Ludo Sketches

Up until now, to manage an OpenDS server, one would need to log onto the machine and starts the Control Panel.

In the next release of OpenDS (OpenDS 2.2), the Control Panel can now connect to remote servers, allowing an administrator to remotely monitor and tune any running instance of OpenDS.

Let’s see what has changed in the Control Panel for the remote access, and what are the limitations.

The first thing you will notice when starting the Control Panel is a new dialog which allows you to choose between the local server or a remote server.

Once you’ve selected the server to administer, you will see the usual Control Panel window with its left action bar and information on the right.

You can change server while the Control Panel is running. It’s in the File menu, when you are on the Main window of the Control Panel.

There is very little difference between managing a local server and managing a remote server.

One thing you will notice when administering a remote server is that you can’t stop or restart it. Also, you cannot use the Control Panel to configure the Java properties of a remote server. That’s it.

The Control Panel cannot be installed as a standalone tool, it’s a part of the OpenDS server installation, and it can only manage one server at a time, local or remote. But the ability to manage remote servers will reduce the need to logon to each host and run the Control Panel on each instance either physically or using a remote display, simplifying the task of the directory administrators.

If you want to check this capability, you can download and install one of the recent OpenDS daily builds, or wait for next promoted build (2.1.0-build001).

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