Conference iosg::all-in-1

    
    It seems that there is no answer to my question, "Where is it documented?"
    
    
    - Could someone tell me how to create multiple PC broadcast servers?
    
    - Should I write an IPMT saying that we need this documented?
    
    
    Elin

    
    Elin,
    
    I briefly looked at the code in this area a while ago. Basically the
    broadcast server startup COM file looks to see if there's already a
    process with the name OA$PCBDCST_SRV, if there is then it stops the
    process and them immediately starts a new broadcast server with that
    process name. So, as things stand you can only have one broadcast
    server on a given node. 
    
    I guess the way to run multiple broadcast servers is to modify this
    startup mechanism with regards to the process names looked for and
    used. There might be some code in the AIDA server startup that you can
    steal as that manages to tag on a '_n' to the process name (e.g.
    AIDA$SERVER_2), and does a few clever things.
                   
    A word of warning. As the code obviously doesn't allow this I would
    imagine that nobody has tested to see if there are any implications of
    running multiple broadcast servers (unless someone can prove me
    otherwise), so you might end up with more problems than you're trying
    to solve.
    
    Can anyone else comment ?
    
    Kevin.
    
    
              

    
    Who wrote in the ICF#37 release notes that multiple broadcast servers can
    be started?
    
    Usually you guys in IOSG don't tell such things to customers unless you
    feel sure that it can be done.
    
    Elin
    

    
    Elin,
    
    Sorry, not guilty !  Obviously it can be done, and perhaps the
    author of ICF 37 has tried it out, I don't know. My previous reply was 
    really with my QA hat on (which is job hat :-). 
    
    I've never running multiple broadcast servers, so hence my warning...
    
    -Kevin.
    
    
    
    

One additional complication I can see from multiple servers is the maintenance 
of broadcast mailboxes, e.g.   "OA$PCBDCST_MBX" = "MBA56:"

which seem to buffer transactions such as genuine mail notif and broadcast 
test, and if the broadcast process failed, the resultant error

Mailbox OA$PCBDCST_MBX full, notification failed (2264 %X8D8)
%SYSTEM-W-MBFULL, mailbox is full
OA$PC_BROADCAST failed

since once created, the mailbox is happily receiving inbound transactions 
despite of the status of its owner process; furthermore, I have been impressed 
with the code that seems to re-use the same mailbox upon restart

With multiple servers, if possible, there must be a lot acrobatics that goes 
on..

Hong

Elin,
  I had intended to change the way PC Broadcast Handlers were started up so
that you could start multiple instances but V3.2 code freeze arrived and I got
moved from Support to Development so it never happened - perhaps it should for
V4.

  It is perfectly reasonable to start up multiple handlers, the way messages
are passed from ALL-IN-1 etc. to the handler is via the permanent mailbox that
Hong Le was talking about. The Handler merely sits there reading entries off
this mailbox so if there are two handlers they read entries alternately which
is why I made the comment about out of sequence messages.

  To make it all happen you need to edit the OA$PCBDCST_SRV_START.COM to
remove all the code from:

$   ! Check a process is not already running with the requested process name
$   !

up to:

$   !
$   ! Define the required process privs

A full engineering solution would only really add a modification of the log
file name and to provide some clean process naming method but the result would
be the same.

Hope this helps

Ian
[Posted by WWW Notes gateway]

    
    ...and with my QA hat on again, remember that nobody's tried doing    
    this so the results cannot be 100% guarenteed. Although as Ian's
    already pointed out, it should be ok...
    
    If you want to try it please let us know how you get on :-)
    
    Kevin.                
    
    

    Ian
    
    >I had intended to change the way PC Broadcast Handlers were started up
    >so that you could start multiple instances but V3.2 code freeze arrived 
    >and I got moved from Support to Development so it never happened - 
    >perhaps it should for V4.
    
    Is it too late for a target of Office Server?
    
    As Elin said, I can see merits in multiple servers
    and carry a bit further, a fallback/fault-tolerant feature ?
    
    Regards
    
    Hong
        

    
    Hong,
    
    I agree it would be nice to have in Office Server, but I've got the
    Schedule in front of me and just looking at it causes hair loss :-)
    (which for me, is difficult...)
                                   
    Probably the best thing is to mail our project manager (Eileen) with
    your new requirement/suggestion and she'll see if she can juggle a few 
    things about - no promises
    though...
    
    -Kevin.