Drools & jBPM: Drools & jBPM get Dockerized

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Drools & jBPM get Dockerized

Posted by Unknown

Docker is becoming a reference to build, ship and run container-based applications. It provides an standard, easy and automated way to deploy your applications.

Since latest 6.2.0.Final community release you can use Docker to deploy and run your Drools & jBPM applications in an easy and friendly way. Do not worry about operation system, environment and/or application server provisioning and deployments ... just use the applications!

The images are already available at Docker Hub:

Please refer to next "Drools & jBPM community Docker images" section for more information about what's contained in each image.

Why are these images helpful for me and my company?

To understand the advantages of using these Docker images, let's do a quick comparison with the deployment process for a manual installation of a Drools Workbench application.

If you do it by yourself:

Install and prepare a Java runtime environment
Download the workbench war (and other resources if necessary), from the official home page or from JBoss Nexus
Download and prepare a JBoss WildFly server instance
Configure the WildFly instance, including for example configuring the security subsystem etc.
Deploy Drools into the WildFly instance
Start the application server and run your Drools application

As you can notice, manual installation already takes quite a few steps. While this process can be automated in some way (as the jbpm-installer for example does), some questions arise at this point ... What if I need a more complex environment? Are other colleagues using the same software versions and configuration? Can I replicate exact same environment? Could someone else easily run my local example easily during a customer demo? And if I need to deploy several identical runtime environments? What about removing my local installation from my computer? ...

Software containers & Docker are a possible solution and help providing an answer to some of these questions.

Both Drools & jBPM community Docker images include:

The OpenJDK JRE 1.7 environment
A JBoss WildFly 8.1.0.Final application server
Our web-based applications (Drools Workbench, KIE server and/or jBPM Workbench) ready to run (configurations and deployments already present)

You don't have to worry about the Java environment, the application server, the web applications or configuration ... just run the application using a single command:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name drools-wb jboss/drools-workbench-showcase:6.2.0.Final

Once finished, just remove it:

docker stop ...

At this point, you can customize, replicate and distribute the applications! Learn more about Docker, its advantages and how to use it at the offical site.

The environment you need

Do not worry about Java environments, application servers or database management systems, just install Docker:

# For RHEL/Fedora based distributions:

sudo yum -y install docker

More installation information at the official Docker documentation.

Are you using Windows?

For windows users, in order to use Docker, you have to install Boot2Docker. It provides a Linux basic environment where Docker can run. Please refer to the official documentation for the Docker installation on Windows platforms.

You are ready to run!

Drools & jBPM community Docker images

For the 6.2.0.Final community release six Docker images have been released. They can be categorized in two main groups: Base images provide the base software with no custom configurations. They are intended to be extended and customized by Docker users. Showcase images provide applications that are ready to run out-of-the-box (including for example some standard configuration). Just run and use it! Ideal for demos or evaluations / getting started.

Base images

Drools Workbench
KIE Execution Server
jBPM Workbench

Showcase images

Drools Workbench Showcase
KIE Execution Server Showcase
jBPM Workbench Showcase

Let's dive into a detailed description of each image in the following sections.

Drools Workbench

See it in Docker Hub

This image provides the standalone Drools web authoring and rules management application for version 6.2.0.Final. It does not include any custom configuration, it just provides a clean Drools Workbench application running in JBoss WildFly 8.1. The goal of this image is to provide the base software and allow users to extend it, and apply custom configurations and build custom images.

Fetch the image into your Docker host:

docker pull jboss/drools-workbench:6.2.0.Final

Customize the image by creating your Dockerfiles:

FROM jboss/drools-workbench:6.2.0.Final

...

Please refer to Appendix C for extending this image.

Run a Drools Workbench container:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name drools-wb jboss/drools-workbench:6.2.0.Final

Navigate to your Drools Workbench at:

http://localhost:8080/drools-wb # Linux users
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/drools-wb # Windows users

Refer to Appendix A for more information about IP address and port bindings.

Drools Workbench Showcase

See it in Docker Hub

This image provides the standalone Drools web authoring and rules management application for version 6.2.0.Final plus security configuration and some examples.

