Chapter 1   Preparing For Installation


Before beginning the installation process, you should familiarize yourself with the components of the Meta-Directory suite as well as check that your system meets the recommended requirements. This chapter contains the following sections:

• Meta-Directory Components

• System Requirements for Solaris Systems

• System Requirements for Windows NT Systems

• Installation Privileges

• Required Installation Information

• Standard Deployment Sequence

Meta-Directory Components

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The Meta-Directory software suite contains, requires, and will install, the following components:

Netscape Server Core Components

Netscape Server Core Components are shared files that help Meta-Directory integrate with existing iPlanet and Netscape systems. The files include:

• Netscape Server Products Common Files

• Core Java Classes

• Java Runtime Environment version 1.2.2_05a

iPlanet Administration Services

iPlanet Administration Services bundles iPlanet Administration Server and iPlanet Console. The Administration Server is the common front-end to all iPlanet servers. There is at least one Administration Server instance for each server root in which an iPlanet server is installed. iPlanet Console allows the administrator to perform functions such as stopping and starting servers, installing server instances, and managing user and group information.

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Note	iPlanet Console can also be installed as a stand-alone application.

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nsPerl

nsPerl is a version of Perl, with enhancements added by iPlanet, required by Meta-Directory. (The standard version of Perl, available at http://www.cpan.org/, is not sufficient.) The following three scripts may be installed:

• nsPerl version 5.004_04 is a required Perl component used by the join engine and universal connectors.

• nsPerl version 5.005-03 is used by iPlanet Console and installed automatically.

• nsPerl version 5.005-02 is used by Meta-Directory version 1.x universal connectors only and need not be installed if this is not an upgrade.

Meta-Directory Join Engine

The join engine is the core service of Meta-Directory. It is the join engine's function to link information from different external data sources (through a connector and connector view) into an LDAP directory server (serving as a meta view). In addition, the join engine is responsible for keeping track of changes to the data and controlling the flow of the information between the connector and meta views.

Meta-Directory Universal Connector

The Universal connector (also known as the Universal Text Connector or UTC) is a generic text parser. It is the building block for a variety of connectors that provide bi-directional flow of data between an external data source and its connector view. The UTC ships with a Perl script and config files that, when manually configured, work to flow data in three standard file formats: LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF), Comma-Separated Values (CSV), and Name/Value Pairs (NVP). The UTC coupled with the Perl script and the config file for one of these file formats is called the Universal Text Parser (UTP).

Meta-Directory Console

The Meta-Directory console provides the user interface for configuring Meta-Directory components and managing the flow of information between the external data source, the connector views and the meta view.

Meta-Directory Windows NT Domain Connector

The Windows NT Domain connector provides two-way flow of user and group data specifically between a Windows NT database and its connector view.

Meta-Directory Active Directory Connector

The Active Directory connector provides two-way flow of user and group data specifically between the Windows Active Directory and its connector view.

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Note	The Windows NT Domain and Active Directory connectors are not installed components on a machine that uses the Solaris operating environment.

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Meta-Directory Database Connector

The Database connector is a direct connector that provides the join engine with two-way SQL access to a relational database. The Database connector currently supports Oracle 8.1.5 databases.

System Requirements for Solaris Systems

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Before installing Meta-Directory on a machine running the Solaris operating system, you should verify that it meets the recommended requirements described in this section.

Hardware Requirements

The basic installation of the join engine and connectors requires 100 MB of disk space; however, optimal operation of these components requires much more. (The disk space allocation for Meta-Directory must allow for users supported on the server, changelogs, and other generated files.) A minimum of 1 GB disk space is highly recommended for any Meta-Directory installation.

The minimum RAM requirements are 256 MB for machines dedicated to running Meta-Directory processes. If you install Netscape^TM Directory Server or iPlanet Directory Server on the same machine as Meta-Directory, 1 GB of RAM is recommended.

