Configure the Optim server on a Windows platform

Using a server, you can define tasks on a workstation and direct resource-intensive data processing functions to a machine more suited to the task. When a task requires the movement, processing, or storage of very large volumes of data, the request can be defined at the workstation in the normal way, then directed for remote processing on the machine hosting the server. If this machine is the machine on which the database is running, network traffic associated with the movement of data is eliminated. You can also install the server on a machine dedicated to the server function. In addition, a server is required to process from a database residing in a UNIX environment and to support access to archived data using Open Data Manager. In a UNIX environment, the server must be installed from the console and configured from the command line.

To configure a server on a Windows workstation, you must first install Optim™, and run the configuration program to configure the workstation and enable it as a server. (Refer to Enable/Disable this Machine as an Optim Server.) When you add or delete an Optim directory or DB alias using the configuration program, you must also apply the new settings to the server.

After you activate the workstation as a server, you must configure it using the Server Settings applet from the Control Panel.

Control Panel

Double-click the Optim icon in the Windows Control Panel to run the Optim Server Settings applet, used to provide settings unique to the server, such as the path and executable file name for each database loader, connection strings for all DB aliases, and protocols for access to the server.

Tabs

The tabs on the Optim Server Settings dialog are:

General: The default Temporary Work Directory and Data Directory.
Errors: Font characteristics for displays of informational, warning, and error messages. Indicate the maximum number of lines displayed in the message bar and whether to hide the message bar when empty.
Load: The path and name of the executable required to gain access to each DBMS Loader.
Connection: Connect strings for all DB aliases in an Optim directory.
Access: Access to specific server drives and directories.
Startup: Type of start up for the server.
Security: The source of User ID and password information to log on.
Endpoints: Protocol and address information for machines hosting the server.
Archive: Directories for storing archive and index files.
Retention: Options to scan Optim directories for archive files subject to a retention policy.
Status: Current workstation connections to a server.
Email: Email addresses for report messages.

As part of the installation process, you create entries in the Current User registry.

Configuration

You can keep Local Machine registry entries for the server separate from those for the user by entering information in the Optim Server Settings dialog. Settings on the Configuration dialog pertain only to the server, not to the currently logged on user.

Note: If workstations are processing, setting changes are saved when you click Apply, but are not applied until all processing completes. The server rejects new connections until the current connections terminate and the new settings are applied. Scheduled processes are similarly rejected when settings are pending. Scheduled processes are retried until the Stop Time entered in the Scheduling Editor.

Credentials

For information about user credentials required to run the server, refer to Server Credentials.