WebDAV transport configuration

The WebDAV transport can be used as an application or trading transport.

Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) is a set of extensions of HTTP. WebDAV enables users to edit and manage files collaboratively on remote web servers. RFC 4918 defines the extensions (see http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4918).

When you elect to set up a WebDAV transport for a community using an embedded server, the delivery exchange wizard asks whether you want to:

• Use a detached HTTP server (partner only)
• Use the system’s global embedded HTTP server
• Use a previously defined embedded HTTP server (if available)
• Use a previously defined embedded HTTPS server (if available)
• Define a new embedded HTTP or HTTPS server

If you choose to use the system’s global embedded HTTP server, the wizard uses the default routing ID for the community as the last string in the URL. You can accept or change the string.

If you choose to use a previously defined server, the wizard prompts for the community routing ID to append to the URL.

If you choose to define a new embedded HTTP server, the wizard prompts for a server name, port number and whether clients must use SSL to connect to the server.

If you choose to define a new embedded HTTPS server, you must add an SSL certificate for the server. After setting up the server in the delivery exchange wizard, go to the community summary page and click Change an embedded transport server near the bottom of the page. Click the name of the server to open the maintenance page. If the server needs a certificate, you are prompted to click Add an SSL server certificate. This action opens the wizard for adding a certificate.

Except for the global embedded server, embedded HTTP servers can be designated as HTTPS.

See Staged HTTP for security guidelines for the embedded HTTP server.

See the following figure: add embedded HTTP server for WebDAV (1 of 4)

The following fields are used in the delivery exchange wizard for adding a WebDAV transport for a community by defining a new embedded HTTP server.

• Server name – Type a name for the new embedded HTTP server. This can be any name you want. You can select this sever when setting up additional embedded HTTP delivery exchanges later.
• Port – The port number that listens for incoming HTTP connections. Click the field to display a list of ports already in use.
• Clients must use SSL to connect to this server – Select this to set up an HTTPS delivery exchange. A non-selected option indicates HTTP. When you select this option, the following sub-field displays.
• This server requires client authentication – If you selected SSL, select this option to require your partners to submit a certificate to verify their identity before the delivery exchange allows the connection. Clear this option to use non-authenticated HTTPS. If you select this option, you must add an authentication certificate for the partner.

Click Next to continue the configuration.

See the following figure: add embedded HTTP server for WebDAV (2 of 4).

• URL – The wizard displays the URL for the transport. This is the URL your partner uses to send messages to the community. The last item in the URL is the community routing ID. This is a suggested value. You can accept it or type another string.

Click Next to continue the configuration.

See the following figure: add embedded HTTP server for WebDAV (3 of 4).

You have these options for selecting a user account:

• Select an existing account from the drop-down list (if available)
• Define a new account
• Define an account later (see Manage users of embedded FTP servers)

If you elect to define a new account, user name and password fields display. If you are defining the first user account, the wizard suggests for the user name and password the community default routing ID for a trading server or integration for an integration server.

• User name – The user name to connect to the server. Not only does your partner use this name to connect, but Activator creates a directory of the same name. This is the home directory for the WebDAV account. It is where a partner sends messages to your community via WebDAV. If you use the default location for the common directory, the directory is at <install directory>\common\data\webDAV\users\trading. But if you are configuring an integration transport, the path is <install directory>\common\data\webDAV\users\integration.

• Password – The password to connect to the server.
• Confirm password – The password to connect to the server. Anonymous connections are not supported.

Click Next to continue the configuration.

See the following figure: add embedded HTTP server for WebDAV (4 of 4).

• Enter a new path – This field enables you to associate the same embedded server and user account to multiple subdirectories. Each subdirectory can be used by a single partner to send messages to your community via WebDAV. If you leave this field blank, the effective directory where a partner uploads messages is the top-level directory. For example:
  • common\data\webDAV\users\trading\<user account>
• But if you add an amended path, the effective directory is the specified subdirectory. For example:
  • common\data\webDAV\users\trading\<user account>\<amended path>

• For the first integration server, the wizard suggests an amended path of in for integration delivery or out for integration pickup. By default the home directory (/) is not used, but you can change this.
• Activator keeps track of the WebDAV directory structure for you. Do not manually change any directories Activator creates for managing messages transported via embedded HTTP servers for WebDAV.

Click Next if you want to name the exchange. Otherwise, click Finish.