I would like to implement ELOG as a logbook for our Windows 2000 
servers.  After making the recommendation, my supervisor replied: 

"The problem and perhaps the only problem is what happens when the server 
is down. Electronic log books should be able to replicate from more than 
one source so you can document let’s say from your laptop – and upload to 
the server later."

   Can anyone help me out here with some scenarios to improve fault-
tolerance?  

   Perhaps installing it on multiple servers and synchronizing the data 
and config folders with the NT File Replication Service?  

   Or installing it on one server and each administrator's laptop and 
using Offline Files to synchronize the data?

Any feedback would be appreciated,

Shawn Larson

I was thinking since some time already about mirroring between elog servers, 
and actually started already some implementation.

The problem with mirroring on the file level does not work. Assume two 
servers "serv1" and "serv2". Then assume that one message gets submitted on 
serv1 and at the same day another message gets submitted on serv2. Now you 
have on both servers a file 030726a.log, but you cannot copy this file 
simply from one server to the other, since you would overwrite the message 
submitted on the other server. Furthermore, you need file level access, 
which is maybe easy between your laptop and your desktop computer, but not 
if the two mirror servers are in different countries. Like in our 
collaboration we have three servers located in Switzerland, Italy and Japan 
(meg.psi.ch, meg.pi.infn.it, meg.icepp.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp), where we cannot 
have direct disk access.

So what I propose is the following mirror scheme:

o Each elog server may contain a list of mirror servers in the configuration 
file

o Each elog server calculates an MD5 checksum from all local messages

o Synchronization between servers can be triggered manually (by clicking 
on "Synchronize") or automatically at a given time and interval

o On Synchronization, the elogd server fetches the MD5 list from the mirror 
server and compares it with the local list

o If a message has been edited remotely but not locally, it's fetched and 
stored locally, same in the other direction

o If a message got edited on both sides since the last synchronization, the 
user is asked to resolve the conflict (keep local or keep remote message)

o If there is a new message locally, its submitted at the remote server, but 
with the same submission date/time as locally, same in the other direction

o If new messages are present on both sides, their message ID is changed so 
that it is unique, then they are copied over. If there are already replies 
to this message, their link (using the message ID) is changed accordingly

So I plan to implement this scheme in the next time. The MD5 checksum is 
already there. If anybody has comments or additional wishes concerning 
mirroring, telling them right now would be great, since I then can 
accomodate them easier during the implementation.

- Stefan

Contribution available for all who wants to make SKIN for ELOG!

You are invited to benefit from this free info!

Just click on the "Contributions" tab to find the info (look for ID6).

Or... goto          http://midas.psi.ch/elogdemo/Contributions/6

> i work on Windows2000
> 
> part of my elog.cfg:
> 
>     Passwort file = c:\elog\passwd.txt
>     Self register = 1
>     Guest user commands = config, admin, logout
> 
> file system:
> 
>     - i created an emty file with name passwd.txt
> 
> problem:
> 
>     - if i use the link "Register as new user" on login, it does not work.
>     - if i login as guest user and choose the menu config, it only 
>     display  the attributes Login_name, Full_name and Email.    
>     So i kann not create user.
> 
> what should i do ?
> what are my mistakes ?
> 
> Can you attache as sample password file ?

Dear Friend!,

Only mistake in your file .cfg is   spell mistake "Passwort" in "Passwort 
file = c:\elog\passwd.txt" line. It should "Password file" t=d. 

try some thing like below,

[Log]
Theme = default
Comment = Financial Accounting Bug posting 
Attributes = Resource, Project Name, Task Desc, SDT, EEDT, ACDT, Percent WC, 
Status 
Options Type = Masters, Transactions, Reports
Options Category = Bug, New Feature, Client Requirement, Change
Required Attributes = Author, Type, Bug
Page Title = ELOG - $subject
Reverse sort = 1
Quick filter = Date, Type
Password file =D:\Program Files\ELOG\logpwd.txt
;Self register = 0
Self register = 1

Admin user =sridhar
Menu commands = Back, Login, New, Edit, config, Delete, Reply, Find, Help, 
Logout
Guest user commands = config, admin, Login, logout

Hi,

First off let me say what an excellent program, simple yet powerful...

