Product Documentation

Database Administrator's Guide

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FairCom DB Configuration File

To locally configure FairCom DB with a configuration file:

  1. Create an ASCII file that is a list of configuration parameters using the file format, configuration keywords and values described in the Configuration Options section.
  2. Name this file ctsrvr.cfg and place in the appropriate directory. By default, FairCom DB looks in the config directory, then in its executing directory for a file of this name when it starts.

    Tip: The default file name and path can be changed with an environment variable and a command-line keyword, as described in Advanced Configuration Keywords.

  3. Start the FairCom Server.

    Note: FairCom DB does not explicitly require a configuration file. If one is not present, FairCom DB starts with default values. Frequently, these values will not provide an optimal experience with the application.

Configuration File Format

The format of the FairCom Server configuration file is as follows:

  • File name: ctsrvr.cfg
  • (see Location note below) Default location of file: <faircom>/config/ctsrvr.cfg

    falling back to:
    <faircom>/server/config/ctsrvr.cfg

    and finally to:
    <faircom>/server/ctsrvr.cfg

  • File contents: An ASCII text file, consisting of a series of pairs of keyword names and keyword values, separated by one or more spaces (or a line feed). Keyword names are not case sensitive, but some values may be file names that may be case sensitive in certain environments, e.g., the value for COMM_PROTOCOL. Keyword values are strings of characters, without quotes around them, and without commas, decimal points, or indications of units (e.g., 1,000 bytes is entered as 1000). If a keyword is omitted from the configuration file, its default value is used.

For ease of reading and changing, we suggest using a format similar to the following configuration script file:

FILES 2000

CONNECTIONS 15

IDX_MEMORY 500000

DAT_MEMORY 500000

This configuration file specifies the following changes from default settings:

  • FILES: Increase the maximum number of files from 1000 to 2000.
  • CONNECTIONS: Set the maximum number of concurrent connections to the FairCom Server to 15.
  • IDX_MEMORY and DAT_MEMORY: Increase the memory allocated to index cache and data cache, from 225,000 bytes to 500,000 bytes.

Note: Multiple configuration files may be used. For example, create different configuration files for different dynamic dump schedules, or for different communication protocols. Be sure the appropriate configuration file is found by the FairCom Server when starting. Consider specifying the correct configuration via an environment variable, or passing on command line.

Comments in the Configuration File

Individual lines in ctsrvr.cfg can be commented out with a semi-colon (;) in front of a line. Example:

;COMM_PROTOCOL F_TCPIP

In V11.5 and later, FairCom Server supports commenting out a SUBSYSTEM block in ctsrvr.cfg by commenting out just the line containing the SUBSYSTEM keyword. Prior to this enhancement, each line of the SUBSYSTEM block had to be commented out. Now an entire SUBSYSTEM block can be commented as shown below:

;SUBSYSTEM EVENT DISK_FULL_ACTION {

volume VOLUME

limit LIMIT

run EXE [OPTIONS]

freq FREQUENCY

maxruntime MAXRUNTIME

}

Location

The configuration file can be placed in a directory of your choosing by using any of these procedures:

  • Passing a command-line parameter, e.g.:
    ctsrvr CTSRVR_CFG my_path/my_config_filename
  • Setting the CTSRVR_CFG environment variable
  • Calling ctdbSetConfigurationFile() before calling ctThrdInit() for embedded server models (not supported on FairCom RTG)

All Plug-In Settings and Config Files in config Directory by Default

By default, all of the current plug-ins' settings files and configuration are loaded from the config directory. This applies to Replication Manager, web server, ThingWorx, OPC, and Automatic System Time/TimeStamp) settings files.

Best Practice: User-created plug-ins do not have to follow this practice, because they can be written to load their settings from wherever you want. However, for consistency and simplicity of administration, it is strongly recommended as a best practice to place all settings files in the config directory.

Password Security Options (Commented Out) in Default Server Configuration File

Password security options have been added to the default ctsrvr.cfg file. These options are commented such they do not affect your configuration. They are easily enabled by removing the semicolon (";") at the beginning of the initial SUBSYSYEM line:

;SUBSYSTEM SECURITY PASSWORD {

MINIMUM_LENGTH 8

REQUIRED_CLASSES 3

EXPIRE_IN_DAYS 180

}

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