The approach outlined in this document uses Windows PowerShell to deploy Connect:Direct in the cluster. The attached PowerShell scripts provide an easy and automated way for you to perform the necessary tasks, such as installing or updating Connect:Direct as well as creating the cluster role. The scripts will detect the version of Connect:Direct automatically, making the deployment easier and more robust. Some PowerShell knowledge is helpful to follow the instructions, but it is not mandatory.

The approach has been successfully verified with the following software

• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows 6.4.0 using the default PostgreSQL database, Integrated CD Web Services and Integrated File Agent (6.4.0.4 and later).
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows 6.3.0 using the default PostgreSQL database and Integrated CD Web Services.
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows 6.2.0 using the default PostgreSQL database
  Note: This version has reached End of Support by 2025-12-31. Please install a later version.
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows 6.1.0 using the default PostgreSQL database
  Note: This version has reached End of Support by 2025-04-30. Please install a later version.

• Support for Integrated File Agent in the cluster has been added in IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows 6.4.0.4 and requires the latest PowerShell scripts. It is not supported in earlier versions and will not be installed.
• When using a 3rd-party database such as Microsoft SQL Server, you must modify the property files accordingly to configure Connect:Direct for your database. IBM does not provide support for 3rd-party databases. You will need to consult your database vendor for additional support or information on clustering.

2.  Preparing the Deployment of Connect:Direct

Before you begin to deploy Connect:Direct in the cluster, ensure your Windows Failover Cluster is configured and working properly. Consult the vendor in case you need help as IBM will not provide support for this.

Review the Connect:Direct product documentation, download the required software and gather all configuration details upfront.

Windows Failover Cluster

• Install the following Microsoft Windows Failover Cluster features
  • Failover Clustering
  • Failover Cluster Management Tools
  • Failover Cluster Module for Windows PowerShell
• Ensure your Windows Failover Cluster is configured properly and successfully passes the failover validation tests (PowerShell: Test-Cluster).
• Windows PowerShell 3.0 or later must be installed.
  By default, PowerShell only runs scripts signed by a trusted authority. Before you run scripts in Windows PowerShell for the first time, you may need to update its security settings. To enable PowerShell to run local scripts, use the following command
  Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
  See about_Execution_Policies for further details.

Product Documentation

Review the Release Notes and Getting Started Guide for your version in the IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows documentation.

Downloads

Download the following software and store/unzip it in a location accessible from within your cluster.

• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows 6.1.0, 6.2.0, 6.3.0 or 6.4.0.
  Either download the base version from Passport Advantage or the latest fix pack or iFix available from the IBM Fix Central website. Both types of installers can be used here. It is recommended to use the latest fix pack or iFix.
• The attached CDWindowsCluster zip file containing
  • PowerShell scripts
    • Install-CDWindows.ps1
    • Update-CDWindows.ps1
    • Add-ClusterCDRole.ps1
  • Templates for Connect:Direct property files
    • cd_cluster.ini
    • cd_srvr.ini
  • Download:
    • CDWindowsCluster_1.0.0.12.zip

3.  Deploying Connect:Direct in a Cluster

There are four main steps to deploy Connect:Direct in a Windows failover cluster.

1. Prepare the Connect:Direct cluster and server property files with the configuration details for your Connect:Direct cluster role and node. These files will serve as input for subsequent steps.
2. Install the Connect:Direct software on each cluster node using the provided Install-CDWindows.ps1 PowerShell script.
3. Create the Connect:Direct cluster role using the Add-ClusterCDRole.ps1 script.
4. Verify the Connect:Direct cluster role.

IMPORTANT: Follow the outlined steps closely and use the provided PowerShell scripts to deploy Connect:Direct in a supported way.

Step 1: Prepare the Property Files

Sample property files are provided in the attached download. Start with these templates and modify them as needed to match your environment, i.e. change the passwords. Specify your cluster resources and your initial Connect:Direct node configuration. Complete this step once and save the property files for later use.

