Configuring Server Batches - Adaptive Applications - BlueCat Gateway - 22.1

BlueCat Server Update Services Administration Guide
Locale
English
Product name
BlueCat Gateway
Version
22.1

The BlueCat Server Update Services (BSUS) app organizes the DNS/DHCP Servers it manages into Server Batches. A Server Batch is a group of DNS/DHCP Servers that get the same updates from BSUS in the same way and at the same time. Server Batches can represent a single site, data center, or simply a group of servers that perform similar functions. If you configured existing Server Groups in Address Manager, you can import them as Server Batches in BSUS. Or, you can manually create a new Server Batch within BSUS, choosing from DNS/DHCP servers available to BSUS.

BSUS applies upgrades and patches to servers within a Server Batch in parallel. You can also apply updates and patches to multiple Server Batches at once.
Note:
  • A DNS/DHCP Server can belong to only one Server Batch.
  • If you apply updates or patches to multiple Server Batches, updates are applied to each batch in sequence. BSUS waits for the update to complete on the first batch before updating the next one.


Creating a new Server Batch



  1. Click the Dashboard tab within the BlueCat Server Update Services workflow.
  2. Click the + (plus) tab.
  3. Click Create New Batch. The Create New Server Batch screen appears.
  4. In Batch Name, enter the name of the new Server Batch
  5. Under Select Servers From Available Server List, click Select. A list of DNS/DHCP Servers appear.
    • Select the checkbox next to one or more DNS/DHCP Servers.
    • For each server, specify the Authentication Method.
      • To authenticate a server with a standard username and password, select Password in its row.

        If you set up Global SSH User Account credentials, the Username and Password fields are filled in automatically. To use different SSH credentials, manually enter the Username and Password.

      • To choose from a previously-configured set of Private SSH keys, select SSH Key in its row, then select the SSH Key from the list available.
    • (Optional) Click Test SSH to verify that the SSH credentials entered in the Username and Password field are valid and that BlueCat Server Update Services can successfully connect to the selected DNS/DHCP Servers.
    • Click Proceed to add the selected DNS/DHCP Servers to a Server Batch.

      Each server must have either a configured Username and Password or a selected SSH Key.

  6. Under Reorder Servers List, drag the name of the servers to reorder the list of DNS/DHCP Servers.
  7. Click Finish to save the Server Batch configuration.

Importing a Server Group in Address Manager as a Server Batch

You can import existing Server Groups from Address Manager into BSUS as a Server Batch. After a Server Group is imported as a Server Batch, you can modify the Server Batch by adding or removing servers. Any changes made to a Server Batch in BSUS do not impact the Server Group in Address Manager.



  1. Click the + tab.
  2. Click the Import Server Groups button. The Import Server Groups screen appears.
  3. Under Select Server Groups, select the name of the Server Group from Address Manager that you would like to import as a Server Batch.
  4. Click Import to import the selected Server Group as a Server Batch.

Moving a server to a different batch

You can move servers between different batches at any time, as long as the server is not being updated .
  1. Go to the BlueCat Server Update Services dashboard (click the Dashboard tab in the BSUS header).
  2. Click the down arrow of the batch from which you want to move the servers and select Move Servers.
  3. In the Move Servers window, select the Destination Batch to which you want to move the servers.
  4. In the list of servers, click to select the checkboxes for the servers that you want to move.
  5. If you're using customization packages (to back up and restore customized settings that an update might overwrite), decide whether you want to update customization package files that might already exist on the moved servers.
    • To install the customation package's files from the destination Server Batch onto the server right away, select the Install only check box.
      Warning: Any customization package files on the server will be deleted and overwritten.
    • To also run the "restore" customization script from the package on the server right away, also select the Install and Apply checkbox.
    • To leave any customization package already installed on the server alone for now, leave both checkboxes empty.
      Note: This package will be replaced with the Server Batch's package (if any) the next time BSUS runs an upgrade for that Server Batch.
    Tip: To run a customization package during a scheduled update, tick the Apply checkbox when scheduling the update.

    For more information about upgrade customization packages, see Working with upgrade customization packages.

  6. When you're done, click Finish.

BSUS moves the servers to the new batch.

Tip: By default, BSUS will not upgrade the moved server to match others in its new Server Batch. To do so manually, simply apply the upgrade to the batch from the Server Batches page. BSUS will skip application of the patch on servers that are already up to date.

Deleting a Server Batch

If a Server Batch is no longer needed, you can delete it (as long as its servers are not being updated at the time).
  1. Go to the BlueCat Server Update Services dashboard (click the Dashboard tab in the BSUS header).
  2. Click the down arrow of the batch from which you want to move the servers and select Delete.
  3. Confirm the Server Batch deletion.