Architecture components

This section briefly describes the IPF architecture components.

IPF Control Service

This is a Windows service that allows IPF to manage IIS and other server-level resources on the portal server or server farm. For example, the IPF Control Service installs architecture components into IIS, sets bindings, and makes updates to the web config file. Installation of the IPF Control Service includes IPF Launcher, Portal Manager and Farm Manager applications, and all architecture and content files.

IPF Control Database

The IPF Control Database is the Microsoft SQL Server database that contains all of the architecture code and content and all of the portal content, including pages, assets, help files, layouts, field display formats (FDFs), and more.

IPF Installer

The IPF Installer is used to perform these tasks:

  • Create the IPF Control Database: This includes creating the database in Microsoft SQL Server, applying the IPF-specific schema, and granting database permissions to the IPF database access user account.
  • Upgrade the IPF Control Database: This upgrades the schema to a later version and re-grants database permissions.
  • Install, upgrade, downgrade, reinstall, or uninstall the IPF Control Service: Installation actions install and start the IPF Control Service, connect to the service, and install the IPF architecture.
  • Grant IPF Control Database Permissions: This action is required when you must change the IPF database access user account to a different Windows or Windows domain user account.

IPF Launcher

The IPF Launcher downloads the Portal Manager and Farm Manager applications from the IPF Control Database to your local machine.

IPF IIS WebApp

This is an IIS web application pool that is created when you create an IPF instance.

Farm Manager

The Farm Manager is a Windows application used to configure and manage farm servers, data sources, initial portal settings, and more. Even if you have only one server, it is considered to be a farm in IPF.

This table describes each functional area of the Farm Manager and where to learn more about it:
Functional area Used for Documentation
Farm Configuration Configuring these and other farm components:
  • Initial portal settings
  • Data sources
  • Content versions, IPF versions, and IPF instances
  • Host names and digital certificates
  • Farms, servers, and load balancers
  • IPF control
 Initial installation and configuration is described in the installation guide. Ongoing administration tasks are described in the farm administration guide.
Session Management Viewing and managing portal sessions. Farm administration guide
Farm Job Management Viewing and managing farm jobs. Farm administration guide

The IPF database access account is used to log in to the Farm Manager. The Farm Manager connects to the IPF Control Service.

Portal Manager

The Portal Manager application is used to add, configure, and manage IPF portals. It is also used to personalize and customize portal content, including pages, images, and text. This table describes the functional areas of the Portal Manager and for what and by whom they are meant to be used. The table also shows where tasks for a particular function are documented.
Function Used for Used by Documentation
Content Development Development of:
  • Content versions
  • Assets
  • Collection definitions
  • Component sets
  • Feature dependencies
  • Field display formats
  • Help assets
  • Layouts and pages
  • Managed schemas
  • Style families
 Portal administrators and developers
Portal Configuration Configuring:
  • Data sources
  • Content activation
  • Session initialization
  • Permissions and licensing
  • Email and external interfaces
  • Partitioned styling
  • Developer options

The Diagnostics Viewer is also provided in this area to help administrators diagnose issues with installed portals.

 Portal administrators and developers
Portal administrators

Portal administrator user accounts are used to log in to the Portal Manager. The Portal Manager connects to the IPF IIS Web App.