Instance creation from an existing instance

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You can use Instance Administration Tool to create a directory server instance from an existing instance that is on a local computer or a remote computer. The source directory server serves as a template for the target directory server instance.

IBM® Security Verify Directory Instance Administration Tool supports copying of a source directory server instance only if the tool and instance and of same version. The target directory server is created on the computer on which Instance Administration Tool is run. If the source directory server is on a different computer, the operating systems of the two computers can be different. For example, you can create a directory server instance on a Windows system that is a copy of an instance on a Linux® system.

When you use the tool to copy a source instance, the tool can do the following operations that are based on your input:

  • You can create a target directory server with the same configuration settings and schema files of the source directory server instance. It also synchronizes directory key stash files on the target server from the source server.
  • If the source directory server instance is a full directory server, the target directory server instance that is created is also a full directory server. You can choose to copy the data from the existing directory server instance. If the source directory server is configured for online backup, you can create a functional target directory server with entries in its database.
  • If the source directory server instance is a proxy server, the target directory server instance that is created is also a proxy server.
  • If the source directory server is in a replication environment, you can configure the target instance as a replica server or as a peer server to the source server.
  • If the source directory server is in a distributed environment, you can configure the target directory server instance as a proxy server.
  • If the source directory server instance is configured for secure communication, Instance Administration Tool copies the key database files to the target directory server.

You must ensure that the source directory server meets the following conditions before you create a directory server from the source directory server:

  • The source directory server must be of IBM Security Verify Directory, Version 10.0. The source directory server cannot be of an instance of previous version.
  • The source directory server must be running in the normal mode. Copying of an instance that is running in the configuration mode is not supported.
  • The source directory server must be accessible from the computer on which you are running Instance Administration Tool.
  • To create the target directory server as a replica or peer, a replication context must exist on the source directory server instance. You cannot use Instance Administration Tool to set up the first replica or peer in a replication topology. The source directory server instance must contain at least one replication context, replication group, and replication subentry defined. If you want to configure the instance as a replica, the source instance must contain the initial replication topology, including an agreement to at least one other server. If you want to configure the instance as a peer, the source server must be defined as a master for one or more of the subentries in the replication configuration.
  • If you want to create the instance as a peer or a replica, a new replication subentry is created under the ibm-replicaGroup=default,replicationContext DN. If the DN is not present, the instance cannot be copied.

If you want to copy data from the source directory server instance to the target directory server instance, you must meet the following requirements:

  • The DB2® version can be different for both directory server instances. A database backup on an operating system can be restored on any computer with the same operating system type. For example, you can restore a database that is created on DB2, Version 9.7 on Windows systems to a system with DB2, version 10. On AIX® and Linux systems, you can restore backups that were produced on DB2, Version 9.7 to DB2, version 10 if the endianness (big endian or little endian) of the backup and restore operating systems are same.
  • You must configure the source directory server instance for online backup. You can configure online backup during initial database configuration. You can use Instance Administration Tool or Configuration Tool to configure online backup.
  • You must take an initial offline backup of the source directory server instance before you use Instance Administration Tool to copy the directory server instance. The path that you specify for backup must contain only one backup image.
  • The path with the backup image must be accessible to both the source directory server instance and the target directory server instance.