Set Directory Server

The first time you start the Host Integrator Administrative WebStation, you must specify the directory server (the server running AADS) you want to use for this Administrative WebStation session. Open the Set Directory Server panel by clicking Directory Serv in the banner.

The Set Directory Server panel contains the following options:

Directory Servers and Server Name

The Directory Servers list specifies the directory servers the Administrative WebStation can access, listed by server name or IP address. Although multiple servers can be listed here, only one server is used during an Administrative WebStation session. The servers listed here are also listed in the Directory Server list in the Login panel, allowing you to select which directory server you want to use when you log in to the Administrative WebStation.

Adding Servers to the Directory Servers List

By default, the Directory Servers list is empty. To add a directory server to the list:

  1. Enter the name or IP address of the directory server in the Server Name box, and then click Add Server.

  2. The fingerprint of the AADS certificate appears, and you are prompted to confirm that this is the correct fingerprint for the directory server. If it is correct, click Submit. Otherwise, click Cancel.

    Note: If an AADS server fails or is stopped and then restarted, you may see the problem where the AADS server appears in the list of directory servers but is unavailable because it contains a mismatched certificate. If this happens, you must remove the directory server and then reinstall it in order to refresh its security certificate and be updated with the current AADS configuration (if participating in a failover support scheme).

Set Default and Save Options

To close the Set Directory Server panel, do one of the following:

Remove Server

To remove a server from the Directory Servers list, select the server and then click Remove Server. A panel opens asking you to enter a valid user ID and password; enter an administrator-level password for the machine running the directory server you want to remove from the list, and then click Submit. A user ID and password are necessary because removing a directory server can impact the Administrative WebStation's domain and security configuration.

If you do not know a valid user ID and password, click Cancel to return to the Set Directory Server panel.

About Fingerprints

Directory Services is a component of Host Integrator Authentication Authorization and Directory Services (AADS). When Directory Services is installed, a security certificate is issued, which makes it possible to secure the communication between Host Integrator Servers, the Administrative WebStation, The Session Monitor, and Directory Services. When this certificate is issued during installation, the fingerprint for the certificate is displayed. You must copy this number and save it for future reference. You need this number whenever you add a directory server to an Administrative WebStation configuration in the Set Directory Server panel.

If the fingerprint that is displayed when you add a server to the Directory Servers list does not match the fingerprint that was displayed when the directory server was installed, it means that the directory server has been reinstalled. Although this can be an indication of a security breach, in most cases it means that the administrator responsible for the server had to reinstall directory services. Contact that administrator for the correct fingerprint.

If you are unable to determine the cause of mismatched fingerprints, you can resolve this problem by reinstalling the AADS server. Be aware, however, that if you reinstall an AADS server, you will have to reinstall every Host Integrator Server that is registered to it.

Note: You can also view the fingerprint by opening the cert.fingerprint file on the machine where AADS is installed. Cert.fingerprint is installed in the <install directory>/etc directory.

Reinstalling Directory Servers

If you reinstall a directory server, a new certificate is issued, and a new fingerprint is generated. Because of this, you must remove and re-add any directory servers you've reinstalled from the Directory Servers list on all Administrative WebStations that access that directory server. You must also reinstall all Servers that are registered to this directory server.