Sample Topology for Replicating Catalog Content

  • Article

This topic describes a sample topology for replicating catalog content, and it explains how you configure the staging and production environments for replication. The following figure shows the sample topology.

Sample topology for replicating catalog content.

The installation procedures for the staging server and the production server are the same:

  1. Configure the Database Server
  2. Install SQL Server
  3. Unpack the Solution Site
  4. Populate the Catalog with Data

Step 1: Configure the Database Server

The two database servers used in the scenario are named as follows:

  • THORSTAGE. This server represents a staging environment.
  • THORPROD1. This server represents the first catalog database server in the production environment. There could be additional catalog database servers.

The production server is on a separate subnet from the staging server.

Both servers are configured with the following software:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
  • Microsoft Commerce Server 2002
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1

Step 2: Install SQL Server

The steps for installing SQL Server are the same for each of the two environments: on both computers, install SQL Server with the standard configuration options.

After you install SQL Server, on both servers create the following databases to house the data for individual database configurations. (You will use these databases later when you unpack the Solution Sites.)

  • retail_commerce_BDsec. This database is created for the tables specific to the Commerce Server Business Desk Security modules, a new feature in Commerce Server 2002.
  • retail_commerce_campaigns. The Campaigns database is created for the tables that support the advertising campaign features in Commerce Server 2002.
  • retail_commerce_profiles. The Profiles database supports the Profiling System.
  • retail_commerce_trans. This database is created to hold the transactions tables.
  • retail_commerce_transcfg. This database contains the configuration tables for transactions.
  • retail_commerce_catalog. This database contains the tables specific to the product catalogs. This database is the focus of this scenario.

Step 3: Unpack the Solution Site

After you create the database tables, install the Retail Solution Site on both servers. Using Commerce Server Site Packager, select the Custom option to unpackage the Retail Solution Site.

When you unpackage the Retail Solution Site, you will be prompted to define the database connection strings, as shown in the following sample screen. In your installation, modify your connection strings to match the sample screen.

This sample screen was taken from the staging server, THORSTAGE. It shows the final configuration of the database strings configured using the custom databases.

Screenshot

Complete the rest of the configuration steps to finish installing the site. You should have a fully configured Retail Solution Site available on each server.

Step 4: Populate the Catalog with Data

In this step, you import the AdvWorksCatalog, which populates your Commerce Server catalog with data.

To pre-populate a catalog on the staging server (THORSTAGE)

  1. On THORSTAGE, import a new XML catalog using Business Desk. For instructions, see Importing an XML Catalog File.

    The catalog used in this scenario is the AdvWorksCatalog.xml file (the Adventure Works Catalog) located in:

    \Program Files\Microsoft Commerce Server 2002\SDK\Samples\Sitelets\Catalog

    This is the same XML file used in the Business-to-Consumer Business Desk tutorial.

  2. Publish the imported Adventure Works catalog on THORSTAGE. For instructions about publishing a catalog, see Refreshing and Publishing a Catalog.

    After you publish the Adventure Works catalog, your staging server will have a fully configured Retail Solution Site with the catalog installed.

  3. To validate that the Adventure Works catalog has been published, browse to the URL for your new retail site.

See Also

Using Site Packager

Importing an XML Catalog File

Refreshing and Publishing a Catalog

Copyright © 2005 Microsoft Corporation.
All rights reserved.