The Actuate BIRT iHub platform uses a multi-threaded, multi-process model, running single instances of the following components on each iHub node:
iHub servlet container
Provides the run-time environment for client applications, such as BIRT iHub System and Information Console. Client applications communicate with BIRT iHub System using SOAP-based messaging.
Process Management Daemon (PMD)
Distributes service requests among available BIRT iHub services and nodes.
In addition, the BIRT iHub platform supports multiple instances of the following services on each node:
Factory
Executes requests to generate documents and perform server-side printing.
View
Supports viewing documents in DHTML and other output formats, such as CSV and PDF. Handles requests to download files from a volume.
Integration (Actuate Integration service or AIS)
Coordinates the running of information object files that extract data from multiple data sources.
This loosely coupled BIRT iHub architecture model provides the following maintenance and performance benefits:
Startup and shutdown of a BIRT iHub node is fast because it is independent of the RDBMS that manages a volume. The database server can remain online when shutting down a BIRT iHub node and is available when the node starts up.
Controlling the sequence of a volume startup is not necessary. All volumes are either already online in the database server or come online as the database server starts.
Downtime to apply a patch or diagnostic fix for a BIRT iHub node is reduced. The RDBMS does not have to be shutdown.
iHub servlet container