Java Runtime in the cloud

Setup configuration in the cloud

Out of the box the runtime uses an embedded cloud config server to retrieve the values of property files.
This server reads all property files it finds in the assigned folder, and the runtime asks the server for the value of the property it needs.

If you wish to run the cloud config server on its own, that is also possible. In a cloud environment you want to be sure that all nodes run under the same configuration so that the all show the same behavior. Having a local configuration on each node is difficult to maintain as any change to the configuration should be made to the configuration of each node at the same time. Therefore it is better to lead each node read the configuration from one central position. This is what the spring cloudconfig server can do.

To accomplish this, some changes must be made:

• In the bootstrap.properties you must place the url to reach the server (example:spring.cloud.config.uri=http://ipadress:portnumber)
• Add the following annotation on the standalone config server:

Embedded spring cloud config reading from file system

The spring cloud config server reads its values from file system (possibly on one central location).

spring.profiles.active=native
spring.cloud.config.server.native.searchLocations= file:D:/local-properties

Also see: Reading properties from file system

Embedded spring cloud config reading from Git

 It is possible to stop using files on the filesystem, and read property files out of git. This has advantages also the properties are version managed using a standard approach.

To be able to do this, these change have to be made:

spring.cloud.config.server.git.uri: https://git.blueriq.com/config-repo.git
spring.cloud.config.server.git.basedir=target/config
spring.cloud.config.server.git.username=<git_username>
spring.cloud.config.server.git.password=<git_password>

Creating your own standalone spring cloud config server

To run your own server use the spring-cloud-config-server dependency and @EnableConfigServer. If you set spring.config.name=configserver the app will run on port 8888 and serve data from a sample repository. You need a spring.cloud.config.server.git.uri to locate the configuration data for your own needs (by default it is the location of a git repository, and can be a local file:.. URL).

@Configuration
@EnableAutoConfiguration
@EnableConfigServer
public class Application {

public static void main(String[] args) {
         SpringApplication.run(ConfigServerApplication.class, args);
         }
}

Creating documents

To generate a document the runtime uses an IBEX renderer. This renderer requires two adjustments by the customer before being usable.

(1) No physical paths can be used in a cloud environment. Therefore, the folder containing the xsl files (required to generate documents) must be inside the WAR. To do this you must unpack the WAR and add the folder with the xsl files to the WEB-INF/classes/ folder inside the unpacked WAR.
When doing so, the property blueriq.documents.base-folder must be given the value "classpath:/", using this value the runtime uses the documents folders inside the WAR.

(2) The IBEX renderer also uses windows fonts when creating a pdf-A file. It is not possible for us to include these fonts due to copyright limitations. Therefore, it is required for customers to add them to the WAR themselves. To do this the WAR has to be unpacked and the windows fonts should be added to the WEB-INF/classes/ folder inside the unpacked WAR.

(3) Finally repack the WAR.

Usage of exports

When using the spring cloud config server embedded, all the exports can be placed in the exports folder in the spring.config.location.
However if config server is running standalone, these exports must be explicitly named with the full path to each file in the application.properties file.
Resulting in a line like: blueriq.exports.files=D:\exports\example.zip, D:\exports\example2.zip, etc.
These exports must be on the same server as the runtime is running on.

.NET runtime in the cloud

.NET Runtime can be started without setting a configuration location that points to a directory on disk that contains resources needed for startup and other functionalities : 

• Blueriq License 
• templates used for document rendering and message.properties file
• exports folder

In order to make the Runtime work without specifing a configuration location, these settings need to be made:

Blueriq License

In web.config, a new section has been added :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
   ...
    <section name="blueriqLicenseSection" type="Aquima.WebApplication.Foundation.Configuration.FallbackLicenseConfigurationSection"/>
  </configSections>
...
  <blueriqLicenseSection blueriqLicense=""/>
...
</configuration>

The "blueriqLicense" attribute expects a string (Base64) that represents the content of the license.aql file, which has to be filled in by the user.
In case the license key is not filled in, the Runtime will start, but projects cannot be run.

Document generation and message.properties file

In order to use these resources, no additional settings need to be done.

Usage of exports

Previously, the exports folder location was a relative path from the configuration location, and therefore, dependent on the configuration location.
Now, an absolute path can be set for the exports folder:

...
<dataSource name="xml" prefix="export" type="xml">
	<parameters>
		<parameter name="folder" value="file:///C:/Exports/"/>
	</parameters>
</dataSource>
...