SICS Software Requirements

End-User PC #

The requirements described here, are valid for an end-user who performs normal online (UI) related tasks and who has SICS installed on his own PC.

For centralized operation, please see the section on Remote Desktop Operation.

For heavy processing, please see the section on SICS Batch Server.

For interfacing via the SOAP/XML-based API, please see the section on SICS API Server.

Operating System #

These Windows versions are supported (64-bit only):

Java Runtime Environment #

SICS requires a 64-bit Java Development Kit (JDK) with Java 17+ specification.

DXC SICS 25.3 ships with Amazon Corretto JRE, version 21.0.8.9.1.
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/corretto/latest/corretto-21-ug/what-is-corretto-21.html

Document Production #

Documents can be created as rtf documents and/or pdf documents. Documents are created from templates, and the type of the template determines the type of the produced document.

An rtf template will create rtf documents.

An XSL-FO template (extension .fo) will create PDF documents (extension .pdf).

Templates / documents in rtf format can be edited / viewed using a word processor (Microsoft Word, Apache OpenOffice, LibreOffice, etc).

Templates in XSL-FO format can be edited using commercially available offerings, or a basic text editor with no additional formatting (e.g. Notepad).

Documents in PDF format can be viewed using a PDF viewer (e.g. Adobe Reader, to name but one). The alternative to using rtf or fo/pdf in document production, is plain ASCII files or HTML.

Database Connectivity #

SICS uses JDBC to connect to the database server. SICS is delivered with type 4 JDBC drivers for all supported databases. These drivers have been tested with SICS and are known to work without problems. Other drivers should NOT be used.

Remote Desktop Operation #

Server Requirements #

In a Remote Desktop configuration, the server is used to run SICS. Thus the software requirements for the server in such a setup is:

• Any version of Microsoft Windows supporting the relevant Remote Desktop technology (native Microsoft Windows Remote Desktop Services or Citrix)
• Optionally, Citrix software if that solution is chosen
• Java Runtime Environment, Document Production software and Database Connectivity as described above
• SICS

End-User (client) PC Requirements #

In a Remote Desktop configuration, the end-user’s PC does not itself run SICS. It just runs the Remote Desktop connectivity client (RDP or ICA client). Thus the software requirements for the end-user PC in such a setup is:

• Any version of Microsoft Windows supporting the relevant Remote Desktop connectivity client
• The relevant Remote Desktop connectivity client.

SICS Batch Server #

The software requirements for a dedicated ‘batch job server’ used to process long-running tasks is the same as for a normal end-user’s PC with a local installation of SICS.

SICS API Server #

Operating System #

Document Production #

SICS API Server is a GUI-less (headless) server component which, although it contains some APIs to do document production, does not itself require any Microsoft Office products to be installed.

Database Connectivity #

The same as for a normal end-user’s PC.

Additional Software #

SICS API Server has additional needs (a Java servlet container that supports the Java 17 specification, for instance), that are described in a separate document “SICS API Server.pdf”.

SICS eMessaging Server #

The SICS eMessaging Server is built on SICS API Server, and therefore has the same software and hardware requirements as SICS API Server.

SICS ADH Server #

The SICS Automated Document Handling Server is built on SICS API Server, and therefore has the same software and hardware requirements as SICS API Server.

SICS Live Desktop #

The SICS Live Desktop module consists of

• Functionality which runs within the end-user’s SICS Workstation
• The SICS Naming Service and its associated admin web page

The former needs no additional consideration over and above what is described for SICS Workstation above in this document. For SICS Naming Service components, please see the separate document “SICS Live Desktop Setup and Configuration.pdf”.

SICS Task Management #

The SICS Task Management module consists of

• Functionality which runs within the end-user’s SICS Workstation.
• Functionality which runs as a batch job.

SICS Task Management needs no additional consideration over and above what is described above in this document.

Database Server Software #

The Operating System of the Database Server must be as is appropriate for the chosen RDBMS (e.g. various flavours of Windows, various flavours of UNIX). The main requirement from SICS and BusinessObjects point of view is that the database is accessible through JDBC.

These are the supported RDBMS platforms:

Business Objects Reporting Software #

Please note that the Business Objects reporting solution provided by DXC as a companion to SICS, has its own requirements with regards to Operating System and Database software. Business Objects may or may not work with the OS and RDBMS versions listed above. Please contact DXC for details.

SICS Search #

The SICS Search module consists of

• Functionality which runs within the end-user’s SICS Workstation and SICS API Server.
• The SICS Search Server (when SICS Search is configured for using “remote” mode).

The former needs no additional consideration over and above what is described above in this document. For SICS Search Server, please see the separate document “SICS Search Setup and Configuration.pdf”.