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Install Kofax Communications Manager on Docker

Kofax Communications Manager supports an installation and deployment of KCM software on Docker images and containers. An installation on Docker must always consist of a single Contract Manager on its own container, and one or more instances, each on their own container.

KCM does not support mixed configurations of both Docker- and server-installed components. You can choose to install everything on either Docker or server only.

To deploy Contract Manager on Docker, perform the following steps:

  1. Create a Docker image that contains the prerequisites for the Contract Manager.
  2. Create a Docker image that contains the Contract Manager. At this step, the Contract Manager is installed, but not yet configured.
  3. From this image, start a Docker container for the Contract Manager. At this step, the configuration of the Contract Manager is applied.

KCM deployment on Docker requires technical knowledge of the Docker virtualization technology. For more information, see https://www.docker.com.

Restrictions

Kofax Communications Manager provides almost the same support for KCM functionality on Docker as for installations on regular servers, with the following restrictions:

  • Batch & Output Management does not work with any configuration that includes Docker.

  • Due to Microsoft limitations, Kofax Communications Manager does not support installation of Microsoft Word on Docker containers. KCM instances on Docker do not have Word Processor support, and certain KCM/KCM Core scripting features are not available. This includes printing Word documents, running macros, or converting to PDF using Word. Instead of Microsoft Word, KCM on Docker uses Rendition for PDF.

  • When installed on Docker containers, Kofax Communications Manager only supports Microsoft Word DOCX documents, which is the default XML-based file format. When installed on Docker containers, KCM does not support legacy DOC documents, which is the Microsoft Word 97-2003 Document file format. This restriction applies to the usage of DOC files, including but not limited to templates, import documents, file conversion, printing, and Batch & Output Management communications.

Prerequisite images

This section contains information about prerequisite Docker images that are necessary for Contract Manager or KCM instance deployment on Docker.

Prior to installation of Kofax Communications Manager, create two Docker files, one that installs the software prerequisites for the Contract Manager, and another that installs the software prerequisites for the instances. Use these Docker files to build the prerequisite images. These Docker files must be based on a Windows servercore image, as the nanoserver image is not enough for KCM. Here is an example of a supported Windows image:

mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore

Install fonts on prerequisite images

When creating a prerequisite image from the Docker file, you may need to additionally install Windows fonts. Some Windows Server Docker images, such as Windows Server 2019, have a very limited set of fonts installed by default. If system fonts are required during PDF processing and these fonts are not installed in a Docker image, an error occurs and the process fails. For example, during the conversion from DOCX document to PDF.