Replication tool distribution Package

The replication tool works on the following platforms: Windows (x64): Win7, Win8, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012; Linux (x64): CentOS7, Ubuntu 16.04.

The distribution package of the Replication Tool is ZIP-archive for Windows and ZIP-archive for Linux containing the following files:

Windows

Linux

After the first launch of the replication tool, the following files will appear in the setup folder:

• b2b_replication.pid - contains a process identifier, it is used by replication tool control scripts.
• persistent.properties - stores statuses of FIX sessions being replicated.
• replication.log - replication tool log file.

FIX Antenna based application settings

For correct usage of the Replication tool, the user must set the several properties of the current FIX Antenna-based application.

The settings for the FIX Antenna C++-based application

The settings for the FIX Antenna Java-based application

Installation

RT supports two main working modes: 

• Client-server mode allows synchronizing files between the primary and backup servers in real time.
• Standalone mode allows copying files on the same machine in real time.

A detailed description of the setup process for each mode is given below.

For the Windows operating system

Client-Server Mode 

A client-server mode is used in the case when there is a need to replicate data to a different host(s).

The corresponding installation process is described below.

Configure the server instance of the replication tool on the host where the primary files are created:

• Unzip the distribution package into the home directory of the replication tool.
• Make the following changes in the Server configuration section of the replication.properties configuration file: 
  • Set replication.server.port where the server will listen to connections from clients. Make sure the port is open for external connections on your firewall.
  • Set replication.server.login and replication.server.password. Make sure you use the same values when configuring the client.
  • Define the location of logs to be replicated (source directory) and change path properties accordingly: 

List aliases of the logs folders to be replicated in the replication.server.folders property. 
If you replicate one directory you can leave this property empty.

Set the default path to the source logs directory in the replication.server.folder.default.path property. 
If you replicate one directory, use it here. If you replicate several directories, use one of them here.

Set path to each directory being replicated in the corresponding replication.server.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from the replication.server.folders property.
If you replicate one directory, you can skip this step. The default value set in the  replication.server.folder.default.path property will be used instead.
If you replicate several directories set path to each of them under corresponding alias. 

• Start the Replication tool in server mode for Windows. 

Start the replication manually. You can use the server.bat script from the bin folder of the distribution package. As well, the command "b2b_replication.exe"  is used to start the replication tool server.

Start the replication as a Windows service. For the installation of the Replication Tool as a Windows service and schedules its automatic launch, the command "b2b_replication.exe --installService -n <ServiceServerName>" should be used or the file "server.service.install.bat". Then the user can start the installed service by using the Windows application service or type the command "%SystemRoot%\system32\net.exe start <ServiceServerName>" or use the file "server.service.run.bat".

• If the server is started successfully you will see the following message in the console and in the replication.log

[NOTE] 20141016-10:18:11.460 [7804] [ReplicationServer] - Waiting for incoming connection.

• Make sure the port is open for external connections on your firewall.
• Make sure the server is listening to clients on the port specified using the following command:

C:\B2BITS\replication_tool>netstat -na | find "1090" 
 TCP    0.0.0.0:1090           0.0.0.0:0              LISTENING

Configure client instance(s) of the replication tool on the destination host(s):

• Unzip distribution package into the home directory of the replication tool.
• Make the following changes in the "Client Configuration" section of the replication.properties configuration file: 
  
  • Set replication.client.host and replication.client.port . Make sure you use the same values as for the server replication.server.port property.
  • Set replication.client.login and replication.client.password. Make sure you use the same values as for the server replication.server.login and replication.server.password property.  
  • Define the location of logs to be replicated (source directory) and change path properties accordingly: 

List aliases of the logs folders to be replicated in the replication.client.folders property. 
Folders' aliases should match the ones from the replication.server.folders list from the server configuration file. If the property is empty or not specified, all folders represented by the server are accepted and replicated into the default destination folder.

Set the default path to the source logs directory in the replication.client.folder.default.path property.
If you replicate one directory, use it here. If you replicate several directories, use one of them here.

Set path to each directory being replicated in the corresponding replication.client.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from replication.client.folder.default.path property.

If you skip this step, the default destination directory will be used for all logs being replicated.

• Start the replication tool in client mode for Windows. 
  

  Start the replication manually. You can use the client.bat script from the bin folder of the distribution package. As well, the command "b2b_replication.exe --client"  is used to start the replication tool client.

  Start the replication as a Windows service. For the installation of the Replication Tool as a Windows service and schedules its automatic launch, the command "b2b_replication.exe --installService  -n <ServiceClientName> --serviceStartArgs --client" should be used or the file "client.service.install.bat". Then the user can start the installed service by using the Windows application service or type the command "%SystemRoot%\system32\net.exe start <ServiceClientName>" or use the file "client.service.run.bat".

