Getting AEM to run in Production Ready Mode

Introduction

In the realm of enterprise content management, Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) stands out as a robust solution for managing digital assets and web content. As organizations scale their AEM implementations to production environments, ensuring security and efficiency becomes paramount. Adobe has introduced the “nosamplecontent” run mode to simplify this transition and enhance security. This guide delves into how to leverage this mode for deploying AEM in a production-ready state, including best practices, key concepts, and practical steps for a successful implementation.

Problem Statement or Background

Deploying AEM in a production environment involves more than just setting up the application. It requires configuring the system to adhere to security best practices and removing unnecessary sample content that can pose risks or bloat the system. Traditional methods of preparing AEM for production can be manual and error-prone, leading to potential security vulnerabilities and inefficiencies. Adobe’s introduction of the “nosamplecontent” run mode in AEM 6.1 addresses these challenges by automating crucial preparation steps.

Key Concepts or Terminology

AEM (Adobe Experience Manager): A comprehensive content management solution for building websites, mobile apps, and forms.
Production Ready Mode: A configuration mode in AEM designed to automate the setup of the system for production environments, ensuring security and performance.
Run Modes: Configurations that adjust the behavior and features of AEM instances.
CRXDE Lite: A web-based development environment in AEM used for debugging and development.
Apache Sling: A web framework used by AEM for content-driven applications.
Granite HTML Library Manager: A component that handles the management and optimization of HTML and JavaScript assets in AEM.

Detailed Explanation

When deploying AEM in a production environment, certain configurations are critical for ensuring the system is secure and performs optimally. The “nosamplecontent” run mode introduces several automatic adjustments to streamline this process:

Disabling CRXDE Support Bundle: The CRXDE support bundle is disabled by default in Production Ready Mode to enhance security. It can be re-enabled from the Adobe Maven repository if needed for development purposes.
WebDAV Access Restrictions: The WebDAV access for repositories is restricted to author instances only, minimizing potential security risks on publish instances.
User Password Policies: Newly created users are required to update their passwords upon first login, although this does not apply to the admin user.
Debugging Features: Debug information for various components such as the Apache Sling JavaScript and JSP Script handlers is disabled to optimize performance and reduce exposure to potential vulnerabilities.
Content Handling Configurations: The Day CQ WCM Filter settings are adjusted for different instance types. For author instances, editing is enabled, while publish instances have this feature disabled.
HTML Library Manager Settings: The Adobe Granite HTML Library Manager is configured with minification enabled, debugging disabled, gzip compression enabled, and timing information disabled to enhance page load times and optimize asset delivery.
GET Servlet Configurations: The Apache Sling GET Servlet is set to default secure configurations, with specific settings for renditions and indexing to ensure secure and efficient content retrieval.

Step by Step Guide

Preparing the Startup Arguments: To run AEM in production-ready mode, modify your startup command to include the -r nosamplecontent argument:bashCopy codejava -jar aem-quickstart.jar -r nosamplecontent
Launching Author Instance with MongoDB: For launching an author instance with MongoDB persistence, include additional arguments:bashCopy codejava -jar aem-quickstart.jar -r author,crx3,crx3mongo,nosamplecontent -Doak.mongo.uri=mongodb://remoteserver:27017 -Doak.mongo.db=aem-author
Verifying Configurations: After starting AEM in production mode, verify that CRXDE Lite is disabled, WebDAV access is correctly configured, and other settings align with production standards.
Installing Additional Bundles: If necessary, install the CRXDE support bundle from the Adobe Maven repository for development or debugging:bashCopy codemvn install:install-file -Dfile=path/to/crxde-support-bundle-3.0.0.jar -DgroupId=com.adobe.granite -DartifactId=crxde-support -Dversion=3.0.0 -Dpackaging=jar

Best Practices or Tips

Consult the Security Checklist: Always review the Security Checklist before going live to ensure that all security aspects are addressed comprehensively.
Monitor System Performance: Regularly monitor system performance and configurations to ensure compliance with production standards.
Regular Updates: Keep AEM and its components up to date to benefit from the latest security patches and features.
Backup Configurations: Before making changes, backup existing configurations and data to prevent loss in case of issues.

Case Studies or Examples

Case Study 1: A major financial institution implemented AEM in Production Ready Mode to secure sensitive client data and streamline content management. By leveraging the nosamplecontent mode, they reduced potential attack vectors and improved system performance.
Case Study 2: An e-commerce company used the Production Ready Mode to enhance their AEM deployment, resulting in faster page load times and improved user experience. The optimized configurations and disabled debugging features contributed to a more stable and secure environment.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Q1: Why is CRXDE Lite disabled in Production Ready Mode? A1: CRXDE Lite is disabled to enhance security and reduce the risk of exposing development tools in a production environment. It can be re-enabled if necessary for debugging.

Q2: Can I use the nosamplecontent mode for both author and publish instances? A2: Yes, the nosamplecontent mode can be applied to both author and publish instances to ensure that sample content is removed and security best practices are enforced.

Q3: How do I enable additional debugging features if needed? A3: You can re-enable specific debugging features by modifying the configuration files or adding appropriate bundles as required. However, this should be done with caution in production environments.

Conclusion

Running AEM in Production Ready Mode with the “nosamplecontent” configuration streamlines the deployment process and fortifies the system against potential vulnerabilities. By following the outlined steps and best practices, organizations can ensure a secure and efficient AEM environment, capable of supporting robust content management and delivery needs. Always stay informed about the latest updates and configurations to maintain a secure and optimized production setup.

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