22 Configuring Heartbeats

This chapter describes how to configure heartbeats for HTTP-based stateless network protocol plug-ins.

Introduction

The heartbeat functionality performs heartbeat checks towards HTTP-based network nodes on behalf of a plug-in. When a heartbeat fails, the plug-in is set to state INACTIVE. The heartbeat functionality will continue trying to connect to the node and, when a positive answer is received, the plug-in re-enters the ACTIVE state.

The following network protocol plug-ins use this functionality:

• Parlay X 2.1 Terminal Location/MLP

• Extended Web Services WAP Push/PAP

• Parlay X 2.1 Multimedia Messaging/MM7

• Native MM7

Configuration and Management

The heartbeat OAM functionality is shared among the plug-ins. They all use the same MBean, com.bea.wlcp.wlng.heartbeat.management.HeartbeatMBean. But the result is rendered per plug-in (one instance is displayed per plug-in). It appears slightly differently depending on how to the MBean is accessed:

• In the Administrative Console, expand the plug-in that uses heartbeat functionality:

  • Plugin_px21_multimedia_messaging-HeartbeatConfiguration

  • Plugin_ews_push_message_papHeartbeatConfiguration

  • Plugin_px21_terminal_location_mlp-HeartbeatConfiguration

  • Plugin_multimedia_messaging_mm7-HeartbeatConfiguration

  Then click HeartBeat Configuration to display the attributes for the heartbeat module.

• In an MBean browser, such as JConsole, one instance of the MBean is displayed using the same ObjectName (at the same hierarchical level) as the plug-in it is used by.

  Note:

  You need to configure heartbeat attributes for all of the above mentioned plug-ins that use this feature. Only the heartbeat attributes for the related plug-in are displayed in the console.

1. Specify if heartbeats should be enabled for the associated plug-in in Attribute: Enabled.

2. If heartbeats are enabled, define:

   Attribute: ContentMatch

   Attribute: Interval

   Attribute: NetworkServiceUrl

Reference: Attributes and Operations for HeartbeatConfiguration

Managed object: HeartbeatConfiguration

MBean: om.bea.wlcp.wlng.heartbeat.management.HeartbeatMBean

Following is a list of attributes and operations for configuration:

• Attribute: ContentMatch

• Attribute: Enabled

• Attribute: HeartbeatMethod

• Attribute: Interval

• Attribute: NetworkServiceUrl

• Attribute: PostContent

• Attribute: ResponseCodeToMatch

• Attribute: Status (r)

• Operation: addHTTPHeader

• Operation: listHTTPHeaders

• Operation: removeHTTPHeader

Attribute: ContentMatch

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: String

The content for matching the returned heartbeats. If the returned string differs from this, the heartbeat is assumed to have failed. Leave this empty to match any content.

Attribute: Enabled

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: Boolean

Specifies if the heartbeat functionality is applied for the plug-in.

If set to true when the server is stopped, remains true so that hearbeats are automatically enabled after a server restart.

Attribute: HeartbeatMethod

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: String

Valid values are "GET" and "POST". The value determines whether to use HTTP GET or POST method for heartbeats.

Content can be added to the HTTP request when the value is "POST".

Content matching is performed only when the value is "GET."

Response code matching is performed in both cases.

The default is "GET".

Attribute: Interval

Scope: Cluster

Unit: seconds

Format: integer

Specifies the time interval between heartbeats.

Attribute: NetworkServiceUrl

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: String

Specifies the URL to which heartbeats are sent.

Attribute: PostContent

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: String

The content to post in the HTTP request. Used only when the HeartbeatMethod is POST. See Attribute: HeartbeatMethod.

Attribute: ResponseCodeToMatch

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: integer

The response code to match.

Response code matching is performed in all cases, whether the HeartbeatMethod attribute is GET or POST. See Attribute: HeartbeatMethod.

The default is 200.

Attribute: Status (r)

Scope: Cluster

Unit: Not applicable

Format: Boolean

Read-only.

If true, there was a successful response to the last heartbeat. If the previous status was false, the plug-in state is altered from INACTIVE to ACTIVE.

If false, there was no response or an incorrect response to the last heartbeat. In this case, the associated plug-in is set to state INACTIVE and an alarm is generated.

Operation: addHTTPHeader

Scope: Cluster

Adds an HTTP header to all POST and GET heartbeat requests.

If a header of the specified name already exists, the value passed in this operation replaces the previous value.

Signature:

addHTTPHeader(Name: String, Value: String)

Table 22-1 addHTTPHeader

Parameter	Description
Name	Name of header being added.
Value	Contents of header being added

Operation: listHTTPHeaders

Scope: Cluster

Lists all the headers included in heartbeat requests.

Signature:

listHTTPHeaders()

Operation: removeHTTPHeader

Scope: Cluster

Removes an HTTP header from all heartbeat requests.

removeHTTPHeader((Name: String)

Table 22-2 removeHTTPHeader

Parameter	Description
Name	Name of header being removed.