• If the client instance(s) is started successfully and set a connection to the server you will see the following message in the console and in the replication.log:

[NOTE]  20141016-10:35:31.623 [5508] [ReplicationClient] - Connected to server.

Standalone Mode

Standalone mode is a mode when the client (subscriber) and server (publisher) are running within the same process. There is no TCP/IP connection in this mode. Standalone mode is preferable in a case when logs being replicated and copy should be located on the same machine. In order to set up the replication tool you need:

• Unzip distribution package into the home directory of the replication tool.
• Define the location of logs to be replicated (source directory). Change server configuration in the replication.properties configuration file accordingly: 

List aliases of the logs folders to be replicated in the replication.server.folders property. 
If you replicate one directory you can leave the property empty.

Set the default path to the source logs directory in the replication.server.folder.default.path property. 
If you replicate one directory, use it here. If you replicate several directories, use one of them here.

Set path to each directory being replicated in the corresponding replication.server.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from the replication.server.folders property.
If you replicate one directory, you can skip this step. The default value set in the replication.server.folder.default.path property will be used instead.
If you replicate several directories set path to each of them under corresponding alias. 

• Create directory (or directories) to store logs copy (destination directory(ies)). Change client configuration in the replication.properties configuration file accordingly: 

Set default path to the destination directory in the replication.client.folder.default.path property.

Set destination directory for each source directory in the corresponding replication.client.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from the replication.server.folders property. If you skip this step, the default destination directory will be used for all logs being replicated. 

• Start the replication process for Windows.

Start the replication manually. You can use the standalone.bat script from the bin folder of the distribution package. As well, the command "b2b_replication.exe --standalone"  is used to start the replication tool in standalone mode.

Start the replication as a Windows service. For the installation of the Replication Tool as a Windows service and schedules its automatic launch, the command "b2b_replication.exe --installService  -n <ServiceStandaloneName> --serviceStartArgs --standalone" should be used. Then the user can start the installed service by using the Windows application service or type the command "%SystemRoot%\system32\net.exe start <ServiceStandaloneName>".

For the Linux operating system

Client-Server Mode 

A client-server mode is used in the case when there is a need to replicate data to a different host(s).

The corresponding installation process is described below.

Configure server instance of the replication tool on the host where the primary files are created:

• Unzip distribution package into the home directory of the replication tool.
• Make the following changes in the "Server configuration" section of the linux_replication.properties configuration file: 
  • Set replication.server.port where the server will listen to connections from clients. Make sure the port is open for external connections on your firewall.
  • Set replication.server.login and replication.server.password. Make sure you use the same values when configuring client.
  • Define the location of logs to be replicated (source directory) and change path properties accordingly: 

List aliases of the logs folders to be replicated in the replication.server.folders property. 
If you replicate one directory you can leave this property empty.

Set the default path to the source logs directory in the replication.server.folder.default.path property. 
If you replicate one directory, use it here. If you replicate several directories, use one of them here.

Set path to each directory being replicated in the corresponding replication.server.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from the replication.server.folders property.
If you replicate one directory, you can skip this step. The default value set in the  replication.server.folder.default.path property will be used instead.
If you replicate several directories set path to each of them under corresponding alias. 

• Start the replication tool in server mode for Linux.

Run server.sh to start the replication process or use the command "./b2b_replication --propfile=./linux_replication.properties".

• If the server is started successfully you will see the following message in the console and in the replication.log

[NOTE] 20141016-10:18:11.460 [7804] [ReplicationServer] - Waiting for incoming connection.

• Make sure the port is open for external connections on your firewall.
• Make sure the server is listening to clients on the port specified using the following command:

C:\B2BITS\replication_tool>netstat -na | find "1090" 
 TCP    0.0.0.0:1090           0.0.0.0:0              LISTENING

Configure client instance(s) of the replication tool on the destination host(s):

• Unzip distribution package into the home directory of the replication tool.
• Make the following changes in the "Client Configuration" section of the linux_replication.properties configuration file: 
  
  • Set replication.client.host and replication.client.port . Make sure you use the same values as for the server replication.server.port property.
  • Set replication.client.login and replication.client.password. Make sure you use the same values as for the server replication.server.login and replication.server.password property.  
  • Define the location of logs to be replicated (source directory) and change path properties accordingly: 

List aliases of the logs folders to be replicated in the replication.client.folders property. 
Folders' aliases should match the ones from the replication.server.folders list from the server configuration file. If the property is empty or not specified, all folders represented by the server are accepted and replicated into default destination folder.

