AppManager Load Balancing - Akumina Community

AppManager Load Balancing

The purpose of this document is to provide the steps required to configure the Akumina AppManager for load balancing.  Prior to executing these steps, the AppManager should first be installed either in the cloud on on-premises using the standard installation procedures.  After these steps are complete, then load balancing can be enabled in the environment.

Step 1: Update the Configuration File Settings

Access the “unity.config” file in the AppManager installation location and make the following changes.  This will instruct the AppManager to look for the DssConfig information from the SettingsAK list instead of the dss.config physical file.

Verify the following section in the unity.config file is set as seen below with the IdssConfig set to use the list:

  <container name=”dss”>

    <!–<register type=”IDssConfig” mapTo=”DssConfigFile” />–>

    <register type=”IDssConfig” mapTo=”DssConfigSpList” />

  </container>

 

Repeat this step on each server on which the AppManager will be installed for load balancing.

 

Step 2: Recycle the AppManager Application Pool

Recycle the application (using IIS) so that the changes take effect in AppManager.

 

Step 3: Launch AppManager and Set Global Settings

In the AppManager, Navigate to Settings  and Edit the Global Settings.

  • Set the Site Address to the appropriate parent site collection
  • Set “Administrator Group” Permissions
  • Set “Reporting Access Group” Permissions
  • SAVE & EXIT

Continue through the normal process of using the AppManager.

When AppManager is launched for a Site Collection, it will automatically detect that the configuration is set to use the DSSconfig information in a SharePoint list.  It will automatically create a “SettingsAK” list in the root of the Site Collection and populate it from that point forward.

Migrating Previous Configuration Data (only if updating existing deployments)

If you are converting an existing AppManager deployment that has settings and apps already configured, then you will need to migrate those settings from the previous dss.config physical file into the new list-based setup.  To do this, Akumina has implemented a migration tool to do a one time migration.

NOTE: This migration must be run individually for EACH Site Collection that was previously managed by the AppManager.  The migration must be run by first accessing the Site Collection in the AppManager, and then accessing the migration tool.

To access and run the migration tool, navigate to the site collection parent in the AppManager.  Copy the highlighted portion of the URL and append to your AppManager base URL.

https://<INTERCHANGEURL>/admin/debug?migratedss=force

 

As an example:  https://akqa3b.azurewebsites.net/admin/debug?migratedss=force

 

On Premise: Data Storage

When on premise, the temp folder is the main location for data storage. Data such as the People Sync info, the cache files, etc. are stored here. The temp location should be shared storage, and all App Managers must have access to this path and be configured to use the same.

 

On Premise: People Sync

When on premise, since shared storage is being used the App Managers must operate in a warm/cold configuration for People Sync. One App Manager, the primary, will be responsible for running the people sync and the other App Manager(s) will have the same files and configuration, including schedule, but not run. It is only when the primary App Manager has a failure, that a secondary App Manager would run its people Syn in place.

NOTE: Since the people sync data is persistent, the failover process need not occur immediately, as there will still be people data queried and displayed.

 

Load Balancer Configuration

IMPORTANT:  When using load balancing, sticky sessions or affinity MUST be on, even if there is only one server.

Click here for details on establishing App Service Affinity.

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