Overview of N1 Grid Service Provisioning System 5.0 Applications

The N1 Grid Service Provisioning System 5.0 is a distributed software platform. The provisioning system includes the following special-purpose applications that you install on the servers in your network. These applications interact to allow you to deploy software to the servers in your network.

• 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 – A management application that performs operations on a host. Every server that you want to be controlled by the N1 Grid Service Provisioning System 5.0 must have the Remote Agent application.

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

Master Server

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

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

• Stores components and plans in a repository

• Performs version control on the objects that are stored in the repository

• Authenticates provisioning system users and ensures that only authorized users perform specific operations

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

• Provides both a browser 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 sends one copy of a component to a Local Distributor, which replicates the component for installation on other servers.

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

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

Remote Agent

The Remote Agent is an application that runs on every server being managed by the N1 Grid Service Provisioning System 5.0. 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 by components and plans

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 servers. 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 server on which you plan to run the CLI Client in interactive mode. For more information about Jython and to download Jython, visit http://www.jython.org.