Set the default path to the source logs directory in the replication.client.folder.default.path property.
If you replicate one directory, use it here. If you replicate several directories, use one of them here.

Set path to each directory being replicated in the corresponding replication.client.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from replication.client.folder.default.path property.

If you skip this step, the default destination directory will be used for all logs being replicated.

• Start the replication tool in client mode for Linux.

Run client.sh to start the replication process or use the command "./b2b_replication --client --propfile=./linux_replication.properties".

• If the client instance(s) is started successfully and set a connection to the server you will see the following message in the console and in the replication.log:

[NOTE]  20141016-10:35:31.623 [5508] [ReplicationClient] - Connected to server.

Standalone Mode

Standalone mode is a mode when the client (subscriber) and server (publisher) are running within the same process. There is no TCP/IP connection in this mode. Standalone mode is preferable in a case when logs being replicated and copy should be located on the same machine. In order to set up the replication tool you need:

• Unzip distribution package into the home directory of the replication tool.
• Define the location of logs to be replicated (source directory). Change server configuration in the linux_replication.properties configuration file accordingly: 

List aliases of the logs folders to be replicated in the replication.server.folders property. 
If you replicate one directory you can leave the property empty.

Set the default path to the source logs directory in the replication.server.folder.default.path property. 
If you replicate one directory, use it here. If you replicate several directories, use one of them here.

Set path to each directory being replicated in the corresponding replication.server.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from the replication.server.folders property.
If you replicate one directory, you can skip this step. The default value set in the replication.server.folder.default.path property will be used instead.
If you replicate several directories set path to each of them under corresponding alias. 

• Create directory (or directories) to store logs copy (destination directory(ies)). Change client configuration in the replication.properties configuration file accordingly: 

Set default path to the destination directory in the replication.client.folder.default.path property.

Set destination directory for each source directory in the corresponding replication.client.folder.AAA.path property, where AAA is the directory alias from the replication.server.folders property. If you skip this step, the default destination directory will be used for all logs being replicated. 

• Start the replication process for Linux.

Start the standalone.sh or use the command "b2b_replication --standalone --propfile=./linux_replication.properties" to start replication process.

FIX Logs Replicator Properties

Command Line Options

Notes:

• Replication tool acts as a server when neither client nor standalone mode are chosen. The server mode is the default.
• Replication tool does not permit to use more than one of “--client”, “--standalone” or “--admintool” option at the same time but if it is the case, the priority is the following:
  • 1 - “–client”
  • 2 - “–standalone”
  • 3 - “–admintool”

Logging

Every few minutes, the log records stats messages.

Configuring the parameter replication.client.postStatsIntervalM, allows the client to modify the interval with which stats messages are recorded. The value of this parameter is in minutes.

An example of a stats message:

[INFO] 20210428-13:42:28.975 [1796] [ReplicationClient] -
===================================== Tags stats =====================================
EchoServer: Status Active. Message count 0. Last data received at 2021-Apr-28 13:39:40.
EchoServer2: Status Active. Message count 0. Last data received at 2021-Apr-28 13:39:43.
Total active 2 of 2
======================================================================================

If no folders are being replicated, the stats message will also contain the following:

[INFO] 20210428-13:45:16.870 [18056] [ReplicationClient] -
======================================= Tags stats =======================================
No tags are being replicated!
==========================================================================================

Admin tool

Admin tool is the utility to easily monitor and control the replication process. It allows to change the replication folder's configuration by using several commands instead of configuring properties files.

Configuration:

For Window operating system

Admin tool is used to connect to the client and control the replication process remotely using simple command-line instructions. In order to use replication tool in the administrative mode you need:

1. Set admintool parameters in the Admintool configuration section of the replication.properties/replication.client.properties configuration file on the client's side:
   1. Set replication.admintool.port. 
   2. Set replication.admintool.login and replication.admintool.password.
2. Set admintool parameters in the Admintool configuration section of the configuration file on the admintool's side: 
   1. Set replication.admintool.host and replication.admintool.port. Make sure you use the same values as for the client's replication.admintool.port.
   2. Set replication.admintool.login and replication.admintool.password. Make sure you use the same values as for the client's replication.admintool.login and replication.admintool.password.
3. Start replication tool in admintool mode. Run the admintool.bat/ b2b_replication --admintool for this purpose. See Examples for more details.

Note: you can launch admintool in the client's folder with the same configuration file. In this case, they will share the same set of properties in the Admintool configuration section file.

