Business Data Staging Topologies

Commerce Server Staging (CSS) can replicate business data from one Commerce Server site to one or more Commerce Server sites. Each server must have CSS installed. CSS supports the following topologies for staging business data:

• Point to Point

• Point to Point Through Waypoints

• Point to Multipoint Through Multiple Waypoints

Point to Point

The following example illustrates the point to point topology for business data. In this topology, the CSS Administrator copies business data from one Commerce Server site to another.

The CSS Administrator creates a business data project on the source staging server and specifies an endpoint for the project. The business users update business data on the source site by using the Business Management applications.

The general sequence of events is as follows:

1. The CSS Administrator performs the following tasks:

   1. Creates a project on the source staging server by using the New Project Wizard. As part of the project creation, CSS connects to the Commerce Server Management database, MSCS_Admin, to list the Commerce Server sites in the system.

   2. Selects from the list the Commerce Server site whose business data is to be exported.

   3. Specifies the endpoint server and site name as the destination for the project.

2. CSS then creates a project on the endpoint server which has a destination of type Local Server.

3. The business users update the data on the source site by using the Business Management applications.

4. The CSS Administrator, CSS Operator, or Windows Task Scheduler initiates replication of the business data project.

5. CSS performs the following tasks:

   1. Exports the business data from the source SQL Server databases.

   2. Transmits the business data to the endpoint server.

   3. Connects to the MSCS_Admin database for the endpoint server to determine the location of the destination site databases.

   4. Imports the business data into the SQL Server site databases associated with the endpoint server site.

   5. Optionally, refreshes the site caches for all Web sites associated with the destination site.

Point to Point Through Waypoints

The following example illustrates the point to point through waypoints topology for business data. In this topology, business data is exported from a source site, transferred through one or more waypoints, and imported into the destination site. In this example, the business data is being replicated from a source site to a destination site through a single waypoint.

The CSS Administrator first creates the route that defines the sequence of servers from the source staging server to the endpoint server. The CSS Administrator then creates the project on the source staging server that defines the business data to be copied. The project specifies the route as the destination.

After the project is created it can be replicated. CSS exports the business data from the source staging server and writes it to one or more XML files. These files are copied to a temporary folder. The files are then transmitted to the waypoint servers according to the route path that has been configured.

The waypoint servers receive the XML files and store them in the route's folder. The waypoint servers then transmit the XML files to the next waypoint server or the endpoint server according to their route configuration.

Upon receiving the XML files, the endpoint server stores them in a temporary folder. The files are then imported into the destination SQL Server databases that are associated with the endpoint server site name.

The general sequence of events is as follows:

1. The CSS Administrator performs the following tasks:

   1. Creates a route on the source staging server that specifies the first waypoint as the destination.

   2. Creates the same named route on the first waypoint server that specifies the next waypoint as the destination.

   3. Creates the same named route on each successive waypoint in the staging topology, each one specifying the next waypoint as the destination.

   4. For the last waypoint server in the topology, creates the same named route, this route specifies the endpoint server as the destination.

   5. Creates a project on the source staging server by using the New Project Wizard. As part of the project creation, CSS connects to the MSCS_Admin database to list the Commerce Server sites in the system.

   6. Selects from the list the Commerce Server site whose business data is to be exported.

   7. Adds the route created in step 1 as the destination for the project.

2. CSS then automatically creates a project on each waypoint server and the endpoint server as specified by the route and associates the route with the project.

   • For each waypoint server, the project specifies the next waypoint server or an endpoint server in the staging topology as its destination.

   • For the endpoint server, the destination specified is the type Local Server.

3. The CSS Administrator then modifies the project for the endpoint server to specify the destination site name for the business data.

4. The business users update business data on the source site by using the Business Management applications.

5. The CSS Administrator, CSS Operator, or Windows Task Scheduler initiates replication of the business data project.

6. CSS performs the following tasks:

   1. Exports the business data from the source SQL Server databases.

   2. Transmits the business data to the waypoint server and each successive waypoint server that is defined in the route.

   3. Transmits the business data to the endpoint server.

   4. Connects to the MSCS_Admin database for the endpoint server to determine the location of the destination site databases.

   5. Imports the business data into the SQL Server site databases associated with the endpoint server site.

   6. Optionally, refreshes the site caches for all Web sites associated with the destination site.

Point to Multipoint Through Multiple Waypoints

The following example illustrates the point to point(s) to points topology for business data. In this topology, business data is exported from one database and imported into multiple databases through one or more waypoints.

The CSS Administrator first creates the routes that define the sequence of servers from the source staging server to the endpoint servers. The same named route is created on each CSS server for each unique route path. The CSS Administrator then creates the project on the source staging server that defines the business data to be copied. The project specifies the routes as destinations and defines the business data to be copied and how it will be copied. The same named project is created on each CSS server in the staging topology.

After the project is created it can be replicated. CSS exports the business data from the source staging server and writes it to one or more XML files. These files are copied to a temporary folder. The files are then transmitted to the waypoint servers according to the route paths that have been configured.

The waypoint servers receive the XML files and store them in a temporary folder. They then transmit the XML files to the waypoint servers or endpoint servers according to their route configuration.

Upon receiving the XML files, the endpoint servers store them in a temporary folder. The files are then imported into the destination SQL Server databases that are associated with the endpoint server site name.

The general sequence of events is as follows:

1. The CSS Administrator performs these tasks:

   1. Creates a route on the source staging server that specifies the first waypoint as the destination.

   2. Creates the same named route on the first waypoint server that specifies the next waypoint as the destination. Optionally, one or more endpoint servers can be defined as destinations.

   3. Creates the same named route on each successive waypoint in the staging, each one specifying the next waypoint as the destination. Optionally, one or more endpoint servers can be defined as destinations.

   4. For the last waypoint server in the topology, creates the same named route. This route specifies the endpoint servers as the destinations.

   5. Repeats steps 1a through 1d for each unique route path in the staging topology.

   6. Creates a project on the source staging server by using the New Project Wizard. As part of the project creation, CSS connects to the MSCS_Admin database to list the Commerce Server sites in the system.

   7. Adds the routes created in step 1a and 1e as the destinations for the project.

2. CSS then automatically creates a project on each waypoint server and each endpoint server as specified by the route and associates the route with the project.

   • For each waypoint server, the project specifies the next waypoint server or one or more endpoint servers in the staging topology as its destination.

   • For each endpoint server, the destination type is Local Server.

3. The CSS Administrator then modifies the project for the endpoint servers to specify the destination site name for the business data. This is required when you have created a project that uses routes. By default, when the project is created on the endpoint servers that were defined in the route, the destination site name would be configured to be the same as the source site name. This must be manually edited. The destination site name should be different from the source site name.

4. The business users update the business data on the source site by using the Business Management applications.

5. The CSS Administrator, CSS Operator, or Windows Task Scheduler initiates replication of the business data project.

6. CSS performs the following tasks:

   1. Exports the business data from the source SQL Server databases.

   2. Transmits the business data to the waypoint server and each successive waypoint server that is defined in the route.

   3. Transmits the business data to each endpoint server.

   4. Connects to the MSCS_Admin database for each endpoint server to determine the location of the destination site databases.

   5. Imports the business data into the SQL Server site databases associated with each endpoint server site.

   6. Optionally, refreshes the site caches for all Web sites associated with each destination site.

See Also

Other Resources

Business Data Staging Options

How to Stage Business Data

How to Create a Project for Staging Business Data

What Network Topologies does Staging Support?