Sun Cluster 2.2 Software Installation Guide

Netscape News

Sun Cluster HA for Netscape News is Netscape News running under the control of Sun Cluster. This section describes how to install Netscape News to enable it to run as the Sun Cluster HA for Netscape News data service. Refer to Netscape documentation for the standard Netscape installation instructions.

There are two prerequisites to installing Netscape News using the ns-setup command.

A user name and a group name must be configured for the news server. Create these names on all Sun Cluster servers that will be running Sun Cluster HA for Netscape News and verify that they have the same ID numbers on all systems.
DNS must be configured and enabled on all servers running Sun Cluster HA for Netscape News. All Sun Cluster servers must have the same /etc/resolv.conf file, and the hosts entry in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file must include dns.

Netscape News requires some variation from the default installation parameters, notably:

Specify the logical host name rather than the physical host name.
Do not use the default server root disk when prompted. Your files must reside on the multihost disk.
Make sure all start and stop scripts are located in the base install directory.

How to Install Netscape News

Before you begin this procedure, complete the appropriate pre-requisite steps listed in Table 8-2.

This procedure shows the user interaction with the ns-setup command. Only the sections that are specific to Sun Cluster HA for Netscape News are shown here. For the other sections, choose or change the default value as appropriate.

All of the steps in this procedure must be performed as root.

Make sure each logical host is served by its default master.

The Netscape application will be installed from the physical host that is the logical host's default master. If necessary, switch over the logical hosts to be served by their respective default masters.

Note -
The logical host names you use in your Sun Cluster configuration should be used as the server names when you install and configure the Netscape application in the following steps. This is necessary for failover of the Netscape server to work properly.

Run the ns-setup command from the Netscape News install directory on the CD.

Change directory to the Netscape News distribution location on the CD, and run the ns-setup command.

phys-hahost1# cd /cdrom/news_server/solaris/news/install
phys-hahost1# ./ns-setup

Note -

The Netscape directory on the CD might be different from that shown in the example. Check your Netscape documentation for the actual location.

After the licensing agreement you see:

Netscape Communications Corporation 
Netscape SuiteSpot Server Installation
---------------------------------------------------------------
This program will extract the server files from the distribution
media and install them into a directory you specify. This 
directory is called the server root and will contain the server 
programs, the Administration Server, and the server configuration 
files.

To accept the default shown in brackets, press return.

Server root [/usr/netscape/suitespot]:

Enter the logical host name for the Netscape News Server and the appropriate DNS domain name.

A full name is of type hostname.domainname, such as hahost1.sun.com. You should not accept the default, and you can enter any directory name you might have created for the data service here as well.

Note -
You must use the logical host name rather than the physical host name here and everywhere else you are asked, for Sun Cluster HA for Netscape News to fail over correctly.

For example:
Machine's name [phys-hahost1]: hahost1
Follow the screen instructions (in many cases you may want to accept the default choices) for the server installation.

Enter the Server Administrator ID and password when asked.

Follow the guidelines for your system.

Note -
The default administration port is not the port on which the data services will listen, so it is an acceptable default. Make note of the default administration port number for future use.

When you see the following, your installation is complete and ready for configuration:
Your parameters are now entered into the Administration Server configuration files, and the Administration Server will be started. Writing configuration files ...

Bring up the Netscape browser.
Web browser [netscape]:
You should see the Netscape browser.

Enter the URL of the logical host where the server is installed.

F
logicalhostname:admin_port_#
or example:

Enter the proper user ID and password when prompted. You see the page with the logical host name you assigned and the Administration port number.

Click the Create selection for the Netscape product and version you want to install.

Click OK from the bottom of the following page.

You see the Success page with the name of the new server and associated port number.

If the service is not yet registered, use the hareg(1M) command to register it.

To register the service only on the logical host, include the -h option and logical host name:
# hareg -s -r nsnews [-h logicalhost]

Run the hadsconfig command from the physical host:
phys-hahost1: hadsconfig

Enter the number for the nsnews menu item at the prompt.

Your choices may vary depending on the services installed.

Enter the number for the Create a new instance item at the prompt.

You see something similar to the following:

Name of the instance [?] :
Logical host [?] :
Base directory of product installation [?] :
Server Port Number [?] :
Time between probes (sec) [60]  [?] :
Time out value for the probe (sec) [60]  [?] :
Take over flag [y]  [?] :

Enter the name for the instance.

Enter your logical hostname.

Enter the location to the logical host where the service is installed for the Base directory location.

This is the location of the start and stop scripts. For example, /netscape-1/vol01/nsnews/hahost1. Your path may differ.

Enter the server port number on which you want the server to listen.

For example, 119 for News.

Either accept the defaults or change them by entering the appropriate information.

You can change the defaults now if necessary. After you finish, a confirmation appears.

Add this instance.

You see instance added to workfile.

Enter the menu item number to go to the Main Menu.

You see Configuration has changed in workfile.

Update the configuration from the workfile.

Enter the appropriate information when you see the checking node status... message.

Enter the Quit menu item number.

You are returned to the root prompt of your physical host.

Activate the service by using the hareg(1M) command.

Run the hareg(1M) command on only one host.
# hareg -y nsnews

Confirm your News server operation by making a telnet connection to the logical host on which the service is listening.

For example:
# telnet logicalhost 119
After you have confirmed the server's operation, your installation is complete.