Designate Primary and Backup Configuration Servers
The steps required to designate the configuration servers for an application will vary only slightly based on whether you are creating a new application or modifying an existing remote application.
These steps use the VTS dialog boxes to designate your servers. The end result will be a list of server names in the appropriate sections of your Sync.WIF and Config.INI files. Once you know how the graphical tools change these files, you can edit them directly instead.
Note: When you designate a primary configuration server and backup servers for a new application, you are configuring the application as a remote application. If you do not designate a primary configuration server or backup servers for a new application, you are configuring the application as a local application. In other words, the designation of a primary configuration server and backup servers is what makes a VTS application a remote application.
1. Open the Application Properties or New Application Properties dialog for the application
• If editing an existing application, click on the Properties button while that application is selected in the VAM
• If creating an application, click on Add New, then select Create New from the dialog. You will need to provide a name for the application and select the appropriate type.
2. Set the primary configuration server for this application:
• If this is a new application, click the "This Machine Is Primary Server" checkbox. If another machine will eventually be the primary server you will change the configuration. Do not select another machine as the primary server at this time.
• If this is an existing application, your choices depend on whether the application also exists on another machine on your network:
o If the application exists only on the current machine, click the “This Machine Is Primary Server” checkbox.
o If the application is installed on other computers on your network, you may select one of them to be the primary server instead.
Note: It is strongly recommended that you use workstation names rather than IP addresses when specifying service servers, especially in networks where the workstations may be dual-homed, or where dynamic IPs are assigned.
3. Add the names of backup servers for this application as follows (both new and existing applications):
a) Click the "Add" button. The "Add Server" dialog opens.
a) Select the name of the workstation from the Machine Name drop-down list or type the name in the field.
Note: It is strongly recommended that you use workstation names rather than IP addresses when specifying service servers, especially in networks where the workstations may be dual-homed, or where dynamic IPs are assigned.
b) Press the Enter key on your keyboard to enable the "OK" button.
c) Click the "OK" button. The name of the server you specified appears in the "Configuration Server Choices" list.
4. Repeat step 3 until you have added as many backup servers as your application requires.
5. [Optional] Re-order the list of backup servers by selecting one, then using the up and down arrows beside the words Move Selected.
Note: The first server in the list must be one on which the application is installed. The backup servers may do a Get From Server later to obtain the application but the primary server must have the application before you attempt to run or configure it on this machine.
6. Click the "OK" button.
Internally, VTS writes a section similar to that displayed below to a file named, Sync.WIF in your application directory when you initially create a new remote application.
[Configuration-Servers]
Name = Chief
Name = EngineRoom
Name = WatchKeeperStation
This section is automatically updated in Sync.WIF whenever you modify the Configuration Server Choices list.
Alternatively, you may modify the "Sync.WIF" file by opening it in a text editor.
Note: When you designate a primary configuration server and backup servers for a new application, VTS automatically assumes that the same PCs will be the primary service server and backup service servers for all VTS services. If this arrangement is not desirable, see Designate Primary and Backup Service Servers.