Feature Pack 8

Configuring the managed repeater and subordinates to perform index check validation

You can configure the managed repeater and subordinate index cores to perform index validation during replication. Index validation is triggered every time index replication completes downloading new index files into the repeater or subordinate. If both nodes are synchronized, hence, no files are downloaded, index validation is not run. Index validation is configured at the core level.

Configuring index validation on the repeater and subordinates ensures data integrity of the index by running predefined index queries against the latest replicated index. An entry is logged into the administration logger with the query check status.

When index validation is configured, an optional query check properties file with a list of queries can be specified. Otherwise, a default query of q=*:* is run, which is expected to return results greater than zero. The results of the index validation queries are then compared with predefined minimum result counts that a query should return. An entry is logged into the administration logger indicating the query check status.

Before you begin

  1. Download the interim fix for APAR JR53475, or apply the latest cumulative interim fix for Feature Pack 8, JR53438.fep.
  2. If you do not want to use the default query of q=*:*, you can optionally update the query check properties file to suit your business needs. Updating the query check properties file allows you to define specific validation queries in either a file named queