Replicating data with a multi-broker replication domain

Use this task to work with replication domains that were created and used with a previous version of WebSphere Application Server.

 

Before you begin

Multi-broker domains were created with a previous version of WebSphere Application Server, but remain functional in the current version. Although one can configure existing multi-broker domains with the current version of WebSphere Application Server, after you upgrade your deployment manager, you can create only data replication domains in the administrative console. Consider migrating any existing multi-broker domains to the new data replication domains. See Migrating V6.0 servers from multi-broker replication domains to data replication domains for more information about the benefit of migrating your replication domains.

If you do not have any existing replication domains, see Replicating data across application servers in a cluster for information about creating new data replication domains.

 

Overview

If you are performing this task, it is assumed that you configured replication with a previous version of WAS and defined replication domains that list connected replicator entries (residing in managed servers in the cell) that can exchange data. We can manage these existing replication domains and replicator entries, but one cannot create new multi-broker replication domains or new replicator entries in the administrative console.

A replicator does not need to run in the same process as the application server that uses it. However, it might be easier to manage replicators and replication domains if a one-to-one relationship exists between replicators and application servers. During configuration, one can select the local replicator as the default replicator.

 

Procedure

1. Manage multi-broker replication domain configuration settings. In the administrative console, click Environment > Replication domains.

2. Click on a multi-broker domain. Specify the values for a particular multi-broker replication domain. The default values are generally sufficient, especially for the pooling and timeout values.

   1. Name the replication domain.

   2. Specify the timeout interval.

   3. Specify the encryption type. The DES and TRIPLE_DES options encrypt data sent between WAS processes and better secure the network joining the processes.

   4. Partition the replication domain to filter the number of processes to which data is sent. Partitioning the replication domain is most often done if you are replicating data to support retrieval of an HTTP session if the process maintaining the HTTP session fails. Partitioning is not supported for sharing of cached data that is maintained by Web container dynamic caching.

   5. Specify whether you want a single replication of data to be made. Enable the option if you are replicating data to support retrieval of an HTTP session if the process maintaining the HTTP session fails.

   6. Specify whether processes should receive data in objects or bytes. Processes receiving data in objects receive the data and class definitions. Processes receiving data in bytes receive the data only.

   7. Configure a pool of replication resources. Pooling replication resources can enhance the performance of the replication service.

3. Maintain the replicators that you have already defined. We cannot create any new replicators. The default convention is to define a replicator in each application server that uses replication. However, one can define a pool of replicators, separate from the servers hosting applications.

   1. In the administrative console, click Environment > Replication domains > replication_domain_name > Replicator entries > replicator_entry_name.

   2. Specify a replicator name and select a server available within the cell to which one can assign a replicator. Also specify a host name and ports. Note that a replicator has two ports (replicator and client ports) that use the same host name but have different ports.

4. If you use the DES or TRIPLE_DES encryption type for a replicator, click Regenerate encryption key on the settings for a replication domain instance at regular intervals, such as monthly.

   Periodically changing the key enhances security.

 

See also

Multi-broker replication domains
Multi-broker replication domain settings

 

Related Tasks

Configuring cache replication

 

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