a core web application. |
| User role manager | Manages all users and their roles in the system. Passes authentication requests to active directory for domain users and directly authenticates local users (AD LDS is used to authenticate local users before version 15). This is a core web application. |
| Web client | Provides a full function browser based front end for desktop browsers. This application communicates with the core web applications to provide service to end users. It can be deployed stand alone in a web client only server installation to offload client processing from the application server. The anonymous portal is integrated in the web client as a virtual application with a pre-configured user and password. An anonymous portal can be configured on one or more web client applications as needed for performance or security reasons. |
| Mobile web client | Provides a basic function browser based front end for small devices such as tablets and phones. It can be deployed stand alone in a web client only server installation to offload client processing from the application server. |
| Help system | Most FileHold installations use the standard hosted help system that provides a linkage to our extensive online knowledgebase. It is possible for customers to host their own knowledgebase allowing for version, language, and context specific information for their users. This web application runs independently of the other web applications as it provides only a simple mapping between the application online help and the context specific knowledgebase. Contact FileHold professional services for assistance in developing and configuring a local knowledgebase. |
| Repository | This represents one or more file system locations where document files will be stored. The repository is has a structure designed for efficient access and for simplicity of backup and restoration of files. Every FileHold system has at least one repository, but more can be added as needed to expand the total system capacity. |
| FTS index | FileHold uses the dtSearch engine for providing full text search capability. The various files that are required by dtSearch are stored here. |
| SQL server | SQL server is used to store the four FileHold databases. Each of the core web applications has a corresponding database. A single SQL server can support more than one application when appropriately powerfully configured. It can also host multiple FileHold application server systems on a single instance as a unique prefix for the FileHold database names can be configured at install time. |
| AD LDS | Version 14 and lower only. The Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services stores local users passwords and provides for local user authentication using the LDAP protocol. All user and role information is stored in the URM DB starting with version 14. |
| ADAM DB | The datastore for AD LDS. |