Re: Running a service as External Server

On 12/14/05, Fabrizio Pacini <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> Ken Gustafson wrote:
> Fabrizio,

On 12/13/05, Fabrizio Pacini <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi all,
I'm running successfully my application as a fastcgi
> (dynamic/static)
server
behind an Apache 2 http server. I need to run it
> also as an external
server and
I have the following questions:

1. do I have
> to modify my application to run it as a fastcgi external
server?
2. how do I
> tell my application on which port/socket it has to listen when
 running as
> an external fastcgi external server?

> As David replied, you pass the port option. Without checking my
notes, I
> believe it's something like this (on the external machine):
cgi-fcgi -start
> -connect :port# path/to/appname
(Search for '-connect' in mail archive also
> for info on setting up
Apache's config file properly.)

>
> ok, this is the point I was missing: I cannot start my application as it is;
> I need to start it using cgi-fcgi to have it listening on a certain
> socket/port.
> Thanks !
>
>
> 3. can I place several instances of my application on multiple
> external
hosts
 and make all of them reachable from a single Apache 2 server
> (i.e. a
single
 access point for user's requests that then dispatched to the
> external
servers)?
4. if answer to point 3. is yes, is there some sort of
> load balancing
enforced by
 fastcgi?

> As David replied, nothing exists within fastcgi itself, so you'll have
to
> roll your own.
> so there must be one-to-one mapping between the FastcgiExternalServer lines
> in the Apache httpd conf file
> and the instances of  my application running on remote hosts. I cannot even
> run several instances of my application on a single
> externa machine listening on the same port, am I right?
>

The 1-to-1 mapping you describe is how I've done it.  I have not tried
running >1 instances on a single external machine.

>From what I've seen in the archives, it may be possible to multiplex
different requests over to the same machine/port# ; I don't know if
these multiplexed requests need to be handled by a single-instance app
or not (don't know anything about this).

Maybe several instances of your service could run on the same external
machine, each listening to a different port?

Hope that helps.

>
> I've used a (very) crude, round-robin, scheme:
Each external server
> (machine) is given a number (say 0-2).
A small (dynamic or static) modulo
> counter runs on the Apache machine.
As my 'user data input' page loads, it
> gets the next number from the counter.
This number is inserted in the form's
> action tag (via SSI), which will
rotate requests between the different
> machines. Each "#.fcgi" app
needs to be added to Apache's config file. HTH.
> my case is a bit more complicated as my application is a web service
> listening for soap messages, so I'm afraid I cannot use SSI.
> I'll have to find another way to rotate rerquests between different
> machines.
>
> Cheers,
> -- Fabrizio --
>
>
> Thanks in advance,

-- Fabrizio
> --

.........................................................................................................
Fabrizio
> Pacini

Project Leader
Grid R&D Group
Government and Institutions
> Division

DATAMAT S.p.A.
Via Laurentina, 760 ­ I 00143 Rome ­
> Italy
http://www.datamat.it
mailto: [email protected]
Phone: +39 06
> 5027 4573 (direct)
 +39 06 5027 4571 (secretary)
Fax: +39 06 5027
> 2500


___________________________________
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> mailing list
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>

>
> --
>

.........................................................................................................
Fabrizio
> Pacini

Project Leader
Grid R&D Group
Government and Institutions
> Division

DATAMAT S.p.A.
Via Laurentina, 760 ­ I 00143 Rome ­
> Italy
http://www.datamat.it
mailto: [email protected]
Phone: +39 06
> 5027 4573 (direct)
 +39 06 5027 4571 (secretary)
Fax: +39 06 5027 2500
>
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