This documentation supports an earlier version of BMC Helix IT Service Management on-premises deployment. To view the documentation for the latest version, select 23.3.04 from the Product version picker.


Setting up the installation environment

Complete the following actions to make the environment installation ready:

  • Verify Domain Name System (DNS) for applications
  • Create a realm and configure BMC Helix Single Sign-On
  • Create an external IP for Elasticsearch

Before you begin

Before you perform the BMC Helix ITSM installation, make sure that you have installed BMC Helix Platform Common Services.

Related topic

Performing-the-BMC-Helix-IT-Service-Management-installation


Verifying DNS for applications

Make sure that you configure DNS for the BMC Helix Service Management applications so that you can access the applications by using the following URL format. The target of DNS entries must be the external load balancer serving the Ingress controller.

  • Mid Tier - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Mid Tier integration - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-int.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Smart IT - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-smartit.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Smart Reporting - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-sr.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Innovation Studio - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-is.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Innovation Suite REST API or CMDB - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-restapi.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Atrium Web Services - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-atws.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Digital Workplace - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-dwp.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Digital Workplace Catalog - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-dwpcatalog.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Live Chat - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-vchat.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Openfire Chat - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-chat.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
  • Support Assistant tool - <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-supportassisttool.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
    For example, if CUSTOMER_SERVICE=itsm, ENVIRONMENT=poc, and CLUSTER_DOMAIN=aus-ranch.bmc.com, the Mid Tier URL will be itsm-poc.aus-ranch.bmc.com


Important

 The platform and application URLs support only the HTTPS protocol.

You must specify the same CUSTOMER_SERVICE and ENVIRONMENT parameter values to the deployment pipeline while performing the installation.

Important

When the <ENVIRONMENT> value is prod for production environments, use the URL format by excluding -<ENVIRONMENT>

For example, the URL format for Mid Tier production environment is <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>

The URL format for Smart IT production environment is <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-smartit.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>

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To configure BMC Helix Single Sign-On

Make sure that BMC Helix Single Sign-On is installed during the BMC Helix Platform services deployment. Configure BMC Helix Single Sign-On by performing the following steps:

  1. Log in to BMC Helix Single Sign-On.
  2. On the menu, click Tenant.
    RSSO2.png
  3. Click PinIcon.png under the Action column to select the SAAS_TENANT. 
    "Tenant SAAS_TENANT is selected" confirmation message is displayed on the screen.
  4. On the main menu, click Realm.
  5. Click Add Realm.

  6. In the General tab, enter the following details:

    Field

    Value

    Realm ID

    <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>

    For example, if CUSTOMER_SERVICE=itsm, ENVIRONMENT=poc, the field value is itsm-poc

    Application Domain(s)

    List of the following Innovation Suite application URLs separated by comma:
    <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-atws.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-dwpcatalog.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-restapi.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-is.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-sr.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-dwp.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-smartit.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-chat.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-vchat.<cluster domain>, <CUSTOMER_SERVICE>-<ENVIRONMENT>-int.<CLUSTER_DOMAIN>
    itsm-poc-atws.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-dwpcatalog.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-restapi.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-restapi.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-is.itsm-cluster.bmc.com,  itsm-poc-sr.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-dwp.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-smartit.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-chat.itsm-cluster.bmc.com, itsm-poc-vchat.itsm-cluster.bmc.com,     itsm-poc-int.cluster.bmc.com

    Tenant

    BMC Helix Platform tenant name.

    Specify the tenant name that you view in the List of Tenants page on the Tenant tab. For example, photon2.170

    The following image shows an example:
    Add Realm.png

  7. Click the Authentication tab and enter the following details:

    Field

    Value

    Authentication Type

    Select Authentication Type as AR Server

    Host

    platform-user-ext.<namespace>

     Replace the namespace with the BMC Helix Innovation Suite namespace.

    Port

    Port Number – 46262

  8. Click Add.

The following video clip shows how to configure BMC Helix Single Sign-On: 

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To create an external IP for FTS_ELASTICSEARCH

Elasticsearch is deployed when you install BMC Helix Platform services. You can leverage Elasticsearch to provide Full Text Search capabilities in BMC Helix Innovation Suite by using one of the following options:

  • Use service name during BMC Helix Service Management installation
    To leverage Full Text Search capabilities, during BMC Helix Service Management installation, use the value opensearch-logs-data.<BMC Helix Platform namespace> in FTS_ELASTICSEARCH_HOSTNAME parameter value.

  • Use external IP during BMC Helix Service Management installation
    Perform the following steps to create an external IP for Elasticsearch:

    1. Log in to the BMC Deployment Engine which is your Jenkins server.

    2. Run the following command:

      kubectl expose service opensearch-logs-data -n <BMC Helix Platform namespace> --name=elastic-loganalytics-ext --external-ip=<EXT IP>

      The following table describes the parameters used in the command:

      Parameter name

      Description

      BMC Helix Platform namespace

      Specify the namespace where BMC Helix Platform Common Services are deployed.

      EXT IP

      Specify the IP address of any worker node in your Kubernetes cluster.

      This IP is used as the FTS_ELASTICSEARCH_HOSTNAME parameter value during BMC Helix Innovation Suite installation.

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To create an External IP for LOGS_ELASTICSEARCH

BMC Helix Innovation Suite Fluent Bit uses the Elasticsearch host deployed in the BMC Helix Platform namespace. You can leverage EFK service capabilities in BMC Helix Innovation Suite by using one of the following options:

  • Use service name during BMC Helix Service Management installation
    To use the Elasticsearch host, during BMC Helix Service Management installation, use the service name as efk-elasticsearch-data-hl.<BMC Helix Platform namespace> in LOGS_ELASTICSEARCH_HOSTNAME parameter value.
  • Use external IP during BMC Helix Service Management installation
    Perform the following steps to create an external IP for LOGS_ELASTICSEARCH:

    1. Log in to the BMC Deployment Engine which is your Jenkins server.

    2. Run the following command:

      kubectl expose service efk-elasticsearch-data-hl -n <BMC Helix Platform namespace> --name=elastic-logging-ext --external-ip=<EXT IP>

      The following table describes the parameters used in the command:

      Parameter name

      Description

      BMC Helix Platform namespace

      Specify the namespace where BMC Helix Logging services are deployed.

      EXT IP

      Specify the IP address of any worker node in your Kubernetes cluster.

      This IP is used as the LOGS_ELASTICSEARCH_HOSTNAME parameter value during BMC Helix Innovation Suite installation.

      Make sure that this IP address is different from the one used for FTS_ELASTICSEARCH_HOSTNAME.

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Where to go from here

Next task

Back to process

If you are finished performing the BMC Helix Service Management installation, return to the appropriate installation or upgrade process:


 

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