Connect:Direct Cluster Property File (cd_cluster.ini)

This property file specifies parameters for the Connect:Direct setup and for the cluster role. All parameters are mandatory.

Deploying Integrated File Agent

When planning to use Integrated File Agent, set InstallIFA=Y to deploy the feature while installing the Connect:Direct software. Otherwise, set InstallIFA=N and AddIFA=N when you are sure that Integrated File Agent will never be used.

To enable Integrated File Agent

• Ensure there is a valid File Agent configuration.
  Note: You can provide a configuration file at installation time by utilizing the CD_FILEAGENT_FILE property in cd_srvr.ini.
• Set the Connect:Direct initialization parameter fileagent.enable=Y.
• Set AddIFA=Y in cd_cluster.ini and (re-)create the cluster role.
  Note: While Integrated File Agent would run without this step, it may not always failover properly with the cluster role (not recommended).

To disabled Integrated File Agent

• Set the Connect:Direct initialization parameter fileagent.enable=N.
• Remove the Integrated File Agent service from the cluster role manually, or set AddIFA=N in cd_cluster.ini and (re-)create the cluster role.

Example

An iFix installer, the PowerShell scripts and property files have all been downloaded into a folder E:\Install\CDWindows residing on Cluster Disk 1. The software will be installed into folder E:\Programs\Connect Direct v6.4.0 on the same disk. The cluster role will be created as CDWCLS03.

  [Setup]

  ; Fully qualified file name of the Connect:Direct installer (base, fix pack or iFix)
  SetupExe=E:\Install\CDWindows\6.4.0.4-IBMConnectDirectforMicrosoftWindows-x64-fp0004.exe

  ; Fully qualified file name of the Connect:Direct server property file (cd_srvr.ini)
  CD_SRVR_INI=E:\Install\CDWindows\cd_srvr.ini

  ; Fully qualified folder where the Connect:Direct software will be installed
  InstallDir=E:\Programs\Connect Direct v6.4.0

  ; Install Integrated File Agent (Y/N, requires 6.4.0.4 and later)
  InstallIFA=Y


  [Cluster]

  ; Name of the Connect:Direct cluster role
  ClusterRole=CDWCLS03

  ; IP address for the Connect:Direct cluster role (client access point)
  ClusterStaticIP=172.20.186.133

  ; Name of the cluster disk where the Connect:Direct software will be installed
  ClusterDisk=Cluster Disk 1

  ; Add Integrated File Agent to Connect:Direct cluster role (Y/N, requires 6.4.0.4 and later)
  AddIFA=Y

Connect:Direct Server Property File (cd_srvr.ini)

This property file specifies the initial Connect:Direct server configuration set during the installation. Review the sample Advanced\cd_srvr.ini file in your Connect:Direct base setup folder or the online documentation for a complete list of supported parameters and their descriptions.

3rd -party Database Support

When using a 3rd-party database such as Microsoft SQL Server, modify the property file accordingly to configure Connect:Direct for your database.

• Set CD_DATABASE_TYPE=MSSQL.
• Add the appropriate CD_SQL_* parameters.
• Remove CD_POSTGRESQL_PWD.

Example

The Connect:Direct node will be installed with a node name of CDWCLUSTERNODE. Please set a password for the Connect:Direct Secure+ keystore (CD_KEYSTORE_PWD). When deploying a Connect:Direct version prior to 6.3 with PostgreSQL, also set a password for the database (CD_POSTGRESQL_PWD). You can add more parameters at the bottom, if desired.

