Introduction

One of the benefits/features of ProjectWise is great flexibility in the system architecture, due in part to its three-tier architecture, which separates the data from the applications. It is also due to careful programming that allows even the server application software to be split seamlessly over several servers. In particular, it is possible to separate the components that serve the Web-based clients from those that serve the ProjectWise Explorer Client. 

Installation and Configuration

Server components should be installed on the two servers as described in the Component Location tables below. In the split Application and Web Server scenario, the Web Server components act like a Windows Client to the Application Server. With this in mind, if the Web Server cannot reach the Application Server with its broadcast request for available datasources, then the Connection Server needs to be installed on the Web/Publishing Server. TCP Port 5800 needs to be opened between the Application Server and the Web/Publishing Server for File Transfer.

Component Location

Application Server
Database Server
ODBC datasource
ProjectWise Application Server

Web/Publishing Server
Internet Information Services (IIS)
Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
JRun Professional
Bentley Publisher
ProjectWise Web Server
ProjectWise Publishing Gateway
ProjectWise Document Publisher (Optional)
ProjectWise MarkUp for the Web (Optional)
Connection Server (only needed if there is a router/firewall between the Application Server and the Web Server and the File Transfer Server is not already installed)

Possible Uses

There are three benefits to a Distributed Server Configuration:

1. Performance - By removing the memory and processing requirements of the Web and publishing components, the Application Server can be scaled smaller to maintain a high performance for the ProjectWise Explorer users.
2. Security - Most organizations would like to maintain the Application Server inside their Firewall and the Web Server in an area of the network that is accessible to the Internet.
3. Allow multiple Web/publishing servers - With this configuration it is possible to maintain a single, central Application Server and push the Web Servers out to remote offices. This is especially useful in the scenario where each remote office maintains its own ProjectWise File Transfer Servers. This reduces the amount of network traffic because there is no longer a need to transfer the source files from the Remote File Server to a central Web/Publishing Server. In this scenario the files are stored and published in the remote office.

See Also

Product TechNotes and FAQs

ProjectWise TechNotes And FAQs

External Links

Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase

Bentley LEARN Server

Comments or Corrections?

Bentley's Technical Support Group requests that you please confine any comments you have on this Wiki entry to this "Comments or Corrections?" section. THANK YOU!