TMF endpoints architecture

Note: the information  in this page is partially derived from on IBM Redbook TME 10 Framework Version 3.2 An Introduction to the Lightweight Client Framework

The Endpoint installation creates:

• A set of files in the LCF install directory. By default, the LCF install directory on UNIX is /opt/tivoli/lcf
   
• A set of files in /etc/Tivoli directory including env. setting scripts.
   
• A startup script Tivoli_lcfd1  in /etc/init.d directory:

  -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 9198 Nov 5 15:03 Tivoli_lcfd1

• A set of symbolic links (three kill, three start) to startup script in rc directories.

[root@nti244/etc]# find . -name "*lcf*"

./rc.d/rc6.d/K10Tivoli_lcf1
./rc.d/rc0.d/K10Tivoli_lcf1
./rc.d/rc5.d/S99Tivoli_lcf1
./rc.d/rc4.d/S99Tivoli_lcf1
./rc.d/rc3.d/S99Tivoli_lcf1
./rc.d/rc1.d/K10Tivoli_lcf1
./rc.d/rc2.d/S99Tivoli_lcf1

The configuration and log files are placed in a directory named as follows:
./dat/<date-timestamp>.random_number.

The following data files are automatically created:

• lcfd.log - A text file that contains the login activities and upcall/downcall methods of the Endpoint.
• last.cfg - A text file that contains the Endpoint and Gateway login configuration, like port used and number of login re-tries.
• lcf.dat - A binary file that contains Gateway login information like hostname and IP address of the last Gateway to which the Endpoint logged in. The information contained in this file can not be modified by the user. Certain information can be overridden by the use of command line arguments when starting the LCF daemon. However, in general, once this file is created (that is, the Endpoint has successfully logged into a Endpoint Gateway), the Endpoint should be managed via the framework mechanisms and policies, rather than by an end user adding parameters to its initialization.
• lcf.id - Contains additional Gateway login information.

 LCFD.LOG

The following figure shows the LCFD.LOG after a successful installation and login of an LCF Endpoint. We specified the -d 2 parameter,

When the LCF daemon installs and starts, it creates the working directory and creates the log file.
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd lcfd 2.1 (w32-ix86)
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd run_dir: ¢ C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\¢
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd logging to ¢ C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\lcfd.log¢ at level 2
It then creates a cache directory where the Endpoint will process methods
from the Gateway.
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd cache: ¢ C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\cache¢
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd cache limit: ¢20480000¢
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd cache size at initialization: ¢ 0 ¢
The LCF daemon starts to run and checks if there is an existing
configuration file (last.cfg). Being a new install, it immediately creates an
initial last.cfg file.
Oct 05 04:21:43 Q lcfd lcf_run
Oct 05 04:21:43 2 lcfd Writing GCS file: C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\last.cfg
Now, here is where the network broadcast occurs. It sends a login packet
within its subnet in search for an Endpoint Gateway listening at port 9494
(255.255.255.255+9494). By default, it makes 6 attempts at an interval of 5
minutes.
Oct 05 04:21:43 2 lcfd No known gateways.
Oct 05 04:21:43 2 lcfd Trying other login listeners...
Oct 05 04:21:43 1 lcfd Doing initial login broadcast...
Oct 05 04:21:43 Q lcfd send_login_dgram: interval=300 attempts=6
Oct 05 04:21:43 Q lcfd net_usend of 288 bytes to 255.255.255.255+9494. Bcast=1
Oct 05 04:21:43 Q lcfd send_login_dgram: waiting for reply. attempt 1 of 6
Oct 05 04:21:43 Q lcfd net_accept, handle=0x421f50

We receive a connection from the Endpoint Gateway (9.3.1.47). The
information about our newly assigned Endpoint Gateway is written to
last.cfg and we receive information about our assigned dispatcher number
and region identifier.