Tip: This image inherits from the Drools Workbench one and adds custom configurations for WildFly security subsystem (security realms) and system properties for enabling the use of the examples repository.

The goal for this image is to provide a ready to run Drools Workbench application: just pull, run and use the Workbench.

1. Pull the image:

docker pull jboss/drools-workbench-showcase:6.2.0.Final

2. Run the image:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name drools-wb-showcase jboss/drools-workbench-showcase:6.2.0.Final

3. Navigate to the workbench at:

http://localhost:8080/drools-wb # Linux users
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/drools-wb # Windows users

Refer to Appendix A for more information about IP address and port bindings.

You can use admin/admin for default logging in - Refer to Appendix B for default users and roles included

KIE Execution server

See it in Docker Hub

This image provides the standalone rules execution component for version 6.2.0.Final, to handle rules via remote interfaces.

More information for the KIE Execution Server can be found at the official documentation.

This image does not include any custom configuration, it just provides a clean KIE Execution Server application running in JBoss WildFly 8.1. The goal for this image is to provide the base software and let the users to extend it, and apply custom configurations and build custom images.

Fetch the image into your Docker host:

docker pull jboss/kie-server:6.2.0.Final

Customize the image by creating your Dockerfiles:

FROM jboss/kie-server:6.2.0.Final

...

Please refer to Appendix C for extending this image.

Run a KIE Execution Server container:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name kie-server jboss/kie-server:6.2.0.Final

The KIE Execution Server is located at:

http://localhost:8080/kie-server # Linux users
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/kie-server # Windows users

Refer to Appendix A for more information about IP address and port bindings.

Example: use the remote REST API to perform server requests :

http://localhost:8080/kie-server/services/rest/server # Linux
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/kie-server/services/rest/server # Win

KIE Execution Server Showcase

See it in Docker Hub

This image provides the standalone rules execution component version 6.2.0.Final to handle rules via remote interfaces plus a basic security configuration (include a default user and role).

More information for the KIE Execution Server can be found at the official documentation.

Tip: This image inherits from the KIE Execution Server one and adds custom configuration for WildFly security subsystem (security realms).

The goal of this image is to provide a ready to run KIE Execution Server: just pull, run and use the remote services.

1. Pull the image:

docker pull jboss/kie-server-showcase:6.2.0.Final

2. Run the image:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name kie-server-showcase jboss/kie-server-showcase:6.2.0.Final

3. The server is located at:

http://localhost:8080/kie-server # Linux users
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/kie-server # Windows users

The REST API service is located at:

http://localhost:8080/kie-server/services/rest/server # Linux
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/kie-server/services/rest/server # Win

Refer to Appendix A for more information about IP address and port bindings.

You can use kie-server/kie-server for default logging - Refer to Appendix B for default users and roles included

jBPM Workbench

See it in Docker Hub

This image provides the standalone version 6.2.0.Final of the jBPM Workbench: web-based authoring and management of your processes. It does not include any custom configuration, it just provides a clean jBPM Workbench application running in JBoss WildFly 8.1. The goal of this image is to provide the base software and let the users to extend it, and apply custom configurations and build custom images.

Fetch the image into your Docker host:

docker pull jboss/jbpm-workbench:6.2.0.Final

Customize the image by creating your Dockerfiles:

FROM jboss/jbpm-workbench:6.2.0.Final

...

Please refer to Appendix C for extending this image.

Run a jBPM Workbench container:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name jbpm-wb jboss/jbpm-workbench:6.2.0.Final

Navigate to your jBPM Workbench at:

http://localhost:8080/jbpm-console # Linux users
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/jbpm-console # Windows users

Refer to Appendix A for more information about IP address and port bindings.

jBPM Workbench Showcase

See it in Docker Hub

This image provides the standalone version 6.2.0.Final of the jBPM Workbench: web-based authoring and management of your processes. It includes the security and persistence configurations and some examples too.

Tip: This image inherits from the jBPM Workbench one and adds custom configurations for WildFly security subsystem (security realms) and system properties for enabling the use of the examples repository.

