Question & Answer
Question
How can I configure IBM® Rational® ClearCase® in a stand alone environment on Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP and Server™ 2003?
Answer
This information is intended for use by the ClearCase Administrator (or system administrator), who is responsible for configuring the Rational ClearCase environment.
LAN Configuration
A stand alone configuration has a single host that functions as both the server and client. However, Rational ClearCase needs local area network (LAN) functionality to work correctly. The network communications that ClearCase requires entails remote procedure calls (RPC) between the client and server.
In a stand alone environment there is no direct server connectivity from the client to achieve LAN operations. Use of the loopback adapter or a local host lookup configuration on the host machine is required.
The TCP and UDP packets for ClearCase LAN activity are sent out to a specific host that typically use a host name. If the packets are unable to resolve the host name or reach the host's IP address, then the communications attempt will fail, and subsequently the application will fail.
- For reference information on how to successfully set the loopback adapter correctly, follow technote 1188184.
- For details on configuring the local host lookup, refer to the information available on the Microsoft Web Site on TCP/IP Fundamentals for Microsoft Windows
Note: Either method will ensure that outward bound packets resolve to a local address, which will enable the local ClearCase services to function properly.
ClearCase group, server process account and server process
Note: If you have not done so already, then you should first read and understand the details covered in IBM Rational ClearCase Administrator's Guide. If you do not have a hard copy, the document is available in soft copy, cc_admin.pdf, on any host with Rational ClearCase installed, and is located by default in C:\Program Files\Rational\ClearCase\doc\books.
In Microsoft Windows, the default base requirement for a ClearCase server to function in a stand alone environment is the local ClearCase Administrators group ("clearcase" by default) along with the albd server process user account ("clearcase_albd" by default). The addition of this group along with the corresponding clearcase_albd user will allow the system to function as a stand-alone ClearCase server.
The ClearCase server installation requires the following:
- A ClearCase group, by default clearcase
- A ClearCase server process account, by default clearcase_albd
- A ClearCase server process, Atria Location Broker Daemon (ALBD)
ClearCase Group and ClearCase Server Process Account
The ClearCase group and server process account can be created during the Rational ClearCase installation since the account used to complete the install must have local administrator rights. However, you can create these manually, just be sure to make the server process account a member of the ClearCase group.
The ClearCase group is a special group recognized by the application for privileged operations. It is set in the Windows registry by the ClearCaseGroupName registry key.
The server process account is used to run the ClearCase server process, and must be a member of the ClearCase group for it to be a privileged user, refer to technote 1146253 for more details.
For more information on creating the group and account manually refer to IBM Rational ClearCase Administrator's Guide > ClearCase and Windows Domains > Domain User and Group Accounts > Defining Required Domain Accounts Manually
ClearCase Server Process
The server process, ALBD, runs as the ClearCase server process account and is denoted as albd_server.exe in the Windows process list from Task manager.
This process handles a variety of tasks on hosts configured to support local VOBs and views:
- Starting and stopping other ClearCase services as needed
- Setting up network communications between ClearCase clients and servers
- Responding to requests for registry information on a ClearCase registry server host
- Responding to requests for licenses on a ClearCase license server host
For more information, refer to IBM Rational ClearCase Administrator's Guide > ClearCase Server Processes > albd_server.
Restrictions
Rational ClearCase is a team product, but the stand alone configuration limits its capabilities to a single host. This configuration is geared toward isolated testing, isolated builds, new ClearCase version testing, or other like uses that do not require the sharing of ClearCase resources.
The stand alone system will be unable to contact other ClearCase servers, and correspondingly, will be unable to act as a ClearCase server to outside clients.
For more information, refer to IBM Rational ClearCase Administrator's Guide > ClearCase and Windows Domains > Domain Configurations Compatible with ClearCase > ClearCase on Nondomain Hosts
Note: If it is necessary for this host to be used in a ClearCase network or domain environment, then it is advised to uninstall Rational ClearCase first, and remove the local ClearCase group and server process account. Then proceed with logging into the domain from this host and install Rational ClearCase accordingly, referring to the domain's ClearCase group and server process account.
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Modified date:
16 June 2018
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