Getting Started with uPortal 2

This page is intended to grow documentation about how to get started with uPortal 2.

It is currently a work in progress. Most of the content near the bottom will be moved elsewhere

Download the Software

Quick Start or uPortal Only?

UPortal is available either as a "Quick Start" release or as a "uPortal-only" distribution. Both releases are available from the JA-SIG uPortal website in the download section.

Why choose the Quick Start distribution?

The quick-start release distribution is provided for those who want to get familiar with uPortal quickly and easily, without having to compile and deploy code, and without having to set up a database or servlet engine.

For those that only require an installation of uPortal for demonstration or evaluation purposes, or if one wants to do some simple channel developement, the quick-start distribution is the best choice. The quick-start distribution contains a copy of the uPortal only distribution which has been configured to run in the quick-start environment. Instructions on using the Quick Start distribution can be found at:

Using the Quick Start distribution

Why choose the uPortal-only distribution?

This distribution is targeted towards people who would like to install uPortal in a development or production environment. It contains uPortal source code and properties files, but not a servlet container, directory, or relational database, which are required.

For those that want to create a production version of uPortal, develop uPortal channels, or have other web applications which will run on the same server the uPortal only distribution may be the best choice. Instructions on using the uPortal release can be found at:

Using the uPortal-only Distribution

Some general questions

I see that there have been several successful uses of uPortal on windows based servers. Have there been many problems serving uPortal with IIS? Is it better to go with Apache?

Bill Thompson of Rutgers would go with Linux/Apache/Tomcat over Windows/IIS on the same hardware. Rutgers has been serving ~30,000 users on 4 Sun boxes with Apache/Tomcat.

The docs specify that HSQL is required to run uPortal. Yet, I've seen a few emails about using alternative database solutions. Does the uPortal framework need to be modified to work with others?

No, out of the box it runs against a variety of RDBMS... Rutgers and Yale are running against Oracle. Other schools have successfully run against SQLServer, MySQL, and other databases. Running against HSQL in production probably isn't a great idea. The quickstart, however, uses HSQL and requires it. What the quickstart provides you is a Tomcat, HSQL database, and uPortal all ready to go.

Assuming that a small dev team (one-three people with intermediate experience with java - recent graduates) is working on the development for the portal, does anyone have a ballpark figure of the time to get up and running - strictly in terms of development?

depends

What is the scope of initial channels/portlets?
Has your staff been trained on uPortal?
Will you contract with a commercial partner for some assitance?
What is the state of your enterprise middleware layer?
Do you have WebISO in place?

Setting up a small pilot uPortal instance with a few channels and CAS for WebISO is fairly straight forward once you know how the pieces go together.

Rutgers' initial rollout of uP2 was based on experience with uP1. We had 3 folks attend intro/advanced training and contracted with UNICON to help with the migration. The release integrated with our middleware layer and provide about 5 new channels to the 30 we already had. This effort took about 6 months.

In general: uPortal provides the framework which you customize and extend to deliver your institutional portal. Doing so will require expertise in systems administration, Java programming, XSLT, cascading style sheets, etc.

With thanks to Bill Thompson for providing this information on the JASIG-PORTAL list.

Professional help

You may do well to hire a consultant firm or send staff to training.

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