Methods of configuration for Dispatcher
There are three methods you can use to configure Load Balancer: the command line, scripts, and the graphical user interface (GUI). The documentation assumes use of the command line.
Command line
This is the most direct means of configuring the Dispatcher. The command parameter values must be entered in English characters. The only exceptions are host names (used in cluster, server, and high availability commands) and file names (used in file commands).
- Start dsserver:
From the command prompt, issue the following:
To stop the service, type:dsserver
dsserver stop
Click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services. Right-click IBM Dispatcher (ULB) and select Start. To stop the service, follow the same steps and select Stop.
- Issue the Dispatcher control commands you want in order to set up your configuration. The command is dscontrol. For more information about commands, see Commands.
dscontrol he f
instead of dscontrol help file
To start up the command line interface issue dscontrol to receive an dscontrol command prompt. To end the command line interface issue the commands exit or quit.
Scripts
- To update the current configuration, run the following executable commands from your script
file:
dscontrol file appendload myscript
- To completely replace the current configuration, run the following executable commands from your
script file:
dscontrol file newload myscript
dscontrol file save savescript
This command will save the configuration script file in the install_root/servers/configurations/dispatcher directory.
GUI
- Ensure dsserver is running:
Run the following as root user:
dsserver
dsserver runs as a service that starts automatically.
- Start the Load Balancer GUI:
Run the following:
lbadmin
Click Start > Programs > IBM WebSphere > Edge Components > IBM Load Balancer > Load Balancer
To configure the Dispatcher component from the GUI, you must first select Dispatcher in the tree structure. You can start the executor and manager after you connect to a Host. You can also create clusters containing ports and servers, and start advisors for the manager.
The GUI can be used to do anything that you would do with the dscontrol command. For example, to define a cluster using the command line, you would enter dscontrol cluster add cluster command. To define a cluster from the GUI, right-click Executor, then in the popup menu, left-click Add Cluster. Enter the cluster address in the popup window, then click OK.
Pre-existing Dispatcher configuration files can be loaded using the Load New Configuration (for completely replacing the current configuration) and Append to Current Configuration (for updating the current configuration) options presented in the Host popup menu. You should save your Dispatcher configuration to a file periodically using the Save Configuration File As option also presented in the Host popup menu. The File menu located at the top of the GUI will allow you to save your current host connections to a file or restore connections in existing files across all Load Balancer components.
- Highlight the Host node from the GUI tree and select Send command... from the Host pop-up menu.
- In the command entry field, type the command that you want to run, for example:
The results and history of the commands run in the current session and appear in the window provided.executor report
- Help: Field level -- describes each field, default values
- Help: How do I -- lists tasks that can be done from that screen
- InfoCenter -- provides centralized access to product information