Running SC4 without server

[magnus_nyvall]

Earlier versions of snapcreator can be run without a server as long as a local config file exists.

We use another scheduler to execute snapcreator on each host and have no server running at all.

We also have a custom made installation package that automatically creates the config file ont the host.

Is there no way to run SC4 without a SC server running?

If so that pretty much forces us to find some other solution.

We do not want to have a sc server as a single point of failure for all snapshots.

And also having to open firewall port for this would not be possible for all customers.

Regards Magnus

[ktenzer]

SC 3.x was simple a server and CLI in one so every instance you were running SC server and CLI.

SC 4.x we have split the server and CLI. The server is a server and the CLI a CLI.

You can certainly run an SC server, agent, and CLI on every app host or you can have SC server be central. In SC 4.x we dont dictate just like we didnt in SC 3.x that server should be central.

The only difference between SC 3.x and 4.x is that 4.x is java and 3.x is perl and that 4.x server is a daemon w/APIs where the 3.x server was not and had no APIs. Please explain how you feel SC 3.x was better than 4.x? I am not understanding your points in enough detail?

Keith

[magnus_nyvall]

In 3.x all i needed to do was to unpack the files and provide a config file.

The server did not need to be running to execute the snapcreator command.

Or are you saying i can install SC4 as CLI only? Not needing a deamon running?

[ktenzer]

No SC 4 is a server and runs a daemon. I am saying it doesnt have to be central. The only difference between SC 4 and 3 was SC 3 wasnt a deamon it was a binary, however we needed to do things like support APIs and many other features so it was necessary to create a server.

Are you saying you have requirements to not run daemons? If so how do you use other products? Not many products out there that dont run some kind of daemon at least not backup products.

Keith

[magnus_nyvall]

I dont mind running a deamon if we have to. But we are not interested in anything else than just running the snapcreator command and keep the installation automated.

So it seems unnessecary for us.

We have a customized installation system which today automatically unpacks snapcreator v3.6 and creates the config file. It is then scheduled externally.

Perhaps this can be done with sc4 aswell we have to test it.

[ktenzer]

What you are wanting to do will be just as easy if not easier

SC 4 CLI allows you to actually configure schedules and if you want you can even talk to SC server directly over APIs. Did I mention there is also a powershell toolkit for interacting with SC 4? You could also install CLI on remote host and configure schedules from there. CLI can run on any host not just where SC server is. Of course this requires opening ports but the way I see things is you have a lot more flexibility now then you did before.

In addition the old SC 3.x did run a service for the GUI and hidden in this was a database, the database is now part of server and that is why CLI can now create schedules, not just GUI.

I recommend you try SC4 and experiment with different possibilities...we will definitely assist you but give it a chance. I know it is definitely more and a larger footprint that SC 3 but we did try and I feel succeeded at keeping things simple while providing enormous flexibility. If you find some areas of improvements please let us know and we will address them.

Keith

[magnus_nyvall]

Keith Tenzer wrote:
In addition the old SC 3.x did run a service for the GUI and hidden in this was a database, the database is now part of server and that is why CLI can now create schedules, not just GUI.

Well we dont use this at all currently, since the binary works fine without it beeing started as long as the config file is there.

And scheduling is done with a central scheduler which we have to use.

We will test it but I still which you had an option to run it standalone just using the local configfile.

Regards Magnus

[ktenzer]

You bring up a good point, I will take this to engineering maybe there is something simple we can do to create a standalone SC server which doesnt run the web services but I dont think there is, everything is rather tightly coupled.

Still you can keep using SC 3.6

Keith