Configure the front-end web server (reverse proxy/load balancer)

After upgrading to Intrexx Steady Track - Set up the front-end web server (reverse proxy/load balancer)

This section provides information about how you need to configure the portal properties in Intrexx so that your portal can be opened in a browser. This particularly relates to the connection between the "embedded Tomcat" and the reverse proxy you are using. The configuration settings described in this chapter need to be made after both a new installation and an upgrade.

Internet Information Service (Windows)

Upgrade from Intrexx 19.03 to Intrexx Steady Track

Since the launch of Intrexx 21.03, the dialog for setting up the front-end web server has been different. The information stored in Intrexx 19.03 is automatically transferred during an upgrade.

19.03


Steady Track

Step-by-step guide

To configure the front-end web server in Intrexx Steady Track, please proceed as follows:

  1. Start the Portal Manager as the Windows administrator.

  2. Log in to your portal.

  3. Open the portal properties ("Portal" menu > "Portal properties").

    The "Edit portal" dialog will open.

  4. Select the menu item "Front-end web server (reverse proxy / load balancer)" "Front-end web server (Reverse proxy / load balancer)".

    Name

    Description
    Type Select "Internet Information Services" (IIS) here.
    IIS website

    Select the website that you added to IIS for your portal earlier. Do not use the "Default Web Site" from IIS. 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.
    The first part refers to the protocol. You have configured an encrypted connection between the Intrexx portal server and the browser. The second part is made up of the hostname that you defined 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.

  5. Click on "OK".
    You have now configured the front-end web server in Intrexx Steady Track.

    You may need to restart the Intrexx portal services after making your changes. (Open the Windows "Services" app and restart the Intrexx portal service there.) Open the respective portal in the browser to test whether the portal properties have been configured correctly and the upgrade was successful.

    Note: Some functions need to be checked in general after upgrading to Intrexx Steady Track. These include the correct appearance of portlets, for example.

NGINX (Linux)

Upgrade from Intrexx 19.03 to Intrexx Steady Track

Since the launch of Intrexx 21.03, the dialog for setting up the front-end web server has been different. The information stored in Intrexx 19.03 is automatically transferred during an upgrade.

19.03



Steady Track

Step-by-step guide

To configure the front-end web server in Intrexx Steady Track, please proceed as follows:

  1. Start the Portal Manager as the Windows administrator.

  2. Log in to your portal.

  3. Open the portal properties ("Portal" menu > "Portal properties").

    The "Edit portal" dialog will open.

  4. Select the menu item "Front-end web server (reverse proxy / load balancer)" "Front-end web server (Reverse proxy / load balancer)".

    Name

    Description
    Type Select "NGINX" here.
    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.org.conf"
    Afterwards, copy and link the NGINX configuration file to the desired folder within "/etc/nginx".
    NGINX connects to the Intrexx portal service via the back-end host.

    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.
    The first part refers to the protocol. You have configured an encrypted connection between the Intrexx portal server and the browser. 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.

  5. Click on "OK".

    You have now configured the front-end web server in Intrexx Steady Track.

    You may need to restart the Intrexx portal services after making your changes.

    Open the respective portal in the browser to test whether the portal properties have been configured correctly and the upgrade was successful.

    Note: Some functions need to be checked in general after upgrading to Intrexx Steady Track. These include the correct appearance of portlets, for example.

No front-end web server

Normally, a reverse proxy is used together with Intrexx. This is typically IIS from Microsoft or NGINX.
Using a reverse proxy is recommended for numerous reasons. In particular, a reverse proxy allows an existing Windows authentication to be used to access the portal.
In principle, a portal can be accessed without a reverse proxy, however, this is only recommended for test and development portals.

Step-by-step guide

To not use a front-end web server for your portal, please proceed as follows:

  1. Start the Portal Manager as the Windows administrator.

  2. Log in to your portal.

  3. Open the portal properties ("Portal" menu > "Portal properties").

    The "Edit portal" dialog will open.

  4. Select the menu item "Front-end web server (reverse proxy / load balancer)" "Front-end web server (Reverse proxy / load balancer)".

    Name

    Description
    Type Select "No front-end web server"
    Embedded Tomcat Port Enter the port used to reach the embedded Tomcat. This is usually 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. You have configured an encrypted connection between the Intrexx portal server and the browser. 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.

  5. Click on "OK".

    You have now configured your portal without a front-end web server (reverse proxy).

Manual setup

Select "Manual configuration" as the type if you would like 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.

Name

Description
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 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.