Running Adagio on Peer-to-Peer Networks

When running Adagio on peer-to-peer networks, all users must be pointing to the same path in the EZCOMFIL.LD4 file. If this is not the case, data integrity problems may occur.

This is due to the fact that the EZCOMFIL.LD4 file points to another file, EZTASKS, which controls multi-user locking. When multi-user locking is not properly in place on peer-to-peer networks, data corruption can result..

The EZCOMFIL should point to a data directory on your network. If all users are set up with their EZCOMFILs pointing to C:\ASP, Adagio will see that the paths are the same, but in fact, the EZTASKS file they are looking at will be different in each case, as the file would be resident on each user's local drive. In such an event, there is no error message, and everything appears to be working, but there is no multi-user protection.

All users must point to the same currency and EZTASKS.LD4 paths in order for Adagio to function properly on a network. In addition, the drive letter and path must be identical. If the mappings are different between users, you must use the UNC to specify the path. For example, "\\SERVER1\ASP".

Below, we will provide an example scenario for you, to show what should be done to ensure multi-user protection on peer-to-peer networks.

Example:

Assume the computers are named "SERVER" and "STATION".

The SERVER machine must share its drive C. When the EZ locator dialog comes up for the first time, they must use the UNC to point to EZTASKS.

\\SERVER\C\ASP

not

C:\ASP

The SERVER machine can point to the data by C:\ASP\DATA. The STATION machine can access the data by typing in \\SERVER\C\ASP\DATA in the login dialog. Note that the browse button will not allow you to look at the Network Neighborhood, so you will have to manually type in the path to the data.

It would be easier for the STATION machine to map a network drive to \\SERVER\C, say to drive P, then use a path of P:\ASP\DATA to the data.

It is okay for one machine to point to the data by C:\ASP\DATA and the other by P:\ASP\DATA. The important thing is the path in EZCOMFIL.

Because the most recent path is kept for the login screen, the users will find that they have to keep re-selecting their path as it gets changed by the other user.

One way to avoid having to reselect the path each time is to include it in the icon properties (right-click on the icon on your desktop and set the properties) using \d and \e parameters. See "Command Line Parameters" in the Adagio Fundamentals manual for information on how to do this.

One final note: It is okay for the STATION to run QCWIN.EXE from the SERVER machine. You do not have to install it on STATION, although of course a workstation install must be done on SERVER.

Softrak Systems Inc.
(604) 736-3741
www.softrak.com
info@softrak.com