The goal of this image is to provide a ready to run jBPM Workbench application: just pull, run and use the Workbench:

1. Pull the image:

docker pull jboss/jbpm-workbench-showcase:6.2.0.Final

2. Run the image:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d --name jbpm-wb-showcase jboss/jbpm-workbench-showcase:6.2.0.Final

3. Navigate into the workbench at:

http://localhost:8080/jbpm-console # Linux users
http://<boot2docker_ip>:8080/jbpm-console # Windows users

Refer to Appendix A for more information about IP address and port bindings.

You can use admin/admin for default logging - Refer to Appendix B for default users and roles included

Appendix

Appendix A - IP address and ports bindings for Docker containers

Port bindings
By default, when using any of the Drools & jBPM Docker images, the port 8080 is exposed for the use of the HTTP connector. This port is not exposed to the Docker host by default, so in order to expose it and be able to navigate through the applications please read the following instructions.

The recommended use for running containers is specifying in the docker client the -p argument as:

docker run -p 8080:8080 -d ....

Doing this way, the docker daemon binds the internal container's port 8080 to the Docker host machine's port 8080. So you can navigate into the applications at:

http://<docker_host>:8080/jbpm-console
http://<docker_host>:8080/kie-server
http://<docker_host>:8080/drools-wb

If your Docker host machine's port 8080 is not available, run the containers with the -P command line argument. Docker binds the internal 8080 port to an available free exposed port in the Docker host, so in order to access the application you have to discover the bind port number.

To discover running container's ports type the following command:

docker ps -a

This command will output the processes and the port mappings for each running container:

CONTAINERID  IMAGE             COMMAND  CREATED STATUS PORTS                     NAMES

2a55fb....   jboss/drools-w..  ...      ...     ..     0.0.0.0:49159->8080/tcp.. drools-wb

The PORTS column shows that the internal container's port 8080 is bound to port 49159 on the Docker host, so you can navigate into the applications at:

http://<docker_host>:49159/jbpm-console
http://<docker_host>:49159/kie-server
http://<docker_host>:49159/drools-wb

Docker hostname & IP address
The Docker hostname or IP address have to be specified in order to navigate through the container's applications.

If you are running Docker in your localhost and using Linux based OS, it defaults to localhost:

http://localhost:8080/jbpm-console
http://localhost:8080/kie-server
http://localhost:8080/drools-wb

If you are running Docker on another machine or in Windows environments, where Boot2Docker is required, you have to specify the host name (if DNS available for it) or the IP address for it:

http://192.168.1.156:8080/jbpm-console
http://192.168.1.156:8080/kie-server
http://192.168.1.156:8080/drools-wb

Appendix B - Default applications users & roles

The Showcase images Drools Workbench Showcase and jBPM Workbench Showcase include default users & roles:

Drools & jBPM Workbench Showcase roles

Role	Description
admin	The administrator
analyst	The analyst
developer	The developer
manager	The manager
user	The end user
kiemgmt	KIE management user
Accounting	Accounting role
PM	Project manager role
HR	Human resources role
sales	Sales role
IT	IT role

Drools & jBPM Workbench Showcase users

Username	Password	Roles
admin	admin	admin,analyst,kiemgmt
krisv	krisv	admin,analyst
john	john	analyst,Accounting,PM
mary	mary	analyst,HR
sales-rep	sales-rep	analyst,sales
katy	katy	analyst,HR
jack	jack	analyst,IT
salaboy	salaboy	admin,analyst,IT,HR,Accounting

For KIE Execution Server Showcase there is a single user and role:

Username	Password	Roles
kie-server	kie-server	kie-server

Appendix C - Extending base images

The Base images are intended to be inherited from, for adding your custom configurations or deployments.

In order to extend the images, the Dockerfile must start with:

FROM jboss/drools-workbench:6.2.0.Final

FROM jboss/kie-server:6.2.0.Final
FROM jboss/jbpm-workbench:6.2.0.Final

At this point, custom configurations and deployments can be added. Some notes:

JBoss WildFly is located at the path given by $JBOSS_HOME environment variable
$JBOSS_HOME points to /opt/jboss/wildfly/
Applications are using the server in standalone mode: