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Managing Servers With iPlanet Console



Chapter 4   Servers in iPlanet Console


This chapter explains how to perform basic server management using iPlanet Console. It contains the following sections:



Working With Earlier Netscape Servers

You can use iPlanet Console to access pre-4.0 versions of Netscape servers. This section tells you how to add a pre-4.0 server to your navigation tree and how to migrate your pre-4.0 data to a newer iPlanet server.


Adding a Pre-4.0 Server to the Tree

If you already have pre-4.0 versions of Netscape servers installed in your enterprise, you can access them through the iPlanet Console navigation tree. This capability is useful when you want to continue using a pre-4.0 server while preparing to deploy a newer version, and you want all servers accessible in one tree.

Pre-4.0 servers that are added to the navigation tree are not integrated completely into the iPlanet Console environment; you administer them through a browser as before. For example, you can add an existing instance of Netscape Messaging Server 3.0 to the navigation tree, but when you open that instance, the 3.0 Server Manager (which you use to administer the server) appears in a browser window.

If you want to fully integrate the information from a pre-4.0 server into iPlanet Console, you must upgrade the server to version 4.0 or later and then migrate your original configuration data to the new version. See "Migrating from a Pre-4.0 Server to a Newer Server" for more information.

Figure 4-1 shows an example of a pre-4.0 server listed in the iPlanet Console navigation tree and managed from a browser.

Figure 4-1    A Pre-4.0 Server Listed in the Navigation Tree and Managed From a Browser


To Add a Pre-4.0 Server to the Navigation Tree

  1. Open iPlanet Console and choose Add Pre-4.0 Server from the Console menu.

  2. In the Add Pre-4.0 Server window, enter information for the server you want to add to the navigation tree.

    Administration Server URL. Enter the host name and port number of the instance of Administration Server that you use to manage the pre-4.0 server. For example: http://superserver.siroe.com:495.

    Server Administrator ID. Enter the user name of the administrator who manages the pre-4.0 instance of Administration Server.

    Password. Enter the password for the administrator who manages the pre-4.0 instance of Administration Server.

    Target Administration Domain. From the drop-down list, select the administration domain that you want to add the pre-4.0 server to.

  3. Click OK.

    The Server List window appears. This window lists all server instances that use the instance of Administration Server entered in step 2.

  4. In the Server List window, deselect servers that you do not want to add to the navigation tree.

    By default, all servers in the server root are selected for addition to the tree.

  5. Click OK.


Migrating from a Pre-4.0 Server to a Newer Server

When you migrate pre-4.0 configuration settings, you copy them to a 4.0 or later server installed in a different server root. The old and new servers can co-exist on the same host system because they are installed in different server roots.

Typically, migrating the configuration settings takes less time than manually configuring a new server. It also ensures that you maintain settings that are identical to those that worked for you with the older version.

For example, if you're already using Netscape Messaging Server version 3.0, you can install Messaging Server 4.0 in a different server root. You can then migrate the 3.0 server settings to the 4.0 server. Once you're certain that the configuration settings work in the new server environment, you can safely uninstall your pre-4.0 server.


Note If you use the same port number for both a pre-4.0 and a newer server, you cannot run the two servers at the same time. Before starting the newer server, turn off the pre-4.0 server. Before starting the pre-4.0 server, turn off the newer server.



To Migrate From a Pre-4.0 Server to a Newer Version

  1. Stop the pre-4.0 server.

  2. Install the new version of the server software. When prompted, specify a server root that is different from the pre-4.0 server root.

  3. Start iPlanet Console and select the server group that contains the new server.

    This group becomes the target group.

  4. Make sure the target group's instance of Administration Server is turned on and that you have the access privileges you need to configure a new server.

  5. From the Object menu, choose Migrate Server Config.

  6. In the Migrate Server Configuration window, enter the absolute path to the pre-4.0 server root folder, and then click OK.

  7. In the Select Server for Migration window, check the pre-4.0 server that you want to migrate to a newer version, and then click Migrate.

  8. In the "Migrate Key and Certificate" window, do one of the following:

    • If the pre-4.0 server uses SSL, provide the key password you used when you installed the server's SSL certificate, then click Migrate.

    • If the pre-4.0 server does not use SSL, click Cancel.

  9. Restart the target group's instance of Administration Server.



Working With iPlanet Servers

You can perform a number of basic server tasks with iPlanet Console. This section contains the following procedures:

  • Opening a server management window

  • Creating a new server instance

  • Cloning an iPlanet server

  • Removing an iPlanet server instance

  • Uninstalling an iPlanet server


Opening a Server Management Window

Each iPlanet or Netscape server has its own set of tasks and configuration settings. You can access these by opening a server management window.


To Open an iPlanet Server Management Window

  1. In iPlanet Console, click the "Servers and Applications" tab to see the navigation tree on the left and server information on the right.

  2. In the navigation tree, click a server to select it.

  3. In the information panel on the right side of the window, click Open.

Another way to open a server management window by double-clicking its icon in the navigation tree.

Each iPlanet or Netscape server has specialized tabs for such functions as setting configurations and viewing server-specific information. For detailed information about a specific tab, see your server's documentation. You can view many of the guides about specific products online at http://docs.iplanet.com.

Figure 4-2 is an example of a server management window.

Figure 4-2    Server Management Window


Creating a New Server Instance

Once you have one instance of a server installed in a server root, you can create additional instances in the same server root. Having multiple instances in a single server root is useful for testing and for when one host is used for multiple purposes.

