WebSphere Commerce search server: Advanced configuration

The advanced configuration federates and clusters WebSphere Commerce search. First, in the standard configuration, it creates and deploys a separate search profile and web module on the same machine as the WebSphere Commerce profile. Then, federates them across nodes using the deployment manager (DMGR).

The following diagram shows a sample topology for a WebSphere Commerce and WebSphere Commerce search cluster in the production environment, with load balancing and failover configured:
Advanced deployment cluster

Where a WebSphere Application Server cluster with multiple WebSphere Commerce server and WebSphere Commerce search nodes (machine) is deployed for scalability and failover support.

The following list summarizes the recommended WebSphere Commerce search deployment in the advanced configuration:

Recommended WebSphere Commerce search deployment
Component or task	Details
Prerequisites	A dual WebSphere Application Server profile, with WebSphere Commerce and WebSphere Commerce search, on the same (non-managed) node. A common database. DB2, Oracle, or IBM i.
Single cell WebSphere Application Server cluster federation	Deployment manager. Web and WebSphere Commerce cluster, web and WebSphere Commerce search cluster, and Repeater. Federate to managed nodes and Repeater. Note: For more information, see the proceeding sections Compatibility mode and Managed repeater.
Edge component	A work load balancer to distribute live traffic across all cluster nodes.
Index replication	Repeater, WebSphere Commerce search in each search cluster node. Verify all WebSphere Application Server name space binding.
WebSphere Application Server security	A self-signed certificated is imported by default. You must import your own CA-signed certificate in production environments. Administrative security is enabled on the WebSphere Commerce server.
Maintenance	The same maintenance mechanism applies to both the WebSphere Commerce and WebSphere Commerce search applications. All maintenance is applied to the local node, and then the DMGR syncs other nodes.

Other advanced configuration options include compatibility mode and managed repeater:

Compatibility mode

Managed repeater

Where the following cluster deployment configuration exists in the production environment:

Code is installed on the primary node. Future interim fixes and maintenance are applied to the primary node. Changes to either WebSphere Commerce and search applications are propagated to other cluster members through the node agent.
Routing live traffic to the primary node is optional. After both the WebSphere Commerce and Search applications on the primary node are federated to the WebSphere Commerce cluster and Search cluster, you can remove the Search application from showing under the Primary node in the Deployment Manager.
There are two approaches to deploy the repeater, with differing maintenance paths:

Compatibility mode

The repeater can be unmanaged and stand-alone. This approach ensures a less-complex transition from earlier feature pack versions.

Fixes and maintenance must be manually applied to the repeater in the compatibility mode.

Managed repeater

The repeater resides in the search cluster and is managed by the same deployment manager.

Fixes and maintenance can be applied using the deployment manager.
The replication configuration on each subordinate server points to the repeater.
Search cluster web servers can optionally be exposed externally, if direct access to the search REST services is required.
WebSphere Commerce should be configured to point to the search cluster for search requests. For example, /term, /select, or REST requests.
Search administration requests should be configured to point to the repeater, for example, /dataimport requests.
The repeater web server should not be exposed externally.