Overview of N1 Service Provisioning System 4.1 Applications

The N1 Service Provisioning System 4.1 is a distributed software platform that includes the following special-purpose applications:

• Master Server – A central server that stores components and plans and provides an interface for managing application deployments.

• Local Distributor – Optional servers that act as a proxy for the Master Server to optimize network communications across data centers and through firewalls.

• Remote Agent – One or more small management applications that perform operations on individual hosts. Every host that you want to be controlled by the N1 Service Provisioning System 4.1 must have the Remote Agent application.

• Command Line Interface Client – Optional small applications that accept commands to be executed on the Master Server.

Master Server

The Master Server runs on Solaris OS, Red Hat Linux, or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server and Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server systems. The Master Server is a central server that does the following.

• Manages a database that identifies all hosts registered in the provisioning software

• Stores components and plans in a repository

• Performs version control on the objects stored in the repository

• Authenticates IT operators and ensures that only authorized users perform specific operations

• Includes special-purpose engines for performing tasks such as dependency tracking and deployments

• Provides both an HTML interface and a command-line interface for users

Local Distributor

A Local Distributor is a proxy that optimizes the distribution and management of Remote Agents. Data centers can use Local Distributors to do the following:

• Minimize network traffic during deployments. The Master Server can send one copy of a component to a Local Distributor, which then replicates the component for installation on a collection of systems.

• Minimize firewall reconfigurations. If a firewall stands between the Master Server and a collection of systems, administrators can open the firewall only for the systems running Local Distributors, rather than for every system involved in a deployment.

• Minimize the load to the Master Server during large scale deployments.

Remote Agent

A Remote Agent is an application that runs on every system being managed by the N1 Service Provisioning System 4.1. Remote Agents perform the tasks requested by the Master Server. The Remote Agents are supported on the Solaris OS, Red Hat Linux, IBM AIX, and Microsoft Windows 2000 platforms. Remote agents can do the following:

• Report server hardware and software configurations to the Master Server

• Start and stop services

• Manage directory contents and properties

• Install and uninstall software

• Run operating system commands and native scripts specified in component models

Command Line Interface Client

The Command Line Interface (CLI) Client provides a communication path to the Master Server to enable the execution of commands from local and remote systems. The CLI Client enables commands to be executed in the following environments:

• Windows command line

• UNIX shell such as bash

To execute these commands, the CLI Client establishes a connection to the Master Server through TCP/IP or securely using SSL, or SSH.

The CLI Client operates in the following two modes:

• Single-command mode, which enables you to submit one command at a time

• Interactive mode, which prompts you for commands, maintains a command history, and allows for Jython scripting

When operating in interactive mode, the CLI Client uses the Jython programming language. Jython is a Java implementation of the high-level, dynamic, object-oriented language Python.

Install Jython on any system on which you plan to run the CLI Client in interactive mode. For more information about Jython and to download Jython, visit .