Overview of Logical Servers on Logical Datacenter Diagrams

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Using Logical Datacenter Designer, you can create a logical representation of your datacenter. Logical Datacenter Designer enables you to model the placement and connectivity of logical servers and zones. The logical datacenter diagram provides a logical, rather than a physical representation of the target datacenter. As a result, a physical server with Windows Server 2003, Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0, and SQL Server would be represented by three separate logical servers.

After adding a logical server to a logical datacenter diagram, you can perform the following tasks:

  • Define communication pathways to and from the logical server.

  • Configure the logical server using the Settings and Constraints Editor. This includes:

    • Constraining the types of applications that the server can host.

    • Constraining allowed settings on applications hosted on the server.

    • Configuring server settings.

    • Adding custom settings to the logical server. These settings are captured in the deployment report.

  • Create reusable custom prototypes from the logical server.

The following sections contain more information about these tasks.

Adding and Connecting Logical Servers

Configuring Logical Servers

Creating Reusable Prototypes

Adding and Connecting Logical Servers

You can add a logical server to a logical datacenter diagram by dragging a prototype server from the Toolbox. Logical servers appear on the diagram as boxes containing the server name and logical server type. Depending on the type of logical server you add to the diagram, it may or may not have endpoints. Logical servers can be placed inside or outside of zones.

In the Distributed System Designers, all communication pathways are specified by connections made through endpoints. Connections between logical servers in different zones are made through zone endpoints. Connections appear on the diagram as lines with arrows indicating the direction of communication.

For more information, see the following topics:

Configuring Logical Servers

Using the Settings and Constraints Editor, you can specify which types of applications the logical server can host. Some logical server types come with a set of predefined constraints for application settings you would commonly want to restrict. For example, the IIS Web server logical server contains predefined constraints for ASP.NET membership, security, and session state.

You can also write user-defined constraints that will set requirements on the settings of applications hosted on the logical server. For example, you could require that an application use a particular authentication module.

In addition to configuring the logical server, you can also import settings from an IIS Web server and create custom settings. Custom settings cannot be used to create constraints, but they are captured in the deployment report.

For more information, see the following topics:

Creating Reusable Prototypes

You can reuse logical servers or groups of servers by creating custom prototypes of ones you have designed and configured.

For more information, see How to: Create Custom Prototypes from Configured Zones and Logical Servers.

See Also

Other Resources

Modeling Logical Servers in the Datacenter