Deciding When to Use DSCC and When to Use the Command Line

Directory Server Enterprise Edition provides two user interfaces for managing Directory Servers and Directory Proxy Servers: a browser interface, Directory Service Control Center (DSCC), and a command-line interface.

Determining Whether a Procedure Can Be Done Using DSCC

Most procedures in this guide can be performed using either the command line or DSCC. The procedures in this guide show how to use the command line to accomplish the procedure. In most cases DSCC can be used to perform the same task. If DSCC can be used for a particular procedure, a statement to that effect appears at the beginning of the procedure.

The DSCC online help provides detailed instructions on how to use DSCC to perform the procedures in this guide.

Cases Where Using DSCC Is Better

DSCC enables you to perform some operations and tasks more easily than you can perform them from the command line, as explained in the following sections. In general, any command that must be applied to several servers is best performed using DSCC.

Viewing Servers and Suffix Replication Status

DSCC displays tables that show all server instances that have been registered in DSCC, all suffixes that have been configured, and the status of each.

The servers table is on the Directory Servers tab and shows the operational status of the server. For a complete list of possible server states, see the Directory Server online help.

The suffixes table is on the Suffixes tab and shows replication status information, such as the number of entries and the number and age of any missing changes. For more information about the information displayed in this table, see the Directory Server online help.

Managing Groups of Servers

Server groups assist you in monitoring and configuring servers. You can create groups and assign servers to the groups. For example, you can group servers by geographical location, or by function. If you have a large number of servers, you can filter the servers shown on the Directory Servers tab so that only the servers in the group are shown. You can also copy the server configuration (for example index or cache settings) of one server to all other servers in a group. For instructions on how to set up and use a server group, see the Directory Server online help.

Copying Configuration Settings

DSCC enables you to copy the configuration settings of an existing server, suffix, or replication agreement to one or more other servers, suffixes, or replication agreements. For information about how to perform each of these tasks, see the Directory Server online help.

Configuring Replication

With DSCC, you can set up a replication topology quickly and easily. Simply create the server instances, then use the steps provided by DSCC to designate the role of each server. DSCC automatically creates the replication agreements for you. For more information about how to configure replication using DSCC, see the Directory Server online help.