[PRE_START]

Use the [PRE_START] section to specify the Uniface Servers that the Uniface Router should automatically start. Each line specifies a server to be started and provides the same information that a client would provide when requesting a server.

[PRE_START]
NetworkConnector:{ HostId}{+{PortNumber}:TLSProfile}|{UserName}|{Password}(|UST} {/ex}

For example:

[PRE_START]
TCP:+13002|user|P@55word|server2

Arguments

• NetworkConnector—three-letter code for the network connector; one of TCP or TLS. Default is TCP, but it is not always possible to omit this value in path assignments.
• HostId—host machine where the Uniface Router is running that handles requests for a Uniface Server.
• PortNumber—port number on which the server or Uniface Router listens. If omitted, the default depends on the type of server and protocol. For the Uniface Router on TCP, it is 13001.

• UserName—logon name and additional operating system-specific information to log on to the Uniface Server. On Microsoft Windows, additional optional information may include a domain name to validate UserName, for example: Mydomain\Me.
• Password—password of UserName under which the Uniface Server runs.
• UST—Uniface Server Type; specifies a Uniface Server configuration that is declared in the [SERVERS] section.

Description

The [PRE_START] section is available only in the Uniface Router assignment file (urouter.asn). It enables the Uniface Router to automatically start Uniface Servers when the Uniface Router itself starts. This can be useful when:

• The server to be started is effectively a service that should always be available and that has no direct client connection.
• You want to have a server already available for a client the moment the client connects to the server.

Pre-starting servers ensures that they are available directly after rebooting the machine.

Note:  Pre-starting a server is a one-time action. The Uniface Router does not restart them if they unexpectedly exit. Such servers can be re-started by using the Uniface Router Monitor or UROUTMON component.

Note:  It is recommended that you use the Pathscrambler utility to encrypt paths in the [PRE_START] section to protect user names and passwords. For more information, see pathscrambler.exe .

Guidelines

• Only ANY servers are supported for pre-start. For more information, see Uniface Server Roles.
• Servers are started in the order they are specified in the [PRE_START] section, without exceeding the $MAXSERVERS or /max limit specified for the UST.

• It is recommended that you not pre-start exclusive listening servers, because they are available for an undetermined period of time before a legitimate client connects, and this opens the possibility for the server to be attacked.Note: All TLS exclusive servers are listening exclusive servers. Although TLS mitigates the risk, they are still open to various attacks.

  Note: All TLS exclusive servers are listening exclusive servers. Although TLS mitigates the risk, they are still open to various attacks.

• Each line must specify the UST of a single server as given in the [SERVERS] section, because each line causes the Uniface Router to pre-start a single server.
• The HostId is optional and may be left empty, because the Uniface Router determines this information from its own administration. However, the pipe symbol is required. For example: tcp:|user1|pass1|ust1.
• You can optionally use HostId or PortNumber to make lines unique in order to start more identical servers. They have no other function in this context. For example, to pre-start two identical servers on the same machine, while still adhering to the uniqueness rule, specify unique host names on two lines:

  [PRE_START]
  tcp:host1|user1|pass1|ust1
  tcp:host2|user1|pass1|ust1