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Add a new Compute Server or Excel Server

Before adding a new Compute Server, one must know:

  1. How will the EASA Server and Compute Server communicate?
    • (rsh, ssh, WSCS or Excel Server?)
  2. What software application(s) will run on the new Compute Server?
  1. Determines which object is set in COMPUTE SERVER→Server Processing:
  2. Defines additions to EASAP→Tree objects below:

Windows Compute Server

A Windows Compute Server may communicate via:

  • Web Service Server Processing
    • EASA Remote Server software with Compute Server service must be installed and running.

Excel Server

An Excel Server machine must:

  • Run Windows.
  • Have Microsoft Excel installed.
  • Have the EASA Remote Server software with Excel Server service installed and running.

The EXCEL SERVER PROCESSING object, which is specifically designed for configuring Excel Servers, is the only approach available for establishing the communication between the EASA Server and Excel Server. For an example of configuring an Excel Server, please see Configure a Compute Server.

Tip: When configuring an Excel Server, you can usually use the existing default EXCEL SERVER PROCESSING object under DEFAULT SERVER PROCESSING. Exceptions include use of a 'Port Number' within the Remote Server software other than 80 or a change in the 'Username' and 'Password' for authenticating communications with Remote Servers.

Excel Add-ins are disabled by default in for EASA Excel processes for performance reasons, in most cases, full functionality is available without Add-ins.

If Excel Add-ins need to be enabled, add the line below, to the file:

  • <SERVERDATA>\excel\admin\config\context.properties
    • easa.excel.server.use.pi.addins.reregister=true

To add permissions for the tomcat service to a new user see DCOM settings for an Excel Server.


Excel 2016 waits on a interactive popup for first use

Excel 2016 requires an interactive user to close a popup that appears at the first invocation, yet by default an Excel Server runs as the non-interactive user, SYSTEM.

To fix this Excel 2016 specific problem:

  • Create a new second user (EASA-user in this example) who will:
    • Log in
    • Close the initial popup
  • Run the Excel Server as EASA-user.

Follow the detailed steps below:

  • Install Excel Server with default configuration
  • Stop the EASA Tomcat service
  • Create new Windows user, called EASA-user (in this example)
    • Log in in as EASA-user
      • Find and open Excel manually
        • Close the pop up which appears when Excel 2016 is opened for first time for that user
  • Log out of Windows
  • Log in with the first user that was created when Windows was installed
  • [Continue with EASA installation, if not already completed, then…]
  • Go to services:
    • Right-click on the EASA Tomcat service
      • Click properties
        • Go to Log On Tab:
          • Select Log on as:→'This account:'
            • Enter EASA-user's credentials
  • Start the EASA Tomcat service

UNIX and Linux Compute Servers

When configuring a UNIX or a Linux Compute Server, there are three communication approaches to choose from:

  • Web Service Server Processing (Linux Only)
    • EASA Remote Server software with Compute Server service must be installed and running.
  • SSH Server Processing
  • Standard Server Processing
    • Uses Remote Shell or rsh by default, so rsh needs to be installed and running.

If the third choice is selected, you can select from existing SERVER PROCESSING objects under DEFAULT SERVER PROCESSING. The table below provides guidance on the selection of the existing SERVER PROCESSING objects.

EASA Server Operating System Compute Server Operating System Template Server Processing Object
WindowsUNIX or Linuxwindows to Unix csh
LinuxUNIX or Linuxlinux to linux

Also, with the third choice above and the use of rsh, there are a few important issues to be aware of:

  • An .rhosts file containing the hostname or IP address of the EASA Server and the Username used to run it must be present on the Compute Server in the home directory of the User ID on the UNIX computer (See # 2 below).

Note: The settings for the owner, group and file permissions on the .rhosts file are also important. Set the owner to the User ID being used and the group to same group that the User ID belongs to. Finally, use file permissions of 600 or rw- --- ---.


  1. A valid User ID on the Compute Server must be specified in the COMPUTE SERVER object for the server processing to function properly.
  2. Using a directory on a mounted network hard drive for the Working Directory Path: parameter for multiple UNIX or Linux Compute Servers will reduce the number of SERVER PROCESSING objects required in the Compute Server configuration.

With Linux computers, one issue for concern is that rsh may not be activated and available for use by default in Linux. You can check whether rsh has been turned on by typing the following command in a shell window:

 chkconfig --list

You should then see a list of available services and their status. Look for the line corresponding to rsh. You will need to turn rsh on if you see the following in a shell window:

 rsh: off

You can turn rsh on by logging on the Linux computer as root and then typing the following command:

 chkconfig rsh on

Flowchart

To help configure Compute Servers, a flow diagram of the configuration process is provided:


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