For example, a company's Human Resources and Finance departments each need a web server. Because each department has limited publishing requirements, one host can serve both departments' needs. The administrator installs the web server software once, creating one instance of the server, and then creates a second instance. One instance is for the Human Resources department and the other is for the Finance department. Only one instance can run on the default web server port (80); the administrator must assign a different port number to the other instance.


Note You cannot create two instances of Administration Server in one server root.



To Create a New Server Instance

  1. In iPlanet Console, select the server group that will contain the new server instance.

  2. From the Object menu, select Create Instance Of.

  3. In the Select Server window, select the server that you want to create a new instance of.

  4. Click OK.


Modifying Host, Server Group, and Instance Information

You can edit some of the host, server group, and instance information that iPlanet Console displays in the information panel. This is useful when you want to add detailed descriptions of the different installations in your organization.


To Modify Host, Server Group, and Instance Information

  1. In the iPlanet Console navigation tree, select the host, server group, or instance for which you want to modify information.

  2. In the information panel, click Edit.

  3. Edit information for the following fields:

    Host/Group/Server Name. Enter a descriptive name for this host, server group, or instance. Examples:

    • Midwest ES10000

    • East Coast Sales Servers

    • West Coast Messaging Server No. 3 (P-Z).

    Description. Enter a detailed description of this server group or instance. Examples:

    • Midwestern team's Sun ES10000.

    • The server group containing the East Coast Sales team's instances of Messaging Server and Certificate Management System

    • The West Coast Messaging Server for users with last names beginning with P through Z.

    Location. (Host only) Enter a description of this host's location. Example: Building 17, 3rd floor, Lab 1749.

  4. Click OK.


Cloning a Server

Cloning allows you to copy one server's configuration settings to other servers of the same type.


To Clone Server Settings to Another Server

  1. In the iPlanet Console navigation tree, select a reference server, the server that has the settings you want to replicate on other servers of the same type.

  2. From the Object menu, choose Clone Server.

  3. In the Select Target Servers for Cloning window, select the servers that you want to copy the reference server's settings to.

  4. Click OK.


Removing a Server Instance

You can remove an instance of any server, other than Administration Server, from the navigation tree. Removing a server instance is useful when you no longer need to manage a particular server instance, but want to continue creating or using servers of the same type. When you remove an instance, all configuration settings for that instance are deleted.


To Remove a Server Instance

  1. In the navigation tree, select the server instance you want to remove.

  2. From the Object menu, choose Remove Server.


Uninstalling an iPlanet Server

If you no longer want to create or use any instances of any particular server, you can uninstall the server. This is different from removing a server instance since all program files will be deleted. For more information on uninstallation, see "Uninstallation.",page 37


Merging Configuration Data From Two Directory Servers

You can use iPlanet Console's Merge Configuration Directory utility to merge the contents of two configuration directories. During a merge operation, the contents of a server group in one configuration directory are copied into a new server group in another configuration directory. No files are transferred during a Merge Configuration Directory operation; the destination configuration directory is simply updated to include information from the source.

The Merge Configuration Directory utility is useful if you've installed and deployed a number of iPlanet servers, and now find it necessary to merge new data into an existing configuration directory.

For example, you may wish to test out a new product before deployment. Rather than make major changes to an existing configuration directory, you can try the product with a pilot instance of Directory Server, using just the new data required to configure the pilot.

This way, you can make adjustments to the new instance's configuration without having an impact on other server instances or the existing directory. Once you're satisfied with the settings in the pilot configuration directory, you can merge its configuration data into the configuration directory that's already deployed.

When merging configuration information, you copy from a source to a destination. In the example just described, the source is the pilot Directory Server instance with the new configuration data, and the destination is the existing Directory Server instance with current configuration data.

Figure 4-3 shows what two configuration directories might contain before they are merged.

Figure 4-3    Two Configuration Directories and the Servers They Have Settings For, Before Using the Merge Configuration Directory Utility

Figure 4-4 shows what the same two configuration directories would contain after you merged them.

Figure 4-4    Two Configuration Directories and the Servers They Have Settings For, After Using the Merge Configuration Directory Utility

When you have finished using the Merge Configuration Directory utility, you can safely remove your source configuration directory.


Caution

Do not remove your source configuration directory until you have merged all data to the destination. Once you remove the source directory, you cannot restore it.



To Merge Configuration Data From Two Directory Servers

  1. In the navigation tree, select the server group containing the source configuration directory.

  2. From the Object menu, choose Merge Configuration.

  3. In the Merge Configuration Directory Server Information window, enter information about the configuration directory into which you want to merge the source data:

    Destination Domain. Enter the domain name for the configuration directory that you want to merge into. Example: siroe.com

    Destination LDAP Host. Enter the hostname for the configuration directory you specified above. Example: eastcoast.siroe.com

    Destination LDAP Port. Enter the port number for the existing configuration directory. Example: 389

    Secure Connection. Check this box if the configuration directory uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol on the port specified above. Make sure that SSL is enabled on the destination configuration directory before selecting this option.

    Destination LDAP Bind DN. Enter the distinguished name for a user who has access to the destination configuration directory. Example: cn=Barbara Jones, ou=Administration, o=Siroe Corporation, c=US.

    Destination LDAP Bind Password. Enter the password for the user specified by the Destination LDAP Bind DN.

After you merge the configuration directories, the affected server instances will use the destination directory you specified. If you want the instances to switch back to the original configuration directory, you must manually modify the local configuration files. See "Changing the Host or Port Number", for more information.


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