Multiple content servers for a single repository

Hi,

We have a very high volume repository (>17TB) that we would like to load balance across multiple servers. I was wondering if there is a way to install and configure multiple content servers on separate virtual machines for a single repository i.e. these content server instances on separate virtual machines use the same database and the same filestores (read and write to same filestores) and have the same users. I do not want to create a distributed filestore or repository. Is that a supported configuration?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

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mszurap

Hi,

Yes, it is absolutely supported.

Please look at Content Server 6.6 Installation Guide (ContentServer_EnterpriseEdition_InstallationGuide_6.6.pdf) at page 109.

This kind of architecture is called "Remote Content Server". Of course it does not need to be in a remote location, and the "secondary" content server can act and work by itself, it does not depend on the other content server (or "node").

Mike

lastnitescurry

also take a look at your customisations.

Make sure your BOF objects are packaged correctly, i.e. not depending on a jar that should be in classloader of calling DFC app (JMS, Index Server, Webtop, ...).
Have you packaged your java methods as BOF modules? If NO, include this work as part of your move to mulitple content servers. It will GREATLY simplify deployment of updates

mszurap

Good points Brian! These are must-have checks.

startled_hippo

Thank you very much for the quick reply. I'm looking at the content server installation guide on page 111 and it says:

"Accept the default location of the data directory or browse to a different location and click Next. The data directory is where content files are stored in the repository."

For this to work, the datastore used by the first content server must be mounted as a share (with the same name/path) on this other virtual machine as well for this server to serve content files in case the first one goes down.

If I specify a different directory then the first content server, my guess is, this new content server will not be able to serve files stored by the first server in case the first server goes down.So everything has to be exactly identical in this instance.

Am I correct in saying that?

If I use the same directory as "data directory" for both content servers, will this not cause any conflict between the two?

As for custom methods or BOF's we're currently not using any. All we have is plain objects with a few custom attributes. Even webtop is hardly customized. But thank you for mentioning it though.

Thank you very much for your help once again.

mszurap

The best practice is to mount the data directory on the same path as it is on the first content server. This makes your life easier. There will be no conflicts between the content server from this, as new and modified objects have new dmr_content entry (which creates a new file), none of the existing files are going to be overwritten.

If you specify another location, I think it is also not a problem, as a new server configuration (dm_server_config) object will be created which holds the references to the location (dm_locaiton) objects. The existing location objects and server configuration object does not need to be changed.