System Components in a Distributed System

Primary System Controller

There is only one primary system controller in each Sterling Gentran:Server system. The primary system controller maintains status information for the entire system, controls the management and dispatching of server processing requests within the system, and controls all other system components.

The process controller components of the system, the Executive Service, and the Mailbox Service are automatically installed on the primary system controller. Additionally, the following installation components may be optionally installed on the Sterling Gentran:Server primary system controller:

• Client Access Components
• Integration Components
• Optional Components
• Sterling Gentran:Server for RosettaNet
• Extension for SAP
• Sterling Gentran® Standards

Secondary Controller

The secondary controller is a process controller or a communications controller, or both.

A process controller regulates the management and dispatching of server processing requests within the system to allow the system translation load and other processing functions to be distributed for fast and efficient throughput.

A communications controller regulates communication between Sterling Gentran:Server and the VANs or trading partners with whom data is exchanged.

Process Controller

A process controller is one or more machines in the Sterling Gentran:Server system (other than the primary system controller) that have the process controller components installed. Additionally, the following installation components may be optionally installed on the process controllers:

• Client Access Components
• Integration Components
• Optional Components
• Sterling Gentran:Server for RosettaNet
• Extension for SAP
• Sterling Gentran Standards

User Interface Client

The user interface client is part of a non-clustered environment and comprises one or more Microsoft Windows machines in the Sterling Gentran:Server system other than the primary system controller or secondary controllers.

The user interface clients provide the functions that are necessary to monitor and control the system in a non-clustered environment.

The following installation components may be optionally installed on the user interface clients:

• Integration Components
• Sterling Gentran:Server for RosettaNet
• Extension for SAP

System Data Store

There is only one system data store in each Sterling Gentran:Server system. The system data store serves as the repository of all shared Sterling Gentran:Server data.

In a clustered system, the data store resides on the disk vault. In a non-clustered system, the system data store may reside on one machine or be distributed across several machines. The machines where the system data store resides must be accessible by all machines in the Sterling Gentran:Server system, because all machines in the system share data from the system data store. The associated folders and files in the system data store (such as all registered translation objects or all translation report files) may be distributed across multiple machines, if necessary.

Database

Sterling Gentran:Server uses a relational database to store tracking, audit, process control, translation object, and partner information in tables. The database tables contain indicators that point to the actual data, which is located in the system data store. The system data store is the repository of all shared Sterling Gentran:Server data. This relational database enables multiple users to access the same data. Sterling Gentran:Server uses ODBC to use databases from different vendors.

Network Configuration Requirements

The Sterling Gentran:Server product is supported in the following network configurations:

• Controllers and user interface clients in one domain
• Controllers and user interface clients in two domains that have a two-way trust established
• Primary Sterling Gentran:Server system controller in a domain and user interface clients in a Microsoft Windows workgroup in which the user interface client machines have a valid domain logon and rights to the controller
• Primary Sterling Gentran:Server system controller and user interface clients in a Microsoft Windows workgroup model in which all user interface client machines have a valid logon to the controller (a user ID and password that are in the local account database on the controller)

Notes on running Sterling Gentran:Server in a clustered environment

The following contains additional information about running Sterling Gentran:Server in a clustered environment:

• Sterling Gentran:Server is not a cluster-aware application, which means that Sterling Gentran:Server depends on the Cluster service functionality to maintain the failover capability.
• Only IP-based communications can be run from the Sterling Gentran:Server Communications controllers, which includes FTP and sockets. You cannot use Sterling Gentran:Server asynchronous or bisynchronous communications in a clustered system.
• Sterling Gentran:Server running under the clustered service only supports failover; it does not support load-balancing. The only load-balancing that is possible is static load balancing outside the cluster. The primary benefit of a cluster is the ability to ensure application support in the event of a server failure.
• Data that is processed on the Primary Node may need to be reprocessed if the cluster fails over to a Secondary Node.
• Sterling Gentran:Server only uses the failover process if one or more of the Sterling Gentran:Server cluster resources (file systems or services) fail to respond, stop, or end abnormally. High use of other Sterling Gentran:Server components that are not set up as resources is not monitored by the cluster.