Running the GUI on a Remote System

You may administer LifeKeeper from a Linux, Unix or Windows system outside the LifeKeeper cluster by running the LifeKeeper GUI as a Java applet. Configuring and running the GUI in this environment is described below.

Configuring the GUI on a Remote System

In order to run the LifeKeeper GUI on a remote Linux, Unix or Windows system, your browser must provide full JDK 1.8 (x64) applet support. Refer to the SPS for Linux Release Notes for information on the supported platforms and browsers for the LifeKeeper GUI.

1. If you are running the LifeKeeper GUI as an applet, you need to create a user policy file in your home directory if one does not already exist. The user policy file should specify the minimum permissions required to run the LifeKeeper GUI.

• • The simplest way to create a user policy file with the minimum permissions required to run the LifeKeeper GUI is to copy the LifeKeeper GUI policy file located in /opt/LifeKeeper/htdoc/java.policy to your home directory and rename it .java.policy (note there is a leading dot in the file name that is required). On a Windows system, you can copy the LifeKeeper GUI policy file by opening the file http://:81/java.policy (where <servername> is the host name of a LifeKeeper server), and saving it as .java.policy in your home directory. If you need to determine the correct location for a user policy file, enable the Java Console using the Java Control Panel, and start the LifeKeeper GUI as an applet. The home directory path for the user policy file will be displayed in the Java Console.
    

• • If you already have a user policy file, you can add the required entries specified in /opt/LifeKeeper/ htdoc/java.policy on a LifeKeeper server into the existing file using a simple text editor. See Java Security Policy for further information.
    

2. You must set your browser security parameters to low. This generally includes enabling of Java and Java applets. Since there are several different browsers and versions, the instructions for setting browser security parameters are covered in Setting Browser Security Parameters for the GUI Applet.

Note: It is important to use caution in visiting external sites with low security settings.

3. When you run the GUI for the first time, if you are using Netscape or Internet Explorer and your system does not have the required Java plug-in, you may be automatically taken to the appropriate web site for downloading the plug-in. See the SPS for Linux Release Notes for the required Java Plug-in version and URL to access the download.

Running the GUI on a Remote System

After you have completed the tasks described above, you are ready to run the LifeKeeper GUI as a Java applet on a remote system.

1. Open the URL, http://<server name>:81, for the LifeKeeper GUI webpage (where <server name> is the name of the LifeKeeper server). The web page contains the LifeKeeper splash screen and applet. When the web page is opened, the following actions take place:

• • the splash screen is displayed
    

• • the applet is loaded
    

• • the Java Virtual Machine is started
    

• • some server files are downloaded
    

• • the applet is initialized
    

Depending on your network and system configuration, these actions may take up to 20 seconds. Typically, browsers provide some minimal status as the applet is loading and initializing.

If everything loads properly, a Start button should appear in the applet area. If the splash screen does not display a Start button or you suspect that the applet failed to load and initialize, refer to Applet Troubleshooting or see Network-Related Troubleshooting.

2. When prompted, click Start. The LifeKeeper GUI appears and the Cluster Connect Dialog is automatically displayed. Once a Server has been entered and connection to the cluster established, the GUI window displays a visual representation and status of the resources protected by the connected servers. The GUI menus and toolbar buttons provide LifeKeeper administration functions.

Note: Some browsers add “Warning: Applet Window” to windows and dialogs created by an applet. This is normal and can be ignored.

Applet Troubleshooting

If you suspect that the applet failed to load and initialize, try the following:

1. Verify that applet failed. Usually a message is printed somewhere in the browser window specifying the state of the applet. In Netscape and Internet Explorer, an icon may appear instead of the applet in addition to some text status. Clicking this icon may bring up a description of the failure.

2. Verify that you have installed the Java Plug-in. If your problem appears to be Java Plug-in related, refer to the Java Plug-in topic.

3. Verify that you have met the browser configuration requirements, especially the security settings. Refer to Setting Browser Security Parameters for the GUI Applet for more information. If you don’t find anything obviously wrong with your configuration, continue with the next steps.

4. Open the Java Console.

• • For Firefox, Netscape and older versions of Internet Explorer, run the Java Plug-In applet from your machine’s Control Panel and select the option to show the console, then restart your browser.
    

• • For recent versions of Internet Explorer, select Tools > Java Console. If you do not see the Java Console menu item, select Tools > Manage Add-Ons and enable the console, after which you may need to restart your browser before the console will appear.
    

• • For Mozilla, select Tools > Web Development > Java Console.
    

5. Reopen the URL, http://<server name>:81 to start the GUI applet. If you’ve modified the Java Plug-In Control Panel, restart your browser.

6. Check the console for any messages. The messages should help you resolve the problem. If the problem appears to be network related, refer to Network-Related Troubleshooting.