How can I import data from a different RRC server (projects, users, licenses), or: How to best seed automatically provisioned servers
I would like to set up a testing infrastructure where we have Chef scripts install, configure and seed JTS/RRC servers so our test scripts can then execute the tests of our tools integrating with RRC.
We are already successfully installing and configuring a JTS/RRC server, and as long as the seed data comes from the same host, applying that is also not an issue (we simply copied the apache DB files).
However, this is not working when we want to seed a different host with that data, as the hostname is part of the data base.
Next thing we tried is using the repoTools-xxx -export and -import. The process itself seems to work fine. And when doing it on the same host, again, the servers are set up nicely. However, performing this on a different host results in the server acting up weirdly. The JTS server is slow and often displays that green "Loading" info bar. The RRC application itself just displays a CRRRS5262E (server initializing) error. The log seems to indicate that there is a connection problem to the JTS server, but has no specifics as of where it's trying to connect to.
The third option we thought about is server rename, but then again, we don't really want to rename a server, we actually want to create some seed data (a data dump) that we can apply to a number of servers, independent of their host name. So server rename seems like the wrong tool for that, too.
We are a bit at a loss as to how to best accomplish this.
Our seed data is quite simple. It's a handful of users, proper client access licenses (and the users getting assigned one). A few projects based on a template, and a handful of requirements, collections and modules, as well as folders. All simply on the default Apache Derby data base, and a single server hosting both jts and rm.
Is the way that JTS/RRC is architectured just not enabled for doing this on a data base or repoTool level? Is the proper approach to go through OSLC and other APIs (have never attempted to create projects and upload client access licenses other than through the webUI)?
Any hints as of what to try are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Thomas
Accepted answer
I am afraid that your approach will not work without server rename as the URI is the most defining part of the architecture...see: https://jazz.net/wiki/bin/view/Deployment/YouCantChangeThePublicURI and https://jazz.net/wiki/bin/view/Deployment/PlanningYourURIs
You are also attempting to do more than just export and import a project template, or use scripts for population (see Bulk Manipulation of Process Area Membership) .
So if your desire is to have multiple test beds, then are you able to manipulate the local hosts files to be the same URI? In Support, this is how we'd typically setup a customer's environment (also using the teamserver.properties details for friends links etc).
As for your API question, I think this forum has many entries, inc. https://jazz.net/forum/questions/129052/script-to-export-rtc-process-templates, on which ever action you're trying to perform.
There are many questions here, but I tried to answer the fundamentals. Please let me know if you require any further assistance.
Kind regards,
Paul
Comments
Thanks Paul, that makes sense.
Unfortunately changing the host name isn't possible. Furthermore, I just realized, I omitted another complexity: Eventually we want to have all our test servers (verious versions from 4.0 to 5.x) stood up like that, and we'd like to only take a single data dump, apply that to all servers.
But I think, if I read the rename and upgrade documentation correctly, that this might be pretty involved, as I can't simply import and 4.0.5 DB into a new 4.0.6 installation, then run the server rename. I actually would have to have both installed.
I think I will actually look into finding the right tooling to set up my server via scripts / API.
Cheers,
Thomas
Alas yes. In 5.0 there is at least the patch service to avoid too many side-by-side upgrades, but even then you need to upgrade between point releases in this way.
This forum will hopefully provide you with any help you need for your scripts/API as it is keenly tracked by our own developers as well as our external customers.
Good luck,
Paul