Prerequisites: Other Backends

In addition to the information in the table below.

See the topic of the backend The search engine your SmartHub instance uses to perform queries. SmartHub can be configured to use more than one search engine. you are using for additional information about its Prerequisites.

About

The backends listed under Connect SmartHub to Other Backends are domain-specific backends.

These backends have specific characteristics.

Supported and Unsupported functions are listed here:

Supported Functions include, but are not limited to:

  • Pagination
  • Sorting

Unsupported Functions include:

  • Query translation
  • Refiners

For these reasons, Domain-specific backends are typically used with content-by-search components. 

Note: Be sure to install all the prerequisites listed for your SmartHub and backend instance.

Any issues experienced by BA Insight clients during installation are typically traced to a failure to meet the required prerequisites.

Installation Prerequisite Checklist

Important!

If you have already installed BA Insight SmartHub and a backend, skip to the "Search Engine The search engine your SmartHub instance uses to perform queries. SmartHub can be configured to use more than one search engine." portion of the Requirements table below


Requirement

Description

Completed 

SmartHub Server


Operating System Microsoft Windows Server
  • 2012 and 2012 R2: 64-bit
  • 2016
  • 2019
  • 2022

Windows Roles and Features Must have Web Server(IIS) role enabled with the following Roles and Features selected:
  • Common HTTP Features
  • Health and Diagnostics
  • Performance
  • Security
  • Application Development
    • .NET 3.5
    • .NET 4.6
      • ISAPI Extensions
      • ISAPI Filters
      • WCF Services
        • HTTP Activation
  • .NET Framework 4.6 Features
    • WCF Services
      • HTTP Activation

.NET Framework
  • .NET Framework v4.7.2 required for Windows Server versions:
    • 2012, 2016, 2019
  • .NET Framework v4.8 required for Windows Server version:
    • 2022
    • Included with Windows (used automatically, by default)

User Accounts

Service Account

Local or network service account Local account used by the service control manager. Not recognized by the security subsystem, so you cannot specify its name in a call to the LookupAccountName function. Has minimum privileges on the local computer and acts as the computer on the network. used to run the SmartHub Application pool in IIS

  • Requires read/write access to the directory SmartHub is installed in.
 Account credentials: (domain\user)

Installation Account

Account used to install SmartHub

  • Must be local admin on machine
  • Requires read/write access to the directory SmartHub is installed in.
 Account credentials: (domain\user)
Supported Web Browsers

  • Google Chrome
  • Chromium-powered Edge
  • Other browsers unsupported*

*Unsupported Web Browsers

Other web browsers may work with SmartHub, but are not officially supported by BA Insight, such as:

  • Microsoft Edge (legacy)
    • To check your version of Edge, go here.
  • Firefox
  • Safari

Browsers that are in incognito mode are not supported.
Analytics Index 


Elasticsearch v7.6

Secured or non-secured Elastic configurations supported.

Note: The Elasticsearch index used for the SmartHub data does not have to be the same instance use for the search index (backend).

Note: Elasticsearch requires Java JDK. Elasticsearch v7.x and later bundles Java with the software (OpenJDK). A separate Java download/install is NOT required. 

For assistance installing a single-node instance of elastic, see: How to Install Elasticsearch for Analytics

Elasticsearch URL: 

Elasticsearch Username:

Elasticsearch Password:
Kibana A source-available data visualization dashboard for Elasticsearch v7.6

Kibana must be configured to use the above Elasticsearch index. 

Supports secured or non-secured Kibana configurations

For assistance installing Kibana and running as a Windows service, see: How to Install Kibana for Analytics

Kibana URL:

Kibana Username:

Kibana Password:
NLQ Enables users to find information by making requests as if they were speaking to a person. Services (Optional)

  • LUIS (v2 API)

  • RASA v1.9

  • Amazon Lex

Only one NLQ service should be configured.

Supported NLQ/AI Engines:

For more information see:

Service Endpoint:


Service Key (LUIS only):
Search Engine (backend)













Bing News
  • Bing API Access Key
    • The subscription key that you received when you signed up for this service.
















See your specific backend topic for complete information, including limitations, requirements, and configuration settings.







Bing Search
Egnyte Backend
  • Egnyte Domain
    • The Egnyte domain you want to search.
      • For example: myegnyteapp.egnyte.com
  • Egnyte Impersonation Property
    • The name of a property that will be added in the client context properties that will hold the username of the user to be impersonated (this will be done with a script, in a Query Scripting Processor stage, later).
  • Access Token
    • Generated during the configuration of the Egnyte backend.
    • See the Egnyte backend topic for details.
Expertise Backend

  • Expertise backend is fully integrated into SmartHub
iManage Backend
  • Network service account

A service account can only be used with a single SmartHub instance at any one time.
Microsoft Academic Knowledge
  • Academic API Subscription Key:
Microsoft Search Items



  • Microsoft Graph API permissions
    • See the specific documentation topic of your Microsoft backend for details.
Microsoft Search Calendar
Microsoft Search External Items
Microsoft Search Emails
NetDocuments Backend
  • User Access to the NetDocuments cabinets being searched

    • SmartHub requires the Admin user to have the following permissions:

      • Permission to retrieve cabinets

      • Permission to READ other user's details.

  • Cabinets

    • The cabinets you access must be in the same repository.

    • To search cabinets from multiple repositories you must configure a separate SmartHub NetDocs backend for each repository
PubMed Backend
  • (Backend) API Key
    • When you register a new PubMed account, you are given the option to create a key.
RightFind Backend
  • RightFind Domain
    • The RightFind domain you want to search. For example: www.myrightfinddomain.rightfind.com
  • User Email
    • The email of the user account that has access to all items
  • Password
    • The password for the email above.
  • Access Token
    • The access token obtained after authenticating.
    • For detailed instructions, see the RightFind backend topic.
  • Refresh Token
    • The refresh token obtained after authenticating, used to refresh the access token when it expires.
    • For detailed instructions, see the RightFind backend topic.
Network Requirements




DNS The system that converts website domain names (hostnames) into numerical values (IP address) so they can be found and loaded into your web browser. entry for SmartHub site

This can be either an internal, or an external (public) DNS entry.

Entry can point to VIP / F5 / Load Balancer / other network device.

Requests should be routed to IIS on the SmartHub server over the chosen ports.

 DNS name / URL for SmartHub:
SSL Certificate SSL certificates use a key pair: a public and a private key. These keys work together to establish an encrypted connection. The certificate also contains what is called the “subject,” which is the identity of the certificate/website owner. If running SmartHub over SSL (recommended), a signed SSL certificate for that DNS name (or appropriate wildcard cert) is required.

Certificate name:

Passphrase (if required):

Internal Network Connectivity

The SmartHub server must have network connectivity to the following:

  • Analytics Index
  • Search Index
  • RASA NLQ Service (optional)

Verified:

  • Elasticsearch service (see Analytics Index, above)
  • Kibana service (see Analytics Index, above)
  • Search Index
  • RASA NLQ Service (optional)
External Network Connectivity Network connectivity from the SmartHub server to the following Microsoft Azure services is required if you use the service(s):

Verified:

  • AzureAD  (optional)
  • SPO / Graph API (optional)
  • LUIS NLQ Service (optional)