[Server]
  
;----------------------------------------------------------------------
; DO NOT CHANGE ANY OF THESE PROPERTIES!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

; Perform a custom installation.
CD_SETUP_TYPE=Custom
    
; Listen on all IPv4 addresses available on the machine.
; Set IP to ::0 for listening on IPv6 instead.
CD_HOST_IP=0.0.0.0
CD_API_IP=0.0.0.0

; Disable SPE and Install Agent
CD_SPE_DISABLE_FLAG=1
CD_AGENT_ENABLE=N
  
;----------------------------------------------------------------------
; Customize these properties or add more below, if needed.
;----------------------------------------------------------------------

; Connect:Direct Node Name
CD_NODENAME=CDWCLUSTERNODE

; Ports for Node-to-Node and API connections
CD_HOST_PORT=1364
CD_API_PORT=1363

; Secure+ KeyStore password
CD_KEYSTORE_PWD=changeit

; PostgreSQL database password
; Required for Connect:Direct 6.2.0 and earlier; optional for 6.3.0 and later
; CD_POSTGRESQL_PWD=changeit

; Integrated File Agent
; Enabling requires Connect:Direct 6.4.0.4 or later
CD_FILEAGENT_ENABLE=Y

; Add more properties below

Step 2: Install the Connect:Direct Software (Install-CDWindows.ps1)

Repeat the installation of the Connect:Direct software on all cluster nodes using the Install-CDWindows.ps1 script. This is a requirement. Using the same cluster property file ensures that all installations will be identical and point to the same shared location on the cluster disk.

Begin with your first cluster node

1. Log on to the cluster node.
2. Ensure the cluster disk is online and owned by the current cluster node. Also ensure you have access to the Connect:Direct setup folder, PowerShell scripts and property files.
3. Open a PowerShell in Administrative Mode, for example by right-clicking on Microsoft PowerShell and selecting Run as administrator. Change directory (cd) to the location of your PowerShell scripts.
4. Execute the Install-CDWindows.ps1 script to begin the Connect:Direct installation.
   .\Install-CDWindows.ps1 [-IniFile cd_cluster.ini] [-Interactive] [-RemoveSecurePlus]
   Arguments:
   -IniFile specifies an optional Connect:Direct Cluster property file (default: cd_cluster.ini)
   -Interactive performs the installation in interactive mode (default: silent mode).
   -RemoveSecurePlus does not install the Secure+ feature for Connect:Direct version 6.1.0 and earlier, which is not recommended (default: install Secure+).

Once the installation has completed successfully on the first cluster node, move on to the next cluster node, i.e. move the cluster disk, and repeat the actions on all other cluster nodes.

Step 3: Add Connect:Direct as a Generic Service Role to the Cluster (Add-ClusterCDRole.ps1)

Create and configure the Connect:Direct cluster role. You only have to perform this step once.

1. Log on to a cluster node. Ensure you have access to the required resources (PowerShell scripts, property files).
2. Open a PowerShell in Administrative Mode, for example by right-clicking on Microsoft PowerShell and selecting Run as administrator. Change directory (cd) to the location of your PowerShell scripts.
3. Execute the Add-ClusterCDRole.ps1 script
   .\Add-ClusterCDRole.ps1 [-IniFile cd_cluster.ini]
   Argument:
   -IniFile specifies an optional Connect:Direct Cluster property file (default: cd_cluster.ini)

Once the script completes successfully, you can start using your new Connect:Direct cluster role using the command
Start-ClusterGroup -Name ClusterRole

Step 4: Verify the Connect:Direct Cluster Role

Verify the Connect:Direct cluster will start, fail over and transfers file to other Connect:Direct nodes. 

• Verify the Connect:Direct cluster role has been created correctly with all its resources. See the above images in chapter 1.
  Get-ClusterGroup -Name ClusterRole
  Get-ClusterGroup -Name ClusterRole | Get-ClusterResource
• Verify the Connect:Direct cluster role starts up successfully.
  Start-ClusterGroup -Name ClusterRole
• Logon to the Connect:Direct node. Run a sample loopback test to verify it can send and receive files. Check the Connect:Direct statistics for success.
• Verify the Connect:Direct cluster role will failover properly, for example by moving it to all other cluster nodes.
  Move-ClusterGroup -Name ClusterRole -Node ClusterNode

4.  Managing Your Connect:Direct Cluster Role using PowerShell

You can manage your Connect:Direct cluster role using the Cluster Failover Management console or using PowerShell commands.

See the PowerShell help (get-Help) for more information on individual commands and arguments.

