File Replication Pro Ports Management
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Group Configuration with a Management Console
When servers are shown in a separate group below the top section of severs as shown below. Other symptoms that will go together with this condition are, Real Time replication not running, custom Start or End Job Scripts not executing, job schedule not executing, and various other problems.
This usually happens when the server in the lower list don't belong to the same network subnet as the management console and/or is having network connectivity issues with the Management server over the internet. In most cases this is due to port 9100 not communicating from the replication server to the management server. The replication servers and management console can reside in different subnets and even located in different countries and operating over the internet. This is a common practice with FRP and many of our global customers.
To make FRP fully accessible behind a firewall, two ports have to be opened.
Ports 9200 and 9200 TCP/IP should be opened in both directions, in and outgoing on all machines in the FRP replication group.
NOTICE: You must also assure that port forwarding is configured and working. Make certain that no other software firewalls such as Windows firewall are running in addition to your routers or hardware firewalls. If you must run additional software firewalls they must also be configured for the ports required.
Port 9100 is required to post status notifications to management console and acquire configuration information, job schedules, commands, and start/end script instructions from the management console.
Port 9200 is required to move replication data and also carries some administrative traffic for job execution.
The best way to assure if port forwarding is configured is to use a telnet command. For example, if you want to check if FRP is accessible from machine A to machine B, go to machine A and try to open a telnet connection to machine B with following command:
telnet B_IP_ADDRESS 9200
If everything is configured, you will see a FRP prompt.
To test the port 9100 from a replication server to the management server, open a browser on the replication server and open the management server at http://<management_IP>:9100 This should be tested from each replication server to the management server.
When all is working as it should no matter if your servers on a local LAN or located around the world by internet, all of your servers will appear in the upper group.
FRP Architecture and Management Server
In the image below you can see a typical setup with FRP. Replication servers can be both source and destination for files from any other replication server in the group. Servers can be on the same lan or they can be located anywhere in the world on the internet.
The red lines below indicate communication on Port 9100 between replication servers and the management server in every case.
The black lines denote data and some administrative traffic on port 9200 for replication jobs. This illustration shows 2 sets of 3 servers each replicating among themselves will all servers managed from a single management server. This would be a typical setup for a global company which might be replicating between offices in different locations in the USA and Europe. These jobs can be run between any of the servers in any combination you choose, but all must be controlled by a single management server.
The management server can be run standalone or on the same machine as one of the replication servers. But there is never a situation where the management server is run on more than one machine in your group. If you choose, you can make your management server available to the internet on port 9100 and then you can manage your replication group from anywhere on the planet with a PC (web console) and a web browser.
Yitzi L. 2-20-09