Bookshelf v7.5: Using Master/Slave Server Setup Configuration

Siebel Smart Answer Administration Guide > Configuration and Implementation of Siebel Smart Answer > Smart Answer Setup >

Using Master/Slave Server Setup Configuration

Master/Slave configurations should be used for load balancing large volumes of inbound requests (more than 50,000 requests a day). This configuration suits a multiple server scenario, where one server serves as the master and other servers function as slaves. Server Request Broker will load balance incoming messages among master and slave servers. Performance is optimized as all feedback is sent to the master server.

The master server records Smart Answer feedback and synchronizes the Knowledge Base to the slave servers. One or more slave servers connect periodically to the master server to copy the most recent knowledge base. The master server is the only server that can learn. The slave servers simply connect and receive information from the master. This server setup configuration should only be used for load balancing, where large volumes of incoming requests of the knowledge base are expected.

Setup Scenario

You must have at least three servers to run a master/slave configuration. The components to this setup are as follows:

One server running Communications Manager. For further information on setup, see Siebel Communications Server Administration Guide.

One server running Smart Answer Master.

One server running Smart Answer Slave.

Server Parameters

The master server parameters are listed in Table 2.

Table 2. Master Server Parameters
Master Server Parameters	Definition
KB Write Back Interval	This parameter sets the maximum number for feedback before a memory copy is committed back to file. The default setting is 100.
CatMgrType = Master	Designates the catalog manager type.

The slave server parameters are listed in Table 3.

Table 3. Slave Server Parameters
Master Server Parameters	Definition
KB Update Interval	This parameter designates the update interval, in minutes, for slave servers to reload the KB from file. The specified number is the maximum number in minutes. Actual reloading occurs when a request comes into the slave server, and only when the file contains updated data since the last reload was performed. The default setting is 1440 minutes (24 hours).
CatMgrType = Slave	Designates the catalog manager type.

Rules and Assumptions

If a categorization or feedback request is made when the master server is saving the file to disk, or loading the KB, the Smart Answer engine will wait until the save operation is completed before responding.

If a categorization or feedback request is made when the slave server is reading the new KB, the request will be held until the slave server has completed the operation.

If a master attempts to write a record while a slave is reading the KB, the master will wait ten second intervals until the slave server is available.

If the slave attempts to read while the master is writing the KB, the slave will return without having performed the operation.

Overview of Master/Slave Server Setup

For a three-server install (A,B,C), install Siebel Server with Gateway Server on Machine A, install Siebel Server on B pointing to same gateway as on A, install Siebel Server on C pointing to same gateway as A.

On machine A, enable Communications Inbound Manager, and do not enable Smart Answer. On Machine B enable Smart Answer with Master, and on Machine C enable Smart Answer with Slave.

For Master (machine B), navigate to Server Administration > Components, then query for the Smart Answer Manager Server component.

Click on Component Parameters view tab, and query for the Categorization Manager Type parameter, and type in "Master" for current value.

Query for the KB Update Interval and set this to 0, query for the KB Write Interval and set this to the value of your choice. See Table 2 for the values.

For machine C (Slave) follow steps 1 through 3, except enter "Slave" as the current value for the Cat Mgr Type, and set KB Write Interval to 0, and KB Update Interval to the value of your choice. See Table 3 for the values.