Production Environment

To use ActiveSpaces software in a production environment, deploy the following processes.

  • Realm service: ActiveSpaces 4.2.0 uses TIBCO FTL 6.1 or later. Run either one FTL server, or a group of three or five or seven FTL servers. TIBCO FTL 6.1 and later does not support the concept of a primary and backup realm server. Instead you run a cluster of TIBCO FTL servers that provide realm services. If one realm service goes down, any of the other services can take over for it provided the applications have included them in their pipe separated connection URL. For fault tolerance, they must not all be on the same machine.
  • State keeper: The minimum production arrangement consists of three state keeper processes. To ensure high availability during a network partition or hardware failure, each state keeper process must run on a separate host computer. Not doing so might result in grid-wide data loss.

    At any given time, you must maintain a quorum of running state keepers. If you want to run more than one state keeper, configure three state keepers and make sure you have at least two running state keepers.

  • Node: The minimum production arrangement consists of two node processes per copyset.

    Optional. For greater data protection you can run three nodes per copyset.

    Note: Additional copies can become expensive in two ways:
    • Increasing the node count by one adds one complete copy of all the data.
    • Every node process must run on a separate host computer. Usually this requirement determines the number of host computers you must maintain. For example, a data grid with three copysets and two nodes per copyset requires six nodes, all on separate hosts. Increasing to three nodes per copyset would require nine nodes, all on separate hosts.
  • Proxy: The minimum production arrangement consists of one proxy process.

    Optional. You can run additional proxies to increase the capacity for client programs and to improve response time. For best results, run proxy processes on a separate host computers.

  • Your application programs Run processes as appropriate.

Components Sharing a Host Computer

You can reduce the number of host computers in a production environment by running more than one component per host.

For example, you can run a realm service, a state keeper, a node, and a proxy, all on one host. (In contrast, do not run two state keepers on the same host.)

For effective fault tolerance, run the nodes of each copyset on separate host computers.

Warning: Combining component processes on a host computer increases the risk that a single point of failure on the host could disrupt all those processes simultaneously. Assess the risk tolerance of your enterprise.