How to configure store and forward for a Remote cache_ver2
This article is focusing on how you can upload or download files using data share manager asynchronously and also focusing on how you can apply file upload security policies.
Teamcenter Store and Forward Configuration for a Remote Users – Closer the Volume -> Faster the Upload -> Improved the User Efficiency!
Today, company operations are spanning across the globe which calls for sharing, collaborating, and openly exchanging high volumes of business data (Large files of CAD, Non-CAD data) in a complex technical environment using PLM technology. In this scenario, ideally the users that are uploading the files to the PLM system should be at low latency to satisfy the network constraints and to limit the bandwidth between company locations consumed during the peak hours.
To address this requirement, Teamcenter provides FMS Store and Forward mechanism which enables remote end users to upload files to a local file storage (local volume also known as temporary volume or store & forward volume). Local volume is a real volume storing production data, which allow files to be stored locally before they are automatically transferred using scheduled task on specific interval to the final destination volume across the Wide Area Network (WAN). Until the transfer occurs, remote users requesting download of the file receive it directly from the default local volume on their LAN. This functionality improves end-user file upload times from clients.
This blog will help you understand the different aspect of store-and-forward installation, configuration and usage through working example!
Working example of store and forward installation and configuration
Assumption:As shown in picture above, this example is considering that you have corporate server with different features installed and now you want to setup remote volume (store and forward volume) server for remote site users.
Step1: Configure Remote FSC Server
1. Run tem.bat from the kit and select volume server as shown below
2. On Features screen ensure that you only have selected FMS Server Cache feature and no other feature/s
3. Provide FSC parent URL (from corporate server FMS) and define the FSC ID for remote server
4. Click next and complete the installation
Step2: Configure Master FSC Server on Corporate Server
1. Login as infodba to RAC
2. Create new volume as shown below, make sure to use the remote FSC Id here
3. Launch tem.bat from TC_ROOT/install directory
4. Select “Update FMS Master”
5. On FSC Servers screen, select “Add” and enter the information of the new FSC (Remote FSC)
6. On Volume Query screen, perform scan and you should see the two different volumes
7. Select next and finish the installation
8. Now restart FSC1 followed by FSC2
Step3: Configure Store and Forward
1. On corporate server:
Install Dispatcher Server, Module, Scheduler and Admin Client in case you have already installed these features then you are good to go next step
2. Launch tem.bat and select the StoreAndForward translator on selection translator page.
3. Provide the master FSC Server URL as shown below for store-forward-translator
4. Select next to complete the installation.
5. Now, login with infodba and set the below preferences:
a. TC_Store_and_Forward preference to true
b. FMS_SAF_Batch_Transfer_Enabled to true
6. Set a local volume for required users
7. Now, test remote volume just by creating a dataset with named references file in it and ensure that the file is getting stored in the remote_volume
8. Sync the contents from the remote_volume with the master volume on corporate server by running store and forward translator in Dispatcher Admin client as a repeating job. This translator in the background runs the move_volume_files utility.
a. Run the runUI.bat from dispatcher admin client directory D:\apps\TC\DS\AdminClient\bin
b. Login as infodba
c. Schedule translation task as shown below based on your requirement
9. Or Sync the contents from the remote_volume with the master volume on corporate server by creating cron job to run move_volume_files with transferaf argument utility as a repeating job
10. Step 8 or Step 9 action will move the files from the remote_volume to the master volume on corporate server.
Some of the Business Benefits, I could see here using store-and-forward
1. Better file upload performance for users working from remote sites
2. Master volume is up-to-date with the data from remote sites