For Linux operating system

Admin tool is used to connect to the client and control the replication process remotely using simple command-line instructions. In order to use replication tool in the administrative mode you need:

1. Set admintool parameters in the Admintool configuration section of the linux_replication.properties/replication.client.properties configuration file on the client's side:
   1. Set replication.admintool.port. 
   2. Set replication.admintool.login and replication.admintool.password.
2. Set admintool parameters in the Admintool configuration section of the configuration file on the admintool's side: 
   1. Set replication.admintool.host and replication.admintool.port. Make sure you use the same values as for the client's replication.admintool.port.
   2. Set replication.admintool.login and replication.admintool.password. Make sure you use the same values as for the client's replication.admintool.login and replication.admintool.password.
3. Start replication tool in admintool mode. Run the b2b_replication -t [–admintool] for this purpose. See Examples for more details.

Note: you can launch admintool in the client's folder with the same configuration file. In this case, they will share the same set of properties in the Admintool configuration section file.

Admintool Script Usage

There are examples of admin tool commands.

Note: for Linux add the argument "--propfile=./linux_replication.properties".

1. List all monitored folders:

   cmd

   b2b_replication.exe --admintool --admintoolCommand list
   
   Alternative:
   admintool.bat list
   

2. Stop replication of the folder FE1 gracefully:

   cmd

   b2b_replication.exe --admintool --admintoolCommand stop --admintoolCommandArg FE1
   
   Alternative:
   admintool.bat stop FE1
   

3. Start over replication of the folder FE1:

   cmd

   b2b_replication.exe --admintool --admintoolCommand start --admintoolCommandArg FE1
   
   Alternative:
   admintool.bat start FE1
   

4. Check if replication of the folder is stopped:

   cmd

   b2b_replication.exe --admintool --admintoolCommand isstopped --admintoolCommandArg FE1
   
   Alternative:
   admintool.bat isstopped FE1
   

5. Stop replication of the folder FE1 immediately:

   cmd

   b2b_replication.exe --admintool --admintoolCommand stop --admintoolCommandArg FE1 --admintoolCommandArg regular
   
   Alternative:
   admintool.bat stop FE1 regular

6. Stop replication of the folder FE1 immediately even though a graceful stop is in progress:

   cmd

   press the "Ctrl" and "C" keys at the same time, then enter the command into the command line:
   b2b_replication.exe --admintool --admintoolCommand stop --admintoolCommandArg FE1 --admintoolCommandArg force
   
   Alternative:
   admintool.bat stop FE1 force
   

Examples

Note: for Linux add the argument "--propfile=./linux_replication.properties".

1. Start the tool in server mode with default properties file:

   cmd

   b2b_replication
   
   Alternative:
   server.bat

2. Start the tool in server mode with custom properties file myreplication.properties:

   cmd

   b2b_replication --propfile=myreplication.properties
   

3. Start the tool in client mode with custom persistent properties file mypersistent.properties:

   cmd

   b2b_replication --client --persistentfile=mypersistent.properties
   
   Alternative:
   client.bat
   

4. Start the tool in standalone mode with the default configuration:

   cmd

   b2b_replication --standalone
   
   Alternative:
   standalone.bat
   

5. Install the Windows service with a custom name and two dependencies in standalone mode:

   cmd

   b2b_replication --installService --serviceName=HFTReplication --dependService=Service1 --dependService=Service2 --serviceStartArgs="--standalone"
   

6. Uninstall the Windows service from the example above:

   cmd

   b2b_replication --uninstallService -serviceName=HFTReplication
   
   Alternative:
   server.service.uninstall.bat/ client.service.uninstall.bat
   

7. Server configuration section

   # Folders list to monitor. It is comma-separated list of folders' tags that server represents to clients.
   # If it is empty or not defined then it is threated in the same way if it value was set to 'default'.
   
   replication.server.folders = hftdma, hftdma2 
   
   # Default folder configuration.It gets in power if no folders are configured.# This configuration values except 'path' are taken for other configurations if particular values are not defined.
   # Folder path. It is path to the working folder for the tag.
   
   replication.server.folder.default.path = D:/replication 
   
   # if the value is true then server looks for all sub-folders recursively and adds them to the monitor list.
   # It uses configuration values for the tag in this case for all sub-folders. Default is 'false'.
   
   replication.server.folder.default.recursive = false 
   
   # folder walk regexp filter. If 'recursive' is true then server walks through
   # sub-folders recursively and adds them if relative path matches this regexp only.
   # If this parameter is not defined then all sub-folders are added.
   #replication.server.folder.default.filter = .*