Oct 05 04:21:44 Q lcfd New connection from 9.3.1.47+4369
Oct 05 04:21:45 Q lcfd Entering net_recv, receive a message
Oct 05 04:21:45 Q lcfd Leaving net_recv with buffer of 384 bytes, session 0
Oct 05 04:21:45 Q lcfd recv: len=¢384¢ (code=¢14¢, session=¢ 0 ¢ )
Oct 05 04:21:45 2 lcfd Writing GCS file: C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\last.cfg
Oct 05 04:21:45 Q lcfd gobantp is dispatcher 3 in region 1375598768
Information is written to lcf.dat, our login is completed and the Endpoint
starts listening for any downcalls that may arrive.
Oct 05 04:21:45 1 lcfd write login file ¢ lcf.dat¢ complete
Oct 05 04:21:46 1 lcfd final pid: 260
Oct 05 04:21:46 1 lcfd Login to gateway complete.
Oct 05 04:21:46 1 lcfd Ready. Waiting for requests (0.0.0.0+9494).
Oct 05 04:21:46 2 lcfd Run timeout set: 120.
Oct 05 04:21:46 Q lcfd Entering Listener
Oct 05 04:21:46 Q lcfd net_wait_for_connection, handle=0x421f50

As operations are performed on the Endpoint (that is, downcalls arrive), this log will contain information about those calls.

After the first login, subsequent logins will have even simpler entries in the log, since the Endpoint will not have to broadcast to find an Endpoint Gateway.

LAST.CFG

File last.cfg contains configuration information from the last successful login to a Endpoint Gateway. This information will normally be used on subsequent logins to avoid the broadcast mechanism for locating an Endpoint Gateway. Although. as we will see in the next chapter, a different file (lcfd.cfg) using the same format, can define static configuration data that does not change with each successful login.

If lcfd.cfg. exists, it will be used in place of last.cfg. Additional information, including login credentials are stored in the binary file, LCF.DAT.

lcfd_port=9494
gateway_port=9494
log_threshold=2
start_timeout=120
run_timeout=120
lcfd_version=2.1
logfile=C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\lcfd.log
config_path=C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\last.cfg
run_dir=C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\
load_dir=C:\Tivoli\lcf\bin\w32-ix86\mrt\
lib_dir=.
cache_loc=C:\Tivoli\lcf\dat\08221500.467\\cache
cache_index=Index.v14
cache_limit=20480000
log_queue_size=1024
log_size=1024000
udp_interval=300
udp_attempts=6

Most of these values entries are self evident. The most important values here are:

• lcfd_port - The port used by the Endpoint to communicate with the Endpoint Gateway
• gateway_port - The listening port of the Endpoint Gateway
• udp_interval - Login retry intervals in seconds
• udp_attempts - Number of login retries

By default, a newly installed Endpoint, issues a broadcast message looking for an Endpoint Gateway it can use to connect to a TMR. Gateways that receive this broadcast, pass this login request to the Endpoint Manager who chooses a Gateway. That Gateway is then notified, and the Gateway then contacts the Endpoint to initiate the actual login. By default, the TMR Server chooses the first Endpoint Gateway that has reported the broadcast login
request from an Endpoint.

In an environment with multiple Gateways or multiple TMRs, it is highly desirable to provide controls that limit which Endpoint Gateways may be chosen for a new Endpoint.

There are currently two ways of controlling how an Endpoint becomes associated with an Endpoint Gateway.

1. Endpoint Configuration Files - When the Endpoint is started, it first looks for the existence of various configuration files. If these files exist, it will use information within these files that identify a specific Endpoint
Gateway. The Endpoint will then try to login to this Endpoint Gateway without issuing a broadcast message. If the Endpoint Gateway specified in the configuration files does not respond, then the Endpoint will resort to the broadcast mechanism searching for a different Endpoint Gateway.

2. Endpoint Policies - Policies (implemented through policy scripts) can be put in place to control how the Endpoint Manager and Endpoint

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Last modified: March, 12, 2019