Cluster Access

Intro
Installation
SysAdmin
Network
Objects
Transfer
RealTime
Access
Services
Directory
Clusters 
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Cluster Storage 
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Cluster Real-Time 
Cluster Access
Applications
WebMail
PBX
Miscellaneous
Licensing

This section explains how Account Access operations work in the CommuniGate Pro Cluster environment.

The CommuniGate Pro Cluster architecture allows a load balancer to direct any connection to any working Server, eliminating a need for complex and unreliable "high-level" load balancer solutions. Inexpensive Layer 4 Switches can be used to handle the traffic.


POP, IMAP, MAPI, ACAP Interfaces

POP, IMAP, MAPI, ACAP Sessions are created on the Backend server that succeeds to open the target Account.

These protocols work over the TCP network protocol. When a TCP connection is established to the Server that cannot open the target Account (to a Frontend Server, or to a "wrong" Backend server), the Server builds a protocol proxy and connects the client application with the proper Server.

If the connection is encrypted (using SSL/TLS), request decryption and response encryption take place on the frontend server:


File Access (FTP, TFTP, HTTP) Interfaces

When an FTP connection is established, or when a TFTP or HTTP request is received, the protocol session is created on the same Server.

Inter-cluster CLI is used to authenticate the user and/or to access the Account data if the user Account cannot be opened on the same Server.


Service (RADIUS, LDAP, PWD) Interfaces

When a Service request is received, it is processed on the same Server.

Inter-cluster CLI is used to authenticate the user and/or to access the Account data if the user Account cannot be opened on the same Server.


WebUser Interface

WebUser Interface Sessions are created on the Backend server that succeeds to open the target Account.

User browsers send HTTP requests to the Frontend Servers via Load Balancer(s). If the session request hits the "wrong" Server (i.e. the server that does not host the target session), the request is proxied to the correct Server.

If the HTTP connection is encrypted (using SSL/TLS), request decryption and response encryption take place on the frontend server:


CommuniGate® Pro Guide. Copyright © 1998-2006, Stalker Software, Inc.