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From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dean Ridenhour Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 4:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [WS_FTP Forum] Top directory on UNC path - is this possible? unsubscribe _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pete Simpson Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:02 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [WS_FTP Forum] Top directory on UNC path - is this possible? Kevin, Good to hear from you! SQL Express (the next generation of good 'ole MSDB) would be fine. In reality we will use an existing Microsoft SQL Server instance that we have elsewhere in our production environment (a clustered, HA instance on HA hardware attached to my enterprise disk array) and simply create a new database. The problem with "requiring" me to use Postgresql is that I don't have a single copy of that already in existence. I have no staff with expertise on it. I have no back up agents for it. I don't have a place to make it "high availability". I would have to go through a full and complete security assessment to determine if it meets my security policy requirements (because of audit requirements). If I can use SQL Server, all that goes away. For me, FTP functionality is a critical function. If I have to use Postgresql I immediately create a SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE which my production system policies prohibit. Does all that make sense? It's not a "cost of the license" issue, introducing a new platform is a much larger operational issue -- knowledge & skills, backup, recovery, disaster preparedness, security assessment, audit, etc. Pete _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin Gillis Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:25 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [WS_FTP Forum] Top directory on UNC path - is this possible? hi peter, great feedback! you definitely found a nice way implement a HA solution! so would sql server express work or would you require full sql/oracle? note that the lightweight postgresql is included with the installation of WS_FTP Server 6 with SSH and at the end of the Server 6 install, you are fully up and running with your ftp/s and your ssh server, hosts, groups, users, notifications, rules, etc. but we COMPLETELY the need and requirement to leverage your existing db infrastructure. bye for now, kg _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pete Simpson Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 14:32 To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [WS_FTP Forum] Top directory on UNC path - is this possible? Chris, Use WS_FTP Server 5.04 with all patches. Use a UNC path (NOT A DRIVE LETTER!) as part of a Virtual Directory mapped to a third host (your "fileserver"). Ensure you setup WS_FTP server process to run as a DOMAIN account (not local system as is the default) and it will maintain permissions on the UNC while "not logged on" interactively to the system, WS_FTP server can use standard SQL server (or Oracle) for storing user account credentials if you want -- just create a table per the documentation, define an System ODBC connection, and drop in the DLL. All very well documented by WS_FTP and simple to deploy. However, the configuration data of WS_FTP server is NOT in the database (just username, password, etc.) so you'll need a mechanism to ensure your changes to Virtual Directories etc are duplicated on both machines (IE, setting synchronization will be a Manual Process). For HA, you CAN cluster WS_FTP Server 5.04. We have done it three times. No problems. Setup a standard Windows Active/Passive cluster with your shared disk, quorum resource, and a virtual IP. Install WS_FTP server on one machine with the destination directory being the shared disk resource (NOT THE QUORUM DISK). Failover to other node. RUN THE INSTALLATION FOR WS_FTP AGAIN AND SELECT THE EXACT SAME OPTIONS, again with binaries being on the shared disk resource. Define a new "generic service" type of clustered resource. The program to run is the WS_FTP Server executable from the shared disk. Run it as a "service account" (valid domain account, NOT LOCAL SYSTEM). make sure you set that on both nodes. And the BIG KEY is to use Registry Replication (part of the generic service definition) to REPLICATE the IPSwitch registry key path between nodes. This ensures if you make changes to Virtual Directories, etc. on the active node and then fail-over to the second node that your changes still exist. Make sure when you define your FTP site inside the server manager you use the Clustered VIRTUAL IP address -- it'll default to the local hosts IP on each node. You just have to remember NOT to use that one since it's NOT the clustered address. It'll take you a bit of time to setup, but it ABSOLUTELY works and WORKS GREAT. Of course, it's not officially "supported" by IpSwitch... but they were VERY interested when we told them how we did it. I suspect they integrated some of what we told them (the above setup) into the officially "clusterable" version 6. (IPSwitch product manager contacted me a couple of times while they were laying out specs for v6 about 9 months ago). I do agree tho that the requirement (is it REALLY a requirement??) to use Postgres SQL for v6 is a deal killer. I absolutely, positively, will NOT go to v6 if that's the case. We absolutely, positively will NOT introduce a new database platform just to go to WSFTP 6. We've been a customer for years, but if that's truly a requirement (that I can't use SQL or Oracle) we will find an alternative product to WSFTP Server. Good Luck. Pete _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Totten Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 10:50 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [WS_FTP Forum] Top directory on UNC path - is this possible? Hi there, We have a pair of servers each one of which will be running WS_FTP server (to replace the buggy Microsoft Windows 2000 FTP server that's already there). The FTP site FQDN will be a VIP that could be directed to either of the two web servers. We need to set it up in such a way that both machines work with the same set of files, so their top directory should ideally be a UNC path. The problem is I can't seem to get WS_FTP server to recognise a UNC path - it complains with the following error message: "Only local fixed drives can be used for a Host's Top Directory!" (the exclamation is a nice touch, like only a fool would want to be doing this) Is there a way to do this, to get two or more servers to "see" the same set of files? TIA, Chris _____ Chris Totten Technical Services Manager 028 9448 0000 <http://www.ctechs.co.uk/> www.ctechs.co.uk Consilium Logo <http://www.consiliumontap.com/images/ctechslogo.jpg> This email and all attachments it may contain is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Consilium Technologies. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, printing, forwarding or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender if you have received this email in error. 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