Infrastructure - Information Management Systems at RRCAT

Cluster based setup of RRCAT Information Portal using multi-level load balancing for high availability of applications

Cluster based setup of RRCAT Information Portal - RRCATInfonet has been commissioned using multi-level load balancing to achieve enhanced scalability, availability, performance and reliability. Six web servers have been configured in clustered and load balancing mode to distribute the load among the servers. Server Load Balancer is configured to automatically distribute the load across the servers at the switch (hardware) level. Nginx web server is configured for application level (software) load balancing while maintaining persistency and automatic seamless migration of active sessions among servers. RRCATInfonet is single point access to various information resources and online applications. Various workflow based applications have been deployed on RRCATInfonet to achieve digital and paperless functioning for improved efficiency and transparency.

Open Source Public Key Infrastructure (EJBCA) setup for Digital Certificate based Applications

As a major e-Governance initiative, Computer Centre has taken up integration of some on-line software applications with Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) to facilitate paperless flow of digitally signed documents. Open source Certificate Authority EJBCA PKI infrastructure has been setup for providing a solution for authentication and digital signing of documents. DSCs are being issued to authorized persons for electronic approval of documents. Workflow based applications with DSC based approval have been developed and deployed on RRCATInfonet to move towards paperless transactions leading to e-Governance. Audit trail (log files) of Digital Signing procedure is maintained with User-id of Approving Authority, IP address of PC, Time Stamp, PDF file of signed document and Hash of signed document for checking the integrity of signed document at later stage. Using Digital Signature Certificates, helps to achieve higher efficiency, electronic record keeping, saving of paper and more convenience.

Setup for Timestamp services, Sign Server for PKI infrastructure:

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) setup has been augmented by establishing Timestamp services to support assertion of proof for digitally signed documents after expiry of digital certificates. Timestamp service at RRCAT has been established using open source Sign Server, which has been configured as per Government of India Time Stamping Policy and Time Source Frame Work. This Timestamp service is in compliance with RFC 3161, CCA-time stamping guidelines, India PKI certificate policy and national time source.

Load balanced setup for Online Applications deployed over Internet

Load balanced setup has been commissioned for software deployed on Internet for accepting online applications to achieve paperless application submission. This setup provides high performance, highly available and scalable infrastructure for software applications deployed on Internet. Two web servers have been configured in load balancing mode to distribute the load among the servers. Nginx web server is configured for application level load balancing while maintaining persistency and automatic seamless migration of active sessions among servers. MySQL database has been installed on separate server with secured connection with load balanced web servers. GreenSQL database firewall has been configured over the web servers to protect the database from SQL injection attacks and unauthorized access. Document directory is exported as a NFS share and is transparently mounted over the two web servers for storage of documents uploaded by applicants.

Open Source Java Content Repository

Content Management Software based solution for building Organizational Content Repository for Circulars and Notices issued by Government/ DAE/ RRCAT has been configured and setup at RRCAT. Open source Java Content Repository (Apache Jackrabbit) is deployed on Tomcat web server with MySQL as backend database and Linux file system as secondary storage. Web based software has been developed and deployed on RRCATInfonet to maintain Organizational Content Repository of official documents generated in the form of office orders, office memorandums, notices, circulars etc. The software has provision for uploading authenticated documents in PDF format by authorized officials and approval by competent authority. Documents are categorized as per the access rights for searching of documents by authorized persons as per need to know principle. The software also has features for content based searching by authorized users based on the category of documents.