Message backup configuration
Interchange can back up messages multiple times: When first consumed, and during processing when
the content and state have been changed.
Backing up files is strongly recommended. This is required for the system to perform
fail-over operations such as attempting to send messages again (retries) in case of
a transport connection failure.
With backups disabled, payloads (up to a certain size) are stored in-memory. If the
process is ended, the memory is cleared and the payloads are lost. Without backups,
a message in process cannot be recovered if the server
or a processing node stops or restarts. Backups also are needed if you want the ability to resubmit messages
to the back end or resend messages to partners.
Backup files are stored in
<install directory>\common\data\backup
, unless you specify otherwise.
There are two places in the user interface to configure how
Interchange backs up the messages it processes.
- You can turn on or off message backups selectively for each pickup and delivery exchange.
By default, backup is enabled. To change the backup behavior for an exchange, see
Community trading pickups and partner deliveries and
Modify an application pickup or delivery.
- The global backup configuration page has settings affecting how all messages for all
communities are backed up. On this page you can set the root path for directories
containing backed-up files and the frequency for creating back-up directories. You
also can ordain whether the message handler backs up messages. By default, backup
is enabled.
Backup configuration page field descriptions
To open the global backup configuration page, click
Trading configuration > Managing trading configuration on the toolbar. On the
Communities page, click
Configure the global backup settings. The following describes the fields.
-
Root path – Use the root path field to specify the path of the backup directory. The backup
directory can store copies of all traded documents in their clear (unencrypted) and
encrypted forms. The default is
<install directory>\common\data\backup
.
- The system supports conventional paths for the backup directory, such as C:\data\backup
in Windows, and paths incorporating a server name (Uniform Naming Convention).
- When running
Interchange in a cluster on multiple computers, the backup directory must be a shared directory
accessible to all computers.
-
Schedule to create backup subdirectories – This field specifies the schedule for creating backup subdirectories.
Interchange creates a subdirectory periodically to limit the number of backup files in a single
directory.
Automatic, the default setting, causes a backup subdirectory to be created about every hour.
Subdirectories are created only as needed to accommodate trading activity. Subdirectories
are not added when there is no activity.
- The automatic setting is fine in most cases. However, if your volume is low (10,000
documents a month or less) and you want to minimize the number of subdirectories created,
specify the infrequent value
Monthly. If your volume is extremely high (500 documents per minute or more) specify the
high frequency
Every minute to reduce the number of files in each subdirectory and improve performance.
- Although the setting
Never is available, it is not recommended.
-
Message handler backs up messages – Select this option to enable the back up of messages that pass through the
Interchange message handler. The message handler is responsible for actions such as packaging
(encryption, adding MIME headers) and unpackaging.
-
Caution: Message handler backup is required to successfully split a document. The EDI Splitter
will not work with Message handler backups disabled.
- Enabling message handler backups (the default setting) does not result in adding a
larger volume of files to the backup directory, as messages are backed up when content
and state have changed, not simply when the state has changed. However, turning off
backups can result in fewer backed-up states. Regardless, turning this on or off does
not affect searching in
Message Tracker.
- If security of clear text files is an issue, turn off message handler backups. This
ensures all messages — encrypted and unencrypted — passing through the handler are
not backed up. Furthermore, you must disable backups for transports that handle clear
text messages (for example, integration pickup). Only disabling both guards against
backing up clear text messages.
- Disabling message handler backups has consequences that may weigh upon a decision
to disable or not. When disabled, messages in the packaged state bypass the message
production system and go straight to the producer. This means if a schedule has been
set for turning on and off a delivery exchange, the schedule is ignored. Moreover,
the exchange’s setting for maximum concurrent connections is ignored.
States of backed-up files
Because you use
Message Tracker to search for, view and resubmit documents, there is no need to manually examine
the backup directory contents. If you open the directory, however, you see the system
appends names of backed up files with labels noting the state of backed-up messages.
There are many possible states. Some common states are:
-
Consumed – Consumed is appended to names of documents that have been received from partners
but not unpackaged or that have been picked up from integration but have not been
packaged or sent.
-
UnpackagedRequest – UnpackagedRequest is appended to names of documents that have been received from
partners and unpackaged. These documents are clear text.
-
Packaged – Packaged is appended to names of documents that have been packaged and scheduled
to be sent to partners.
Backup options and
Message Tracker
Message Tracker is most useful when message backups are turned on for all deliveries and the message
handler. Backing up is turned on by default at these points:
- Consumption exchanges (integration pickup and receiving from partners)
- Production exchanges (integration delivery and sending to partners)
- Message handler
There may be reasons for tuning off message backups at one or more points. For example,
the field Message handler backs up messages is used to adjust configuration when backups
of clear-text messages are not wanted.
Turning off backups at all three points would restrict
Message Tracker. Although you could still search for messages based on information stored in the
database, you could not view the actual messages for the lack of backups. You also
could not resend or reprocess any messages.
The following table summarizes how changing backup settings affects the ability to
resend and reprocess messages in
Message Tracker.
Resend
|
Backing up must be enabled for production exchanges or the message handler. If neither
backs ups, resending is not possible.
|
Reprocess
|
Backing up must be enabled for consumption exchanges. If there are no backups of consumed
files, reprocessing is not possible.
|
The following tables break down in more detail how backup settings affect the ability
to resend or reprocess outbound and inbound messages.
Application pickup
|
Off
|
No
|
No
|
Send to partner
|
Off
|
Message handler
|
Off
|
|
|
|
|
Application pickup
|
On
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Send to partner
|
On
|
Message handler
|
Off
|
|
|
|
|
Application pickup
|
Off
|
Yes
|
No
|
Send to partner
|
Off
|
Message handler
|
On
|
|
|
|
|
Application pickup
|
On
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Send to partner
|
On
|
Message handler
|
On
|
Application delivery
|
Off
|
No
|
No
|
Receive from partner
|
Off
|
Message handler
|
Off
|
|
|
|
|
Application delivery
|
On
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Receive from partner
|
On
|
Message handler
|
Off
|
|
|
|
|
Application delivery
|
Off
|
Yes
|
No
|
Receive from partner
|
Off
|
Message handler
|
On
|
|
|
|
|
Application delivery
|
On
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Receive from partner
|
On
|
Message handler
|
On
|