5.  Updating Connect:Direct with a Fix Pack or iFix (Update-CDWindows.ps1)

From time to time, you may need to apply maintenance to Connect:Direct. Use the Update-CDWindows.ps1 script to properly run the fix pack or iFix installer in the cluster. Same as for the installation, you will have to repeat this on all cluster nodes.

Stop the Connect:Direct cluster role. Then begin with your first cluster node.

1. Log on to the cluster node. Ensure you have access to the required resources (cluster disk, fix pack installer, PowerShell scripts).
2. Open a PowerShell in Administrative Mode, for example by right-clicking on Microsoft PowerShell and selecting Run as administrator. Change directory (cd) to the location of your PowerShell scripts.
3. Execute the Update-CDWindows.ps1 script and specify the path to the fix pack or iFix installer. The script runs the fix pack or iFix installer in silent mode and creates an installation log file CDWinFixPack_computername.log in the current folder. For example, to apply iFix 6.4.0.4_iFix008 to a Connect:Direct 6.4.0 node
   .\Update-CDWindows.ps1 -FixPackExe .\6.4.0.4-IBMConnectDirectforMicrosoftWindows-x64-fp0004-if008.exe

When the update script has completed successfully, continue with your next cluster node repeating the above steps. Once all cluster nodes have been updated successfully, you can start the Connect:Direct cluster role again.

6.  Additional Notes

• Disable the Install Agent in the cluster by setting the initialization parameter agent.enable=N. In addition, the PowerShell scripts will disable the Install Agent service during installation or update.
• Set the initialization parameter outgoing.address to the virtual IP address of the cluster role (client access point) to help with netmap-checking on remote nodes. Also specify the virtual IP address in the local node's netmap entry for loopback connections (PNODE-SNODE).
• IMPORTANT: Disable Strong Password Encryption (SPE) in the cluster to avoid authentication failures in cases where the registry checkpoint and shared file system may get out of sync. There is a known issue, where the stored password information may become invalid when SPE is enabled. As a result, the Connect:Direct service will fail to start (database login failure) and any remote user proxy will no longer work (login failure). To fix the issue, restore the database password using CD Database Wizard and restore all local passwords configured in the remote user proxies.
  Notice: When SPE is disabled, passwords stored at rest are obfuscated but not encrypted.
• Manage the Connect:Direct node by using Integrated Connect:Direct Web Services, stand-alone IBM Connect:Direct Web Services, or IBM Control Center.
  For version 6.2.0 and earlier, you can also use a remote CD Requester or install the CD Requester Stand-Alone locally on cluster nodes. The CD Requester feature will not be installed in the cluster by Install-CDWindows.ps1.
• Upgrading Connect:Direct from an earlier version, i.e. going from 6.2.0 to 6.3.0, is not supported in the cluster. Instead, take the following steps:
  • Perform a side-by-side installation of the new version and import/migrate the configuration from the earlier version.
  • Remove the cluster role of the earlier version and add new cluster role for the new version.
  • Once the new cluster role has been successfully tested, you can uninstall the earlier version of Connect:Direct from all cluster nodes.
• Installing multiple Connect:Direct nodes in the same failover cluster have the following limitations:
  • Each Connect:Direct node must be at a different release. For example, you can install a 6.3.0 and a 6.4.0 node side-by-side, but not two 6.4.0 nodes.
  • Each Connect:Direct node must have its own cluster role, so that it can failover independently of other Connect:Direct nodes. Each cluster role requires its own set of resources and dependencies, including disks, IP/port, hostname and services. Resources and dependencies must not be shared between cluster roles.
• Before uninstalling the Connect:Direct software from the cluster, first remove the Connect:Direct role from your cluster. Then uninstall the software from each cluster node where it had been installed.
• The Integrated File Agent feature is supported in the cluster with version 6.4.0.4 and later, using the latest PowerShell scripts. For earlier versions, consider moving to 6.4.0.4 or later, or installing the Stand-alone File Agent 1.4.0.

7.  History