SFX System Administration

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© Ex Libris Ltd., 2008

SFX File Structure

• The SFX installation is contained in one directory:

• /exlibris/sfx_ver/sfx_version_3

• This directory contains:• One applications directory

• Separate trees which hold separate SFX instances

SFX File Structure

• /exlibris/sfx_ver/sfx_version_3

• contains all supporting software needed to run SFX:

• MySQL [v. 4.1.8]

• Apache Web server [v. 2.0.50]

• Perl [v. 5.8.5]

SFX Package – Standard Installation

sfxlcl3app

MySQL

data

sfxglb3 sfxtst3

sfx_version_3

sfx_ver

symbolic link

sfxglb3 sfxlc3l sfxtst3

exlibris

The role of the global instance sfxglb3

• sfxglb3 instance: • The most up-to-date KnowledgeBase, contains:

• Database

• Programs and configuration files

• Local Instances:• Use UNIX symbolic links to point to the same files on sfxglb3

• sfxglb3 instance• Files and programs are updated regulary with the central

update

• Local instances pcik up changes via the symbolic links

sfxglb3app

sfxtst3

exlibris

libadmin logshomefilesdbsconfigcgi

backup_scripts

aztools

category

sfxadmin

public target

sqltab

scratch

parsers apache

startup_scripts

templates

reports

citation

sfxmenu

a-z

perlmysql utilsapache

sfxlcl3

base_export

curr_export

core

ah mh ph

ds

tp,sp,td

tm

diagnostics

server_admin_util

sfx_ver

sfx_version_3

source

e-collection-html

cv

sx

cnda

css

img

symbolic links

Mod_perl

• What?A persistent Perl interpreter embedded in SFX web server.

• Advantage?Performance, by avoiding overhead of starting external interpreter and penalty of Perl start-up time.

• Note:• first request to SFX server is slower since this is when

initial compilation takes place.

• if changes are made to Perl modules (example: target parsers), it is necessary to restart the instance's Apache

Reverse proxy (1)

Different SFX instances on the same server share the same binaries of Apache, but each instance has its

own Apache daemon .

port 3210

Reverse Proxy (2)

• How does this work?

• 1. In sfx_global instance, the following configuration file lists the apache configuration of the different instances:• /exlibris/sfx_ver/sfx_version_3/sfx_global/config/reverse_proxy_httpd.config

• 2. In the local SFX instances, the following configuration files contain apache demon information:• /exlibris/sfx_ver/sfx_version_3/<instance>/config/httpd.conf• /exlibris/sfx_ver/sfx_version_3/<instance>/config/local_httpd.config

• To the outside world, all SFX instances have the same port (e.g. 3210).

SFX Users• Each instance has two "main" users:

• UNIX user: • administrates the unix level of the instance

• used to access the file system

• MySQL user:• Used in the background by scripts accessing the dbs

• And a third "type" of user:• SFXAdmin access

• with different profiles (permissions)

• created on sfxadmin

Startup Scripts

• One script to handle MySQL and Apache startup: sfxd• Located at: /etc/rc.d/init.d

• Symbolic links created in appropriate /etc/rc*.d/ directory, for init program to load at server startup

• When starting Apache, reverse proxy server is started first, then individual Apache servers for each instance

SFX Backup

• Ex Libris recommendation: • Daily backup with no downtime; full backup with

downtime once a week• Backup scripts included in

/sfxglbl3/admin/backup_scripts• Backup with downtime: server must go down to

run backup but recovery is straightforward• Backup with no downtime: no downtime for

server but recovery requires more manual work• Tar archive includes backup of SFX files and

MySQL databases

Security issues

• Change SFXAdmin and unix passwords• Using User Administration tool in SFXAdmin and

server_admin_util program in unix admin directory

• Change MySQL password• Using server_admin_util program in unix admin

directory• Can restrict access to SFXAdmin:

• connection_admin.config [for each instance]• Can restrict access to SFX Menu:

• connection_user.config [for each instance]

Changing the name of an SFX instance

http://sfx.myserver.edu:3210/sfxlcl3http://sfx.myserver.edu:3210/sfxadmin/sfxlcl3

http://sfx.myserver.edu:8800/caltechhttp://sfx.myserver.edu:8800/sfxadmin/caltech

• reverse_proxy_httpd.config__ • httpd.conf for reverse proxy server

Server Admin Utility

• A command-line utility used to accomplish various server-related tasks• Start/stop Apache & MySQL

• Change MySQL and UNIX user passwords

• Copy one instance to another (db and files)

• Export/import data

• Clean SFX directories

• Manage statistical data (on2off, archive)

• Run and schedule A-Z index build

• Diagnostics

Debugging

Apache logs: /app/apache/logs• Error_log• Access_log

Maintenance tasks!

Maintenance tasks!

Maintenance tasks!

Thank You!