2 Description of the virtual host mechanism in YAZ GFS
3 Included in both manual and man page for yaz-ztest
7 The Virtual hosts mechanism allows a YAZ frontend server to
8 support multiple backends. A backend is selected on the basis of
9 the TCP/IP binding (port+listening adddress) and/or the virtual host.
12 A backend can be configured to execute in a particular working
13 directory. Or the YAZ frontend may perform CQL to RPN conversion, thus
14 allowing traditional Z39.50 backends to be offered as a SRW/SRU
15 service. SRW/SRU Explain information for a particular backend may also
19 For the HTTP protocol, the virtual host is specified in the Host header.
20 For the Z39.50 protocol, the virtual host is specified as in the
21 Initialize Request in the OtherInfo, OID 1.2.840.10003.10.1000.81.1.
25 Not all Z39.50 clients allows the VHOST information to be set.
26 For those the selection of the backend must rely on the
27 TCP/IP information alone (port and address).
31 The YAZ frontend server uses XML to describe the backend
32 configurations. Command-line option <literal>-f</literal>
33 specifies filename of the XML configuration.
36 The configuration uses the root element <literal>yazgfs</literal>.
37 This element includes a list of <literal>listen</literal> elements,
38 followed by one or more <literal>server</literal> elements.
41 The <literal>listen</literal> describes listener (transport end point),
42 such as TCP/IP, Unix file socket or SSL server. Content for
45 <varlistentry><term>CDATA (required)</term>
48 The CDATA for the <literal>listen</literal> element holds the
49 listener string, such as <literal>tcp:@:210</literal>,
50 <literal>tcp:server1:2100</literal>,
55 <varlistentry><term>attribute <literal>id</literal> (optional)</term>
58 identifier for this listener. This may be referred to from
66 We expect more information to be added for the listen section in
67 a future version, such as CERT file for SSL servers.
72 The <literal>server</literal> describes a server and the parameters
73 for this server type. Content for a server:
75 <varlistentry><term>attribute <literal>id</literal> (optional)</term>
78 Identifier for this server. Currently not used for anything,
79 but it might be for logging purposes.
84 <varlistentry><term>attribute <literal>listenref</literal> (optional)</term>
87 Specifies one or more listeners for this server. Each server ID is
89 If this attribute is not given, the server is accessible from all
90 listeners. In order for the server to be used for real, however, the
91 virtual host must match if specified in the configuration.
96 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>config</literal> (optional)</term>
99 Specifies the server configuration. This is equivalent
100 to the config specified using command line option
101 <literal>-c</literal>.
106 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>directory</literal> (optional)</term>
109 Specifies a working directory for this backend server. If
110 specifid, the YAZ fronend changes current working directory
111 to this directory whenever a backend of this type is
112 started (backend handler bend_start), stopped (backend handler hand_stop)
113 and initialized (bend_init).
118 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>host</literal> (optional)</term>
121 Specifies the virtual host for this server. If this is specified
122 a client <emphasis>must</emphasis> specify this host string in
123 order to use this backend.
128 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>cql2rpn</literal> (optional)</term>
131 Specifies a filename that includes CQL to RPN conversion for this
132 backend server. See &reference-tools-cql-map;
133 If given, the backend server will only "see" a Type-1/RPN query.
138 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>ccl2rpn</literal> (optional)</term>
141 Specifies a filename that includes CCL to RPN conversion for this
142 backend server. See &reference-tools-ccl-qualifiers;
143 If given, the backend server will only "see" a Type-1/RPN query.
148 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>stylesheet</literal> (optional)</term>
151 Specifies the stylesheet reference to be part of SRU HTTP responses
152 when the client does not specify one. If neither this is given, nor
153 the client specifies one, no stylesheet reference is part of the
159 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>docpath</literal> (optional)</term>
162 Specifies a path for local file access using HTTP. All URLs with
163 a leading prefix (/ exluded) that matches the value of docpath
164 are used for file access. For example, if the server is to offer
165 access in directory <literal>xsl</literal>, the docpath would be
166 <literal>xsl</literal> and all URLs of the form
167 <literal>http://host/exl</literal> will result in a local file access.
172 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>explain</literal> (optional)</term>
175 Specifies SRW/SRU ZeeRex content for this server. Copied verbatim
176 to the client. As things are now, some of the Explain content
177 seeem redundant because host information, etc. is also stored
183 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>maximumrecordsize</literal> (optional)</term>
186 Specifies maximum record size/message size, in bytes. This
187 value also servers as maximum size of <emphasis>incoming</emphasis>
188 packages (for Record Updates etc). It's the same value as that
189 given by the <literal>-k</literal> option.
194 <varlistentry><term>element <literal>retrievalinfo</literal> (optional)</term>
197 Enables the retrieval facility supporting conversions and
198 specifications of record formats/types.
199 See <xref linkend="tools.retrieval"/> for
209 The XML below configures a server that accepts connections from
210 two ports, TCP/IP port 9900 and a local UNIX file socket.
211 We name the TCP/IP server <literal>public</literal> and the
212 other server <literal>internal</literal>.
217 <listen id="public">tcp:@:9900</listen>
218 <listen id="internal">unix:/var/tmp/socket</listen>
219 <server id="server1">
220 <host>server1.mydomain</host>
221 <directory>/var/www/s1</directory>
222 <config>config.cfg</config>
224 <server id="server2" listenref="public,internal">
225 <host>server2.mydomain</host>
226 <directory>/var/www/s2</directory>
227 <config>config.cfg</config>
228 <cql2rpn>../etc/pqf.properties</cql2rpn>
229 <explain xmlns="http://explain.z3950.org/dtd/2.0/">
231 <host>server2.mydomain</host>
233 <database>a</database>
237 <server id="server3" listenref="internal">
238 <directory>/var/www/s3</directory>
239 <config>config.cfg</config>
245 There are three configured backend servers. The first two
246 servers, <literal>"server1"</literal> and <literal>"server2"</literal>,
247 can be reached by both listener addresses.
248 <literal>"server1"</literal> is reached by all (two) since no
249 <literal>listenref</literal> attribute is specified.
250 <literal>"server2"</literal> is reached by the two listeners specified.
251 In order to distinguish between the two, a virtual host has
252 been specified for each of server in the <literal>host</literal>
256 For <literal>"server2"</literal> elements for CQL to RPN conversion
257 is supported and explain information has been added (a short one here
258 to keep the example small).
261 The third server, <literal>"server3"</literal> can only be reached
262 via listener <literal>"internal"</literal>.
265 <!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
270 sgml-minimize-attributes:nil
271 sgml-always-quote-attributes:t
274 sgml-parent-document: "yaz.xml"
275 sgml-local-catalogs: nil
276 sgml-namecase-general:t