Everyplace Active Session Table properties

The AST.properties file contains configuration parameters for the Active Session Table server. Normally, the AST server gets its proprerties from the LDAP directory and the AST.properties file is used only to specify how the LDAP directory is to be accessed. (The properties in the LDAP directory may be changed through Everyplace Suite Manager.) But if the LDAP directory is unavailable, then the AST.properties file can be used to configure all aspects of the AST server's operations.

The following conventions are used in the AST.properties file:

A keyword = value format is followed.
An "*" in column one indicates the line is treated as a comment.
Keywords are not case sensitive.
No data is permitted after the value.
The maximum allowable line length is 255 characters.

Following is the list of acceptable configuration keywords for the AST.properties file:

Keyword	Description
accept	The list of other servers which may connect to the AST server. Each entry is separated from the next by a comma. If there is more than one accept statement, the entries from subsequent accept statements are appended to the list of the first accept statement. If the list is blank or if the keyword is missing, the AST server will not accept requests from any servers. If there are no entries, or if any of the host names cannot be resolved to a host address, the AST server will not start. The accept = <host> entry must have one of the following formats: The TCP/IP host address of a server. Format = ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd Example = 123.234.210.6 The AST will accept connection requests from this server. A TCP/IP host address and a subnet mask. Format = (ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd : ddd.ddd.ddd.ddd) Example = (123.234.210.224 : 255.255.255.224) The AST server will accept connection requests from any server which has a host address in the range of 123.234.210.224 to 123.234.210.255. The DNS host name of the server. Format = name.name.name.... Example = MyServer1.MyCo.com The AST server will accept connection requests from this server.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	accept = 5.22.356.12, ( 5.22.356.128 : 255.255.255.128 ) accept = as1.myco.com, as2.myco.com, as3.myco.com	none
Keyword	Description
cache_dir	The directory where the AST server stores its logs and cache files. It is recommended that you reserve at least 1000 KB for each 1000 cache entries. The AST server will not start if one of these conditions is present: The directory does not exist. The AST server is not able to create files in the directory.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	cache_dir =/var/IBM_ASTServer_Cache	/var/IBMEPS/AST
Keyword	Description
port	The TCP/IP port number on which the AST server listens for connection requests from other servers requesting to use the AST server's cache. Note: In addition to this port number, The AST server will also use the next two sequentially higher port numbers. Therefore you need to ensure that there is no port number conflict with any other TCP/IP applications in your network.
	Range	Example	Default
	1 - 65535	port = 1234	8017
Keyword	Description
max_cache_age	The amount of time, in minutes, that the AST server will hold entries in its cache. When the cache is full, the AST server automatically deletes any entries that are older than this value. It is recommended that you choose a value that is twice as long as the average length of time that a user is logged onto the Everyplace Server network.
	Range	Example	Default
	5-120	max_cache_age = 20	10
Keyword	Description
max_cache_size	The maximum number of entries the AST server will hold in its cache. When the cache is full, the AST server automatically deletes the oldest entry in the cache to make room for the new entry. Note: This value should be chosen very carefully. The AST requires approximately 130 KB of real memory for each 1000 entries.
	Range	Example	Default
	10000 - 2000000	max_cache-size = 500000	500000
Keyword	Description
max_log_file_size	The maximum size, in megabytes, for the log file. If this maximum size is reached while logging, the log file wraps and new log records are written starting at the beginning of the log file, overlaying the older records. Log files are created in the same directory in which cache files are placed and should be planned for in your disk space allocations. A new log file is created each time the AST server is started. Only the five most current log files are kept. Older log files are deleted each time a new log file is created.
	Range	Example	Default
	1 - 10	max_log_file_size = 5	2
Keyword	Description
log _level_file log_level_stderr	The log_level_file keyword sets the initial level of messages that will be logged to the log file. The log_level_stderr keyword sets the initial level of messages written to the stderr. Messages sent to stderr are displayed on the console. This feature is only useful when running the AST in the foreground as messages sent to stderr will not appear when the AST server is started in the background. This feature is generally used for testing and problem resolution and not for normal operation. The logging levels can be changed while the AST server is running by using the AST console. The allowed values for these keyword are: 1 = Start/Stop messages and terminal errors (program or system errors) 2 = Errors that prevent a request from being completed 3 = Progress messages logging each connection and each request 4 = Warnings about network exceptions 5 = Contents of all requests, replies and commands 6 = Trace creation and destruction of internal program objects 7 = Trace internal program flow
	Range	Example	Default
	1 - 7	log_level_file = 5 log_level_stderr = 1	2
Keyword	Description
LDAP_server	The LDAP server from which the AST server gets configuration property values. The value can be specified as either an IP address or a DNS name.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	LDAP_server = 6.7.8.102 LDAP_server = redrobin.com	none
Keyword	Description
LDAP_port	The port number that is used when contacting the LDAP server.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	LDAP_port = 2525	389
Keyword	Description
LDAP_root_suffix	The suffix that is used when searching the LDAP directory.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	LDAP_root_suffix = ???	none
Keyword	Description
LDAP_userid	The user ID that is used when contacting the LDAP server.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	LDAP_userid = cn=admin,dn=myco,dn=com	none
Keyword	Description
LDAP_password	The password that is used when contacting the LDAP server. The password string represents the encrypted form of the password.
	Range	Example	Default
	n/a	LDAP_password = my_passwd	none

The AST server checks every five to seven minutes to determine if the AST.properties file or the parameters in the LDAP directory have changed. Changes to the following properties take effect immediately. The server does not need to be stopped and started for the changes to take effect.

accept
max_cache_age
max_cache_size
max_log_file_size
LDAP_server
LDAP_port
LDAP_root_suffix
LDAP_userid
LDAP_password

Changes to all other properties do not take effect until the AST server is stopped and restarted.

Related information
Everyplace Active Session Table