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About Siebel Gateway Name Server

The Siebel Gateway Name Server serves as the dynamic address registry for Siebel Servers and components. At startup, a Siebel Server within the Siebel Enterprise Server stores its network address in the Gateway Name Server's nonpersistent address registry.

Siebel Enterprise Server components query the Gateway Name Server address registry for Siebel Server availability and address information. When a Siebel Server shuts down, this information is cleared from the address registry.

The Gateway Name Server also includes a persistent file (siebns.dat) containing Siebel Server configuration information, including:

• Definitions and assignments of component groups and components
• Operational parameters
• Connectivity information

As this configuration information changes, such as during the configuration of a Siebel Enterprise or Siebel Server, it is written to the siebns.dat file on the Gateway Name Server.

There can be only one Gateway Name Server installed for each environment in which you have created a Siebel Enterprise. Further, do not share the same Gateway Name Server across development, test, and production environments.

The Gateway Name Server is usually a candidate for high availability using a cluster configuration. If the primary node in the cluster fails, the second machine in the Gateway Name Server cluster takes over, minimizing potential downtime.

For information on installation and configuration tasks associated with Siebel Gateway Name Server, see the Siebel Installation Guide for the operating system you are using.

Language Pack Installation

It is strongly recommended to install the same set of languages on each physical server in your Siebel Enterprise. For details, see the Siebel Installation Guide for the operating system you are using. See also Siebel Global Deployment Guide.