Platform agent on Windows DFS servers

[Former Member]

Hi All,

Can you please give an idea how to install platform agents on Windows DFS (Distributed File System) servers.We have two single Windows servers using Microsoft DFS service.  The network share is a replicated directory between the two nodes. I am not able to find instructions in the admin guide for DFS servers. This is to configure File events and also to move the files from one directory to another.

We are on M33.104.

Thanks,

Nanak

[former_member183789]

Please refer the thread

http://scn.sap.com/thread/3690592

-Niranjan

[Former Member]

Hello Niranjan,

I have already gone through this thread, almost similar one. They are differently suggested by HP, Gerben and Lohit. Little confused . So I have posted the thread on DFS servers to get some clear idea on how to install the agent.

Thanks,

Nanak

[h_carpenter]

Hi Nanak,

Yes, Gerben and I have different opinions on this matter ... it does not really matter which one of the two you choose, though. I just think that networking overhead is to be avoided. I think it is better to place the agent on one of the servers in the group serving the DFS and pointing the file event to the local file.

Both solutions work fine.

Regards,

HP

[Former Member]

Hello HP,

I like the idea to install the agent on DFS servers. But if we install the agent on only one DFS server and if it goes down we may face issues?.

Thanks,
Nanak

[h_carpenter]

Hi Nanak,

Take ANY server, if it goes down ... wherever the agent is, if you need high availability, you will need two (or more) ... but, DFS means you have more than one server in the group. If you need high availability, I think you should install the agent on two servers serving the DFS (in the DFS group) with local paths. The local paths need to be the same, if they are not, follow Gerben's method (UNC paths). You take two servers where you install the agents, talk to your DNS guy to create an alias for both servers that can be switched to either .... when one server fails, you switch the the DNS entry to point to the other ... for CPS/BPA, when you install the first agent, you sync the installation directory to the other server. You will have to install a windows service for the second install, this can be done in the Scheduler Service Manager, located in the installation directory.

You can also create a service with "sc" on the command prompt (run as Administrator required):

C:\Windows\system32>sc create <some_technical_name> binPath=""""<install_dir>\<version>\bin\network-processor.exe""" -i default -f """<install_dir>\var\SAP_<SID>\<process_server_name>\trc\<process_server_name>-${ProcessName}-${TimeStamp}-${ProcessId}.log"""" DisplayName=<some_userfriendly_name>

<some_technical_name> = iideally a name without spaces, makes life easier. Scheduler Service manager uses jcs_<instance_name> and defaults to jcs_default, has to be unique!

<install_dir> = installation directory, for example c:\redwood\agent

<version>= version number with _ instead of ., for example: 9_0_12_2

<SID>=SAP SID, example: PR1_30

<process_server_name>=the name of the process server in BPA

<some_userfriendly_name>=a userfriendly name, will be displayed in services.msc, for example ... basically the description of the service, spaces must be quoted.

"""" = windows quoting, I initially assumed Windows would accept ^ here, however, it turns out you have to use 4" at the beginning and end, 3" for the quotes inside. Windows quoting hell ...

Example:

C:\Windows\system32>sc create jcs_dfs binPath=""""C:\redwood\agent\9_0_12_2\bin\network-processor.exe""" -i default -f """C:\redwood\agent\var\SAP_PR1_30\MSLN_WINS3\trc\MSLN_WINS3-${ProcessName}-${TimeStamp}-${ProcessId}.log"""" DisplayName="BPA Platform Agent Service"

This creates a services that calls:

"C:\redwood\agent\9_0_12_2\bin\network-processor.exe" -i default -f "C:\redwood\agent\var\SAP_PR1_30\MSLN_WINS3\trc\MSLN_WINS3-${ProcessName}-${TimeStamp}-${ProcessId}.log"

Regards,

HP

Message was edited by: h. Carpenter Added instrcutions for creating the service.

Message was edited by: h. Carpenter fixed quoting

[Former Member]

Thank you HP.

You have mentioned to create a windows service for the second install. But when we install the agents on the two servers with local paths(with same instance name,port and secret), two platform agent services will be created. Do we need to create one more windows service apart from these two platform agent services?

Regards,

Nanak

[h_carpenter]

Hi Nanak,

A platform agent has one service per "instance" per server, the service listens on a port for connections from the central server. If you install the agents on two servers, you would only need to create the service on the second server, after you have copied the installation directory of the platform agent.

What you need then is some way to switch DNS entries should one of the servers become unavailable. You could simply use "dnscmd /recorddelete" and "dnscmd /recordadd" on another Windows platform agent.

Regards,

HP

[Former Member]

Hi HP,

Why do we need to create one more windows service on the second server only.

How this windows service which needs to be created is different than the platform agent service which is created on the second server when the platform agent is installed as the platform agent service also calls the network-processor.exe file.

Thanks,

Nanak

[Former Member]

Hello HP,

Could you please advice where do we need to set the data root directory. Replicated directory or on local path?

Thanks,

Nanak

[h_carpenter]

Hi Nanak,

I would make the directory replicated.

Regards,

HP

[h_carpenter]

Hi Nanak,

You want a platform agent installation on two systems that are identical so you can switch from one to the other without any troubles.

You perform a standard install on the first system, then you copy the installation directory to the other server, this ensure both have the same settings.

Now, however, only the first system has a service listening for connections from the central server, so, on the second server (where you copied the files to), you need to create a service, but manually, if you use the installer, it will create a new set of settings.

Another option, which I think you are referring to, is to run the installer on both, only register the platform agent with the central server on server1. Then you overwrite the settings on server2 with the settings from server1.

You want platform agent installations on both servers that have identical settings (one windows service on each).

Regards,

HP

[Former Member]

Yes HP I was referring to the standard installs on both servers using the installer which is where I got confused. I got it right now :-). Thank you so much for clarifying so patiently.  Once the agents are installed , Will the process server connect to Server A agent or Server B agent?. What determines the process server should connect to Server A agent or Server B agent when we use virtual DNS name?.

Regards,

Nanak