= Multipoint Recommendations
:index-group: Discovery and Failover
:jbake-date: 2018-12-05
:jbake-type: page
:jbake-status: published


As mentioned the `initialServers` is only used for bootstrapping the
multipoint network. Once running, all servers will dynamically establish
direct connections with each other and there is no single point of
failure.

However, to ensure that the bootstrapping process can occur successfully,
the `initialServers` property of the `conf/multipoint.properties` file
must be set carefully and with a specific server start order in mind.
Each server consults its `initialServers` list exactly once in the
bootstrapping phase at startup, after that time connections are made
dynamically.

This means that at least one of the servers listed in `initialServers`
must already be running when the server starts or the server might never
become introduced and connected to all the other servers in the network.

== Failed scenario background

As an example of a failed scenario, imagine there are three servers;
`server1`, `server2`, `server3`. They are set up only to point to the
server in front of them making a chain:

* server1; `initialServers = server2`
* server2; `initialServers = server3`
* server3; `initialServers = *&lt;blank>*`

Which is essentially `server1` -> `server2` -> `server3`. This scenario
could work, but they servers would have to be started in exactly the
opposite order:

[arabic]
. `server3` starts
. `server2` starts
[arabic]
.. _static:_ connect to `server3`
. `server1` starts
[arabic]
.. _static:_ connect to `server2`
.. _dynamic:_ connect to `server3`

At this point all servers would be fully connected. But the above setup
is flawed and could easily fail. The first flaw is `server3` lists
nothing in its `initialServers` list, so if it were restarted it would
leave the multipoint network and not know how to get back in.

The second flaw is if you started them in any other order, you would
also not get a fully connected multipoint network. Say the servers were
started in "front" order:

[arabic]
. `server1` starts
[arabic]
.. _static:_ connect to `server2` - failed, `server2` not started.
. `server2` starts
[arabic]
.. _static:_ connect to `server3` - failed, `server3` not started.
. `server3` starts
[arabic]
.. no connection attempts, initialServers list is empty.

After startup completes, all servers will be completely isolated and
failover will not work. The described setup is weaker than it needs to
be. Listing just one server means the listed server is a potential point
of weakness. As a matter of trivia, it is interesting to point out that
you could bring a fourth server online temporarily that lists all three
servers. Once it makes the introductions and all servers learn of each
other, you could shut it down again.

The above setup is easily fixable via better configuration. If `server3`
listed both `server1` and `server2` in its initialServers list, rather
than listing nothing at all, then all servers would fully discover each
other regardless of startup order; assuming all three servers did
eventually start.

== Bootstrapping Three Servers or fewer

In a three sever scenario, we recommend simply having all three servers
list all three servers.

* server1/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1, server2, server3`
* server2/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1, server2, server3`
* server3/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1, server2, server3`

There's no harm to a server listing itself. It gives you one clean list
to maintain, and it will work even if you decide not to start one of the
three servers.

== Bootstrapping Four Servers or More

In a scenario of four or more, we recommend picking at least to servers
and focus on always keeping at least one of them running. Let's refer to
them as "root" servers for simplicity sake.

* server1/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server2`
* server2/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1`

Root `server1` would list root `server2` so they would always be linked
to each other regardless of start order or if one of them went down.
`Server1` could be shutdown and reconnect on startup to the full
multipoint network through `server2`, and vice versa.

All other servers would simply list the root servers (`server1`,
`server2`) in their initialServers list.

* server3/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1, server2`
* server4/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1, server2`
* serverN/conf/multipoint.properties
** `initialServers = server1, server2`

As long as at least one root server (`server1` or `server2`) was
running, you can bring other servers on and offline at will and always
have a fully connected graph.

Of course all servers once running and connected will have a full list
of all other servers in the network, so if at any time the "root"
servers weren't around to make initial introductions to new servers it
would be no trouble. It's possible to reconfigure new servers to point
at any other server in the network as all servers will have the full
list. So these "root" servers are no real point of failure in function,
but only of convenience.

== Setting initialServers overrides

Always remember that any property in a
`conf/<server-service>.properties` file can be overridden on the command
line or via system properties. So it is possible easily set the
`initialServers` list in startup scripts.

A bash example might look something like:

[source,java]
----
!/bin/bash

OPENEJB_HOME=/opt/openejb-3.1.3
INITIAL_LIST=$(cat /some/shared/directory/our_initial_servers.txt)

$OPENEJB_HOME/bin/openejb start -Dmultipoint.initialServers=$INITIAL_LIST
----
