Install, upgrade and uninstall options for an agent may differ depending on the deployment environment. This section describes a few generic recommendations for agent deployment, and important points to be considered during installation and upgrade in different deployment scenarios.
Single Agent on a Host
A single agent on a host machine may store the jar files (authapi.jar, log4j-1.2.8.jar, cryptoj.jar) and configuration files (sdconf.rec, sdopts.rec, securid, jastatus.1) either in the default location (default application directory) or in a customized location. The agent APIs can be upgraded to the 8.1 SP2 APIs by updating the jar files. See Upgrading from 8.1.
Multiple Agents on a Host Authenticating with a Common Authentication Manager
The Java API looks for configuration information in the property file (default: rsa_api.properties). If the SDCONF_LOC, SDOPTS_LOC and SDNDSCRT_LOC have not been specified in this properties file, Java API looks for them in the default application directory. Since the application directory is specific to the application, multiple Java agents on the same host will have separate configuration files. Depending upon whether the authapi.jar is placed in an agent-specific class path or a class path common to all the deployed agents, they can either use a different set or the same set of jar files.
The possible deployment types:
Common Jar Files and Common Configuration Files
Common Jar Files and Separate Configuration Files
Separate Jar Files and Common Configuration Files
Separate Jar Files and Separate Configuration Files
Common Jar Files and Common Configuration Files
Install Scenario
Agent-A is installed on a host and successfully authenticating with the Authentication Manager. The jar files are placed in a class path common to all deployed agents and the API configuration file (rsa_api.properties) specifies the locations of the configuration files.
Agent-B is installed on the same host. The jar files are placed in the same class path common to all deployed agents, and the API configuration file (rsa_api.properties) specifies the same locations as Agent-A.
Upgrade
When upgrading to 8.1 SP2, both agents must be upgraded. Since the jar files and the configuration files used are the same, when one agent is upgraded, the other agent automatically gets upgraded. For upgrade instructions, see Upgrading from 8.1.
Uninstall
If one of the agents is uninstalled, shared configuration files and jar files used by the other agent may get deleted, thus breaking the other agent.
TopCommon Jar Files and Separate Configuration Files
Install Scenario
Agent-A is installed on a host and successfully authenticating with the Authentication Manager. The jar files are placed in a class path common to all deployed agents and the configuration files are in the default application directory.
Agent-B is installed on the same host. The jar files are placed in the same class path common to all deployed agents, and the configuration files are in the default application directory. The configuration files of Agent-A must be copied to Agent-B's default application directory for the new agent to successfully authenticate with the Authentication Manager.
Upgrade
When upgrading to 8.1 SP2, both agents must be upgraded. Since the jar files used are the same, when one agent is upgraded, the other agent automatically gets upgraded. Once the node secret for Agent-A is converted, it must be copied to the default application directory of Agent-B. For upgrade instructions, see Upgrading from 8.1.
Uninstall
If one of the agents is uninstalled, shared jar files used by the other agent may get deleted, thus breaking the other agent.
Separate Jar Files and Common Configuration Files
Install Scenario
Agent-A is installed on a host and successfully authenticating with the Authentication Manager. The jar files are placed in an agent-specific class path and the API configuration file (rsa_api.properties) specifies the locations of the configuration files.
Agent-B is installed on the same host. The jar files are placed in an agent-specific class path and the API configuration file (rsa_api.properties) specifies the same locations as Agent-A.
Upgrade
Since the jar files for each agent are separate, you can upgrade one agent at a time. Getting the upgraded agent to connect to the Authentication Manager server would require that the node secret be converted to the new 8.1 SP2 format. Since the configuration files are common, converting the node secret to the new format would make it unrecognizable by the other 8.1 agent. Hence the second agent must be upgraded too. For upgrade instructions, see Upgrading from 8.1.
Uninstall
If one of the agents is uninstalled, shared configuration files used by the other agent may get deleted, thus breaking the other agent.
Separate Jar Files and Separate Configuration Files
Install Scenario
Agent-A is installed on a host and successfully authenticating with the Authentication Manager. The jar files are placed in an agent-specific class path and the configuration files are in the default application directory.
Agent-B is installed on the same host. The jar files are placed in an agent-specific class path and the configuration files are in the default application directory. The configuration files of Agent-A must be copied to Agent-B's default application directory for the new agent to successfully authenticate with the Authentication Manager.
Upgrade
Since the jar files and configuration files for each agent are separate, you can upgrade one agent at a time. For upgrade instructions, see Upgrading from 8.1.
To renew the node secret during upgrade or later, you must renew the node secret using the 8.1 agent, and obtain the node secret in the old format. This must then be converted to the new format for the upgraded agent.
Important:Renewing the node secret using the 8.1 SP2 agent will render it unrecognizable by the 8.1 agent. Conversion from 8.1 SP2 format to 8.1 format is not supported, and therefore communication between the 8.1 agent and the server will not be possible.
Uninstall
Since the jar files and configuration files for each agent are stored separately, one agent can be uninstalled without affecting the other.