Configuration

Configuration refers to a set of metadata that configures the runtime services of a Web Server.

For example, a runtime service serves web pages from a configured document root. The configuration metadata is used by the server runtime to load built-in services, third party plug-ins and setup other server extensions such as database drivers for serving web pages and dynamic web applications.

See also Creating Server Configuration

Node

Node is a network resource, such as a server or a host. In a typical data center, a network of nodes is called a server farm.

Virtual Server

Virtual server is a fully functioning virtual web server that resides within the same physical location of the Sun Java System Web Server. Multiple virtual servers can reside on a single Web Server.

When you use virtual servers, you can offer companies or individuals domain names, IP addresses, and some server monitoring capabilities with a single installed server.

See also Adding a New Virtual Server

Instance

Instance refers to the environment of a web server daemon on a given node, including its configuration, log files and other runtime artifacts such as lock databases, caches and temporary files.

For management purposes, an instance can be started, stopped, re-started, or dynamically re-configured.

See also Creating a New Server Instance

Cluster

Cluster is a set of instances, spanning across one or more nodes, all running identical configuration and offering an identical set of runtime services. All instances in a cluster must be homogenous. They must run on the same operating system, be identically configured, and offer the same services.

Administration Server

Administration Server is a specially configured web server instance on which the administration applications are deployed. Each node in the server farm has an administration server running on it. Of these, one is configured to be the Administration Server and the rest are configured to be child servers each of which is referred to as an Administration Node.

See also What is an Administration Server

Administration Console

Administration Console is a web based interface for managing the deployed instances of the configuration. The administration server should be running to access this interface.