Chapter 4. Configuring multi-supplier replication using the web console

In a multi-supplier replication environment, two or more writable suppliers replicate data with each other. For example, set up multi-supplier replication to provide a fail-over environment and distribute the load over multiple servers. Clients can then perform read and write operations on any host that is a read-write replica.

This section assumes that you have an existing Directory Server instance running on a host named supplier1.example.com. The procedures describe how to add another read-write replica named supplier2.example.com to the topology, and how to configure multi-supplier replication for the dc=example,dc=com suffix.

4.1. Preparing the new supplier using the web console

To prepare the supplier2.example.com host, enable replication. This process:

  • Configures the role of this server in the replication topology
  • Defines the suffix that is replicated
  • Creates the replication manager account the supplier uses to connect to this host

Perform this procedure on the supplier that you want to add to the replication topology.

Prerequisites

  • You installed the Directory Server instance.
  • The database for the dc=example,dc=com suffix exists.
  • You are logged in to the instance in the web console.

Procedure

  1. Open the Replication menu.
  2. Select the dc=example,dc=com suffix.

  3. Enable replication:

    1. Click Enable Replication.

    2. Select Supplier in the Replication Role field, enter a replica ID, as well as the distinguished name (DN) and password of the replication manager account to create:

      enabling replication on supplier for multi supplier replication 1

      These settings configure the host as a supplier for the dc=example,dc=com suffix and set the replica ID of this entry to 1.

      Important

      The replica ID must be a unique integer between 1 and 65534 for a suffix across all suppliers in the topology.

      If you set no replication manager DN, set a bind group DN. You can then use any member of this group in the replication agreement.

    3. Click Enable Replication.

Verification

  1. Open the Replication menu.
  2. Select the dc=example,dc=com suffix.
  3. If the Replica Role field contains the value Supplier, replication is enabled, and the host is configured as a supplier.

Additional resources

4.2. Configuring the existing server as a supplier to the new server using the web console

To prepare the existing server supplier1.example.com as a supplier, you need to:

  • Enable replication for the suffix.
  • Create a replication agreement to the new supplier.
  • Initialize the new supplier.

Perform this procedure on the existing supplier in the replication topology.

Prerequisites

  • You enabled replication for the dc=example,dc=com suffix on the supplier to join.
  • You are logged in to the instance in the web console.

Procedure

  1. Open the Replication menu.
  2. Select the dc=example,dc=com suffix.

  3. Enable replication:

    1. Click Enable Replication.

    2. Select Supplier in the Replication Role field, enter a replica ID, as well as the distinguished name (DN) and password of the replication manager account to create:

      enabling replication on supplier for multi supplier replication 2

      These settings configure the host as a supplier for the dc=example,dc=com suffix and set the replica ID of this entry to 2.

      Important

      The replica ID must be a unique integer between 1 and 65534 for a suffix across all suppliers in the topology.

    3. Click Enable Replication.

  4. Add a replication agreement and initialize the new server:

    1. On the Agreements tab, click Create Agreement, and fill the fields:

      create replication agreement multi supplier 1

      These settings create a replication agreement named example-agreement-supplier1-to-supplier2. The replication agreement defines settings, such as the new supplier’s host name, protocol, and authentication information that the supplier uses when connecting and replicating data to the new supplier.

    2. Select Do Online Initialization in the Consumer Initialization field to automatically initialize the new server after saving the agreement.

    3. Click Save Agreement.

      After the agreement was created, Directory Server initializes supplier2.example.com. Depending on the amount of data to replicate, initialization can be time-consuming.

Verification

  1. Open the Replication menu.
  2. Select the dc=example,dc=com suffix.

  3. On the Agreements tab, verify the status of the agreement in the State column of the table.

    replication agreement successfully initialized

4.3. Configuring the new server as a supplier to the existing server using the web console

To prepare the new server supplier2.example.com as a supplier, you need to:

  • Enable replication for the suffix.
  • Create a replication agreement to the existing server.
  • Initialize the existing server.

Perform this procedure on the existing supplier in the replication topology.

Warning

Do not continue if you have not initialized the replication agreement on the existing server. Otherwise, the empty database from the new server overrides the database on the existing supplier.

Prerequisites

  • You enabled replication for the dc=example,dc=com suffix on the new server.
  • You enabled replication for the dc=example,dc=com suffix on the existing server.
  • The new server to join is successfully initialized.
  • You are logged in to the instance in the web console.

Procedure

  1. Open the Replication menu.
  2. Select the dc=example,dc=com suffix.

  3. Add a replication agreement and initialize the existing server:

    1. On the Agreements tab, click Create Agreement, and fill the fields:

      create replication agreement multi supplier 2

      These settings create a replication agreement named example-agreement-supplier2-to-supplier1. The replication agreement defines settings, such as the existing server’s host name, protocol, and authentication information that the supplier uses when connecting and replicating data to the existing supplier.

    2. Select Do Online Initialization in the Consumer Initialization field to automatically initialize the new server after saving the agreement.

    3. Click Save Agreement.

      After the agreement was created, Directory Server initializes supplier1.example.com. Depending on the amount of data to replicate, initialization can be time-consuming.

Verification

  1. Open the Replication menu.
  2. Select the dc=example,dc=com suffix.

  3. On the Agreements tab, verify the status of the agreement in the State column of the table.

    replication agreement successfully initialized