I've noticed some erratic behaviour when using "quote marks" in header 
fields.  Basically all text to the right of a " disappears.  Try adding an 
entry with quote marks or replying to this post.

Presume this is a bug.

Keep up the good work

Fergus

Since I'n not a programmer I's like to be very carefulls with bug  
reports, but after testing for a while, I belive this my be a bug or  
something else:  
  
I have 2 systems running ELOG 2.5.1:   
1. uSE Linux 8.2, KDE 3.2 = NO problems at all! ELOG work's in every  
function quiet well!  
2. The Internet Server (of my friend): Windows 2003 Server, All MS paches  
installed, Running IIS 6.0 Port 80) and ELOG 2.5.1 (Port 8080) under  
FireDeamon 1.6GA (actual release) as a Service (Deamon).   
  
Problem under Win 2k3:  
This works very well, even with several users on the system and on ELOG  
as long as there is not msg. threaded! Is a Msg. Treaded ELOG produces  
the msg. showen in the attached Jepg-file below on Win 2k3.  
The problem occurs as soon as Elog would change to the threaded display 
or by clicking "Repaly" in the menu. Rights etc. are aleady checked on 
the file system and are looking well. Everithing will work well as 
nothing is thraded or testing locally under Linunx. 
 
Does anybody  
have an idea??? It my by a bog on Elog as well as from Microsoft or a  
problem produced by a dummy user (me...!). Since Linux don't have the  
problem and the same cfg-file and log-files are working well if I don't  
use mode=threaded as well as Display mode = threaded I believe it my be a  
realchance not to be the personal factor of the dummy user...   
  
ThankX for every hint!  
  
  

All I can offer is send me your config file for the problematic logbook, and 
I will try to reproduce the error.

hello stefan 
 
sorry for the delay, was out of the office today. i had tested the same config 
and logbook under a "pseudo" win nt installation (suse linux 8.2 with vmware 
4.01 (virtaual pc simualtion) and a nativ win nt 4.0 sp6a: there is no 
problem! as well as this configuration works under linux as daemon. 
 
the problem only ocures on win 2003 server. I d'dn't test it under xp, 2000, 
2002 beause i don't have any of this systems. but it looks that no one else 
has this problem. would be helpfull to know if there anybody out in 
cyberspase using elog 2.5.1 with win 2000 or 2002 or even better with win 
2003 server? or do you have a 2003 server at psi? 
for me it looks like a incompatibility of a stack, boffer overrun or somethin 
in the memory. for me it really only occurs under win 2003. thats what i'm 
wondering. the system memory test of the server was ok (no virus, non 
controller problem or something, else, checked the hole stuff agian, just to 
be really shure!) , other apps don't have any problmes (it isonly iis 6 and 
mercure mail server runnig on this system with about 20gb free disk and about 
500mb ram totally and a pentium 4). 
 
if you think you have a chance to reproduce the problem i can zip the config 
file and the log for you. but in my opinion, you will need a win 2k3.  
 
i'd chdcked the file system rights again to be shure that they are ok. also 
i'd checked that elog run as a system service under win 2k3. it should have 
all rights. changing to run eleog with administrator rights didn't change 
anything. 
 
would be great to find out what's happen. in the mean time i let it untreaded, 
hoping no one will click treaded view...  ;-)  for security, the servie is 
configured to restart if it hangs and to boot the system in an emergency, but 
it shouldn't happen evry hour... 
 
thakX! 
ueli 
 
 
 
> All I can offer is send me your config file for the problematic logbook, and  
> I will try to reproduce the error.