Preparing the environment to split processing between different integration servers

When you split message flow processing between different integration servers, you must configure a data router and a connectivity agent. The integration servers can be running on different integration nodes.

About this task

When you split processing between different integration servers, your flows communicate securely by using a Switch server and connectivity agents. The Switch server is a special integration server that routes data. The connectivity agents contain the certificates that your flows require to communicate securely with the Switch server. A connectivity agent must be running in each integration server where you deployed message flows.

If your callable flows and the flows that call them are all deployed on premises, you must create and configure the Switch server on premises. You must run a command that creates some configuration files. You use one of the configuration files to create the Switch server, and the other file to configure connectivity agents for each integration server where you have deployed callable flows or flows that call them. The steps for this procedure are given in this topic.

This on-premises scenario is supported on Windows and Linux® only.

If you are splitting processing between IBM App Connect Enterprise and IBM App Connect Enterprise as a Service, the Switch server is created and managed for you in the cloud. You must download an agent configuration file from the cloud, and use it to configure the on-premises connectivity agent for each integration server. For more information about configuring connectivity agents for use with App Connect Enterprise as a Service, see Preparing the environment to split processing between IBM App Connect Enterprise and IBM App Connect Enterprise as a Service.

To prepare the environment to split processing between integration servers on premises, complete the following steps.

1. Start an App Connect Enterprise command environment.
2. Create the required configuration files, by running the iibcreateswitchcfg command.
   You need to run the command in a directory for which you have permission to write. Alternatively, you can specify an output directory. For example, the following command creates the configuration files and saves them in the temp directory.

   On Windows:

   iibcreateswitchcfg /output c:\temp

   On Linux:

   iibcreateswitchcfg -output /temp

   If this command is successful, you see the following responses:

   BIP9382I: Generated the self-signed certificate file 'c:\temp\adminClient.p12'.
   BIP9383I: Generated the switch server configuration file 'c:\temp\switchserver.json'.
   BIP9384I: Generated the connectivity agents configuration file 'c:\temp\switchclient.json'.

   This command creates two JSON configuration files and a certificate, which is reserved for future use. The switchserver.json file is used to create the Switch server. The switchclient.json file is used to configure the agent for each integration server where your flows are deployed.
3. To create the Switch server, run the iibswitch command to use the switchserver.json configuration file, as shown in the following examples.
   On Windows, run the following command.

   iibswitch create switchserver /config c:\temp\switchserver.json

   On Linux, run the following command:

   iibswitch create switchserver -c /temp/switchserver.json

   When the Switch server is created, you see a Successful command completion response. The Switch server is created in a special integration node called ACESWITCH_NODE_V12.
4. Optional: To test that the Switch server is created and running, run the following command.

   mqsilist ACESWITCH_NODE_V12

   If the Switch server is running, you see the following response.

   BIP1286I: Integration server 'ACESWITCH_SERVER' on integration node 'ACESWITCH_NODE_V12' is running.
   BIP8071I: Successful command completion.

5. To configure connectivity agents, copy the switchclient.json configuration file to the switch directory of each integration server where you deployed calling or callable flows.
   • For an independent integration server, the switch directory is at work directory/config/switch.
   • For an integration server under an integration node, the switch directory is at $MQSI_WORKPATH/config/Node_name/Server_name/switch.
   For each affected integration server, the agent connects to the Switch server automatically, and you see a confirmation message. The following message is shown for an independent integration server in the App Connect Enterprise console.

   The connection agent for remote callable flows has established a connection to the Switch server with URL 'wss://localhost:9011'.
   The integration server component 'switchclient' has been started.

   In the Windows Application log, you see the following messages for an integration server (N101ISAA) under an integration node (NODEIPL01).

   ( NODEIPL01.N101ISAA ) The connection agent for remote callable flows has established a connection to the Switch server with URL ''wss://localhost:9011''.   
   A connection agent for remote callable flows has been configured on this integration server. The connection agent has successfully connected to the Switch server.   
   No response required.  
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   ( NODEIPL01.N101ISAA ) The integration server component ''switchclient'' has been started.   
   The specified component has been started and is available for use.   
   No response required.