This is step 5 of performing a full installation of Enterprise Server 9. (See a list of all steps)
The File Transfer Server is a feature of Enterprise Server which separates files from operational data during an upload or download process. This results in a higher performance and lower memory footprint compared to the combined method used in Enterprise Server versions 7 and lower.
For more information, see Using the File Transfer Server.
Must I follow these steps?
You only have to follow these steps when you want to move the File Transfer Server or the File Transfer Folder to another system.
Scenarios in which you want to do this are:
- Offload file traffic over HTTP to a dedicated server farm or network
- Let file traffic run over a dedicated URL, other than client-server service communication
- Offload the file traffic to the FileStore to another physical file location
Steps to follow
Choose your setup:
Step 1. Do one of the following:
- Pick any Enterprise Server instance on the farm which you want to transform into a dedicated Transfer Server.
- Install a whole new Enterprise Server instance.
Note: The File Transfer Server shares many features with the Enterprise Server that it is part of. It is therefore needed to install a fully functional Enterprise Server even when it is only used as a dedicated File Transfer Server.
Step 2. Edit the following options in the File Transfer Server section of the configserver.php file:
<Enterprise Server path>/config
URL to the File Transfer Server, as seen from the point of view of the client machine.
Default value:
SERVERURL_ROOT.INETROOT.’/transferindex.php’
URL to the File Transfer Server, as seen from the point of view of the server machine.
Default value:
LOCALURL_ROOT.INETROOT.’/transferindex.php’
Step 3. Replicate the changed configserver.php file over all File Transfer Server instances as well as also over all Enterprise Server instances.
Note: The idea is that there is no difference between both flavors and so they can be safely replicated over the whole farm.
Tip: Since there is no real difference between a File Transfer Server and an Enterprise Server setup, you can decide at any time to transform one flavor into another.
Step 1. Create the folder which is going to serve as the File Transfer Folder.
Note: Make sure that the the Web Server user (“IUSR_<servername>”) has read & write access to that folder.
Step 2. Mount the Transfer Folder from the Enterprise Server machine.
Note: Make sure that the Web Server user (“IUSR_<servername>”) has read & write access through the disk mount itself.
Note: Make sure that the mounted connection is lightning fast; all file transfers between the client and server runs through it.
Step 3. Edit the following option in the File Transfer Server section of the configserver.php file:
<Enterprise Server path>/config
- FILE_TRANSFER_LOCAL_PATH. The transfer folder accessible from the Transfer Server. Default value:
WOODWINGSYSTEMDIRECTORY.’/TransferServerCache’
IMPORTANT: Note that the FileStore and the Transfer Server Folder should be on the same disk; only then can files be moved from one location to another. When the FileStore and the Transfer Server Folder are located on separate disks, files will be copied instead of moved, which has a big impact on performance.
Securing the File Transfer Server though HTTPS
The communication with the File Transfer Server can be made secure through HTTPS. When doing so, the files transferred between client and server are protected against eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Based on your configuration, different steps have to be taken:
Step 1. Set up HTTPS for Enterprise Server as described in Using SSL in Enterprise Server.
Step 2. (Optional) When Enterprise Server and the Transfer Server run on separate machines, set up multiple certificates.
Note about certificates: When Enterprise Server and the File Transfer Server are both running on the same machine, nothing extra needs to be done. This is because the Transfer Server reuses the secured connection setup for Enterprise Server. Therefore, the very same certificate used to secure the Enterprise Server connection is used by the Transfer Server connection. This is regardless of whether the Transfer Server runs within Enterprise Server or separately on the same machine.
Next step
Step 6: Creating the Enterprise tables
Reference Materials
Comments
0 comments