eDirectory Process Requests
Articles and Tips: article
Senior Research Engineer
Novell AppNotes Magazine
01 Aug 2002
Novell eDirectory is a very easy-to-use Directory plus database. However, the inner-workings of eDirectory, which are made up of the Novell Directory Services (NDS) engine, are quite complex. As they run, the NDS processes make requests for low-level functions. These low-level functions communicate directly with the heart of the NDS engine.
This month's column explains the operation of the most common NDS Process Requests. It will also reference eDirectory's utility, DSTRACE, which allows the monitoring of NDS activity. For information on how to use DSTrace, see the following AppNotes: http://support.novell.com/techcenter/articles/anp20010801.html
http://support.novell.com/techcenter/articles/anp20010901.html
NDS Ping
This is a basic request to discover information about NDS on a network. The primary purpose of the NDS Ping Request is to retrieve the following information from a target server:
The target server's [Root]-most replica depth
The replica type of the target server's [Root]-most replica
The major NDS version used by the target server
The minor NDS version used by the target server
The name of the source server's Directory tree
To view DSTrace messages associated with NDS Ping, you should run DSTrace on the target server, with the following DSTRACE flags set:
Inbound
DSA
Miscellaneous
DSA Buffers
In addition, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended that the WANMAN flag be set.
NDS Start Update Replica
The primary purpose of the NDS Start Update Replica Request is to request that a synchronization lock be placed on the server's replica of the partition that is being synchronized. Another primary purpose is to retrieve the Transitive Vector attribute values for the partition root object of the partition that is being synchronized.
To view DSTrace messages that are associated with the NDS Start Update Replica request, you should use DSTrace on the target server (the server that received the request) with the following DSTrace flags set:
Inbound
Replica Synchronization
Inbound Replica Synchronization
DSA
Miscellaneous
DSA Buffers
Bindery Emulation
Additionally, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended that the WANMAN flag also be set.
NDS Update Replica
The primary purpose of the NDS Update Replica Request is to submit all updates to a specified object. To view DSTrace messages associated with the NDS Update Replica request, you should use DSTrace on the server that received the request with the following DSTrace flags set:
Inbound
Replica Synchronization
Inbound Replica Synchronization
DSA
Miscellaneous
DSA Buffers
Additionally, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended the WANMAN flag also be set.
NDS End Update Replica
The primary purpose of the NDS End Update Replica Request is to request the synchronization lock to be released on the server's replica of the partition that is being synchronized. Another primary purpose is to provide the target server with the Transitive Vector attribute values for the partition root object of the partition that is being synchronized.
To view DSTrace messages that is associated with the NDS End Update Replica request, you should use DSTrace on the server that received the request along with the following DSTrace flags set.
Inbound
Replica Synchronization
Inbound Replica Synchronization
DSA
Miscellaneous
DSA Buffers
Bindery Emulation
Additionally, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended that the WANMAN flag be set as well.
NDS Start Update Schema
The primary purposes of the NDS Start Update Schema Request are to request a synchronization lock be placed on the source server's schema and to retrieve the Synchronized Up To attribute values for the source server's schema. To view DSTrace messages that are associated with the NDS Start Update Schema request, you should run DSTrace on the server that received the request along with the following DSTrace flags:
Inbound
Schema Synchronization
Inbound Synchronization
DSA
Miscellaneous
DSA Buffers
Bindery Emulation
Additionally, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended that the WANMAN flag also be set.
NDS Update Schema
The primary purpose of the NDS Update Schema Request is to update the following definitions:
Deleted schema class definitions
Deleted schema attribute definitions
New or modified schema attribute definitions
New or modified schema class definitions
To view DSTrace messages that are associated with the NDS Update Schema request, you should use DSTrace on the server that received the request, along with the following DSTrace flags:
Inbound
Schema Synchronization
Inbound Synchronization
DSA
Miscellaneous
DSA Buffers
Additionally, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended that the WANMAN flag also be set.
NDS End Update Schema
The primary purposes of the NDS End Update Schema Request are to:
Notify the source server that the requesting server is concluding the NDS Schema Synchronization background process with this server.
Provide the source server with the requesting server's Synchronized Up To attribute values.
Inform the source server that the synchronization lock on the source server's schema is no longer needed.
To view DSTrace messages that are associated with the NDS End Update Schema request, you should use DSTrace on the server that received the request, with the following DSTrace flags:
Schema Synchronization
Inbound Synchronization
DSA
DSA Buffers
Bindery Emulation
Additionally, if the source server is using the WAN Traffic Manager, it is recommended that the WANMAN flag also be set.
Conclusion
We have introduced several eDirectory process requests this month. This overview will get you ready for next month's column, where we will actually go into DSTrace and look at the health of these processes.
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
Disclaimer
The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.