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Chapter 1

Performing Basic Tasks with the Administrator Tool

This chapter describes how to get started with Netscape Application Server (NAS) Administrator, as well as the basic NAS configuration tasks you can perform using either NAS Administrator or at the command line.

The following topics are included in this chapter:


About Netscape Application Server Administrator
Netscape Application Server (NAS) Administrator is a Java application with a graphical user interface that you use to administer one or more NAS machines. NAS administration involves such performance-related tasks as adjusting database connection threads and load-balancing parameters. Server administrators must also configure devices the application server uses, including the web server.

In addition to these administrative duties, keep in mind that NAS requires not only administration of the server itself, but of application components as well. Application administration involves managing application components by grouping, enabling, and partitioning them to achieve better application performance. Application components, the core of a NAS application, are stored on the application server and contain code written by the application developer. Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs), servlets, JavaServer Pages (JSPs), and AppLogic objects are all application components. For more information about each of these, refer to the Programmer's Guide.

Administrative tasks are all performed using NAS Administrator. The left panel of the NAS Administrator's main window displays all NAS machines recognized by the administrator tool. The right panel of that window displays individual tool features.

When NAS Administrator is open to the default General window, the toolbar, main window with left and right panels, and the menu bar are shown as illustrated in the following figure:


Starting the Administrator
To administer one or more Netscape Application Server (NAS) machines, start the NAS Administrator by performing one of the following tasks:


Starting Netscape Application Server
Manually starting Netscape Application Server (NAS) is not usually necessary on a UNIX system; you can choose automatic server start-up when you install NAS. Thereafter, NAS starts automatically on system start-up. However, if you manually stop NAS or if the server crashes, you can manually start the server by performing the following steps:

  1. Click the General button on the NAS Administrator toolbar to open the General window.

  2. In the left pane of the General window, select the server you want to start.

  3. In the right pane of the General window, click Start Server. Note that servers do not appear in the hierarchical tree when they are not running.
Registering a Netscape Application Server Machine
Registering a Netscape Application Server (NAS) machine adds that server to the scope of the administrator tool. This is best done after you add a server or a group of servers to the enterprise.

You must register a NAS machine before you can use NAS Administrator to manage it and the applications stored on it.

To register a NAS machine, perform the following steps:

  1. On the NAS Administrator toolbar, click the General button to open the General window.

  2. From the File menu, choose New, then Server.

  3. In the Name text box, specify the name of the server.

  4. In the Host text box, specify the host name of the server.

  5. In the Port text box, specify the port number for the Administrative Server.

  6. In the User Name and Password text box, specify the user name and password you entered during installation of the server or when modifying the Users and Groups.

  7. (Optional) To always connect to this server and display it in the Enterprise window, select the "Connect to this server" checkbox. This is the default.

  8. Click OK.

Unregistering a Server
You can remove a server from the scope of the enterprise when that server is no longer available.

To unregister or delete a NAS machine, perform the following steps:

  1. On the NAS Administrator toolbar, click the General button to open the General window.

  2. In the left pane of the General window, double-click All Registered Servers.

  3. Select the server or servers you want to delete.

  4. From the Edit menu, choose Delete.
Setting EJB Container Parameters for Run Time
Netscape Application Server (NAS) provides an Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) container that enables you to build distributed applications using your own components and components from other suppliers. When you configure NAS for your enterprise, you must set the EJB container's declarative parameters. These parameters determine, for example, when an EJB is removed after being inactive for a specified number of seconds. Set these parameters using the editor in NAS Administrator.

To access the editor, perform the following steps:

  1. On the NAS Administrator toolbar, click the General button to open the General window.

  2. In the right pane of the General window, click the EJB tab to open the EJB container declarative parameters editor.
The editor allows you to set the following values:

You must restart the server before changes take effect.


Using the Netscape Registry Editor
The Netscape Registry Editor is a stand-alone GUI tool that displays registry information for Netscape products. The editor is installed with each instance of Netscape Application Server (NAS) and is similar in appearance and function to the registry editor installed on Windows machines. You should always use the Netscape Registry Editor to manage registry entries for NAS as it displays values stored not only in your local machine's registry, but in your Directory Server as well.

You can launch the Netscape Registry Editor by typing kregedit at the command line on Solaris machines.

For Windows NT machines, click the Windows NT Start button and choose Run. Type kregedit and click OK.

The following window appears:

To modify a value in the registry, double-click the entry. The following dialog box appears:


Updating the Installation Key
If you installed Netscape Application Server (NAS) under an evaluation license, the server stops running at the end of the evaluation period. If you have extended the evaluation period or purchased the server, you will need to update the installation key. Updating the installation key saves you from having to reinstall the server software and reconfigure the environment.

To reset the installation key, perform the following steps:

  1. Shutdown NAS.

  2. Open the Netscape Registry Editor by typing kregedit at the command line.

  3. Open the following key:

  4. Double-click the Key String value and enter the new Key value.

    5.

  5. Click OK.

  6. Close the registry editor.

  7. Restart NAS.

Changing the IP Address
When a Netscape Application Server (NAS) machine address changes, such as when the machine is moved, you must update the registry of that machine with the new address. If the machine participates in data synchronization, you must also update the registry of the other machines in the same cluster. Rather than locate every instance of the IP address in the registry and change each instance manually, you can use kregedit to update the entire registry with the new IP address.

To change the IP address, perform the following steps:

  1. Open the Netscape Registry Editor by typing kregedit at the command line.

  2. Open the following key:

  3. From the Edit menu, choose Change IP Address.

  4. Enter the old and new IP address.

  5. Click OK to save your changes.
 

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