Software Requirements

iPlanet Meta-Directory runs on Sun Microsystems' Solaris operating system, versions 2.6 and 8. Successful installation of Meta-Directory requires that a series of patches be installed. For a list of these patches and installation instructions, see The Solaris Installation Process of Chapter 2 "Installing iPlanet Meta-Directory On Solaris Systems."

System Requirements for Windows NT Systems

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Before installing Meta-Directory on a machine running the Windows NT operating system, you should verify that it meets the recommended requirements described in this section.

Hardware Requirements

An Intel Pentium II-based computer with a 300Mhz or faster CPU and 100 MB of disk space is recommended for the basic installation of the join engine and connectors; however, optimal operation of these components requires much more. (The disk space allocation for Meta-Directory must allow for users supported on the server, changelogs, and other generated files.) A minimum of 1 GB disk space is highly recommended for any Meta-Directory installation.

The minimum RAM requirements is 256 MB for machines dedicated to running Meta-Directory processes. If you install Netscape^TM Directory Server or iPlanet Directory Server on the same machine as Meta-Directory, 1 GB of RAM is recommended.

Software Requirements

Installation of Meta-Directory 5.0 requires Microsoft's Windows NT Server 4.0 operating system, updated with Service Pack 6a. (The use of the Active Directory connector component specifically requires downloading and installing ADSI 2.5.) In addition, installation requires administrator or domain administrator privileges. Windows NT should also be configured to include TCP/IP transport and use DNS, LMHOSTS, or WINS to resolve host names.

Installation Privileges

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It is best to install Meta-Directory as root (under Solaris) or Administrator (under Windows NT).

Required Installation Information

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During installation, you will be prompted for the following configuration information:

• Server root

• User and group for allocation of permissions

• Location of the configuration directory

• Port number of the configuration directory

• Administration domain of the configuration directory

• Administration ID and password of the administrator

• Directory Server configuration information

For more information, see your Directory Server documentation.

Standard Deployment Sequence

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The standard deployment sequence for Meta-Directory includes the installation of a directory server and the core Meta-Directory components (including one of each type of connector) on a single machine. This sequence is briefly outlined here:

1. Install and configure an LDAP directory server, creating a directory information tree (DIT) structure.

   For more information, see your Directory Server documentation.

   
   

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   Note	Meta-Directory must be configured to work with a Directory Server that has a changelog feature. This includes Netscape Directory Server and iPlanet Directory Server.

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2. Verify that the directory server is responding to LDAP by typing any of the following URLs in your browser location window.

   
   

   Table 1-1    LDAP Verification URLs
   
   

   Type This URL:	To Display:
   ldap://hostname:port	Information about the LDAP server
   ldap://hostname:port/your_suffix	Everything under the given suffix that has anonymous access
   ldap://hostname:port/cn=schema	The directory server's schema
   ldap://hostname:port/cn=monitor	Directory server statistics

3. Start the administration server, accessing the directory server as Directory Manager.

4. Enable the changelog.

   For more information, see your Directory Server documentation.

5. Optimize the directory server configuration for estimated directory tree size and load by adjusting the configuration parameters.

   For more information, see your Directory Server documentation.

6. Populate the directory server database with user entries. The most common way to do this is by importing an LDIF file.

7. Install Meta-Directory by executing the setup binary from the installation folder.

   The setup binary will install the necessary components to your system. See Chapter 2 "Installing iPlanet Meta-Directory On Solaris Systems" or Chapter 3 "Installing iPlanet Meta-Directory On Windows NT Systems" for instructions on your particular system.

8. Register the user name and password of the person designated configuration administrator.

   The configuration administrator creates and manages the information stored in the server configuration directory. The user name and password will be entered and authenticated during the installation process.

9. Open Meta-Directory and create an instance of the join engine.

   The meta view, where the join engine stores entries, is created during this process. For more information, refer to the iPlanet Meta-Directory Configuration and Administration Guide.

10. Connector instances are created and configured.

    Use Meta-Directory console to configure connectors, define connector tasks, and configure connector view setup in the join engine. Procedures depend on the type of connector being installed. For more information, refer to iPlanet Meta-Directory Configuration and Administration Guide.

11. Test the system.