I plan to have failover capability between two directory servers, they both are java system directory server 6 enterprise edition. I am not sure if the replication is the right solution for failover. How does the failover work? All my systems are solaris 9 systems and I already have one directory server 6 as ldap server and one native solaris ldap client as a test client.
thanks,
--xinhuan
When you configure your LDAP client, you can list two or more ldap servers (IP address and port number -- one primary and one backup). Your client will detect it if it goes out of service)
Default Server List: ldap1.example.com ldap2.example.com
If you already have one ldap server, you can install another one in different host. Or, simply, if just for testing purpose, you can just create another instanct in the same host.
Between the two ldap servers, you had better setup replication to make the data identical.
It's all on http://docs.sun.com (select "Java Enterprise system", then "Identity Management", then "Directory Server", then the version that you have (DSEE6). Takes all of 30 seconds to find it....
The DSEE6 docs are very good compared to the <=5.2 docs and explain everything step by step.
By the way, for better failover so the clients don't need handle the failover themselves(a lot of clients don't handle failover very well), you should set up a DS6 proxy in front of the masters, and let the proxy handle failover or load-balancing. For true redundancy, put two proxies behind a network load balancer (the client will never know if _any_ of the pieces are down, unless both proxies die at the same time).
You will sleep better at night this way...
Thanks for your information.
I still don't understand what the proxy server will be doing. If I put two directory server ips on the client side configuration file, will the client connect to the other server in case one server is down automatically, given that I am using native Solaris ldap client. Why it is necessary to put a proxy server in front of the two master servers? I actually don't need the load balancing but indeed, I need the failover feature. If I don't use the proxy server, does the failover happen automatically or by human intervention?
thanks,
--xinhuan
I don't think that you need proxy server if you just need failover. Proxy server is more than that, like load balance and security enhance.
Basically you just list your ldap servers in the default list, and the client will be smart enough to detect that. If one failed, it will switch to another one.
Again, for "master or slave", if you need the backup to function both "upate and read", choose multi-master. Configure the other one to be slave will only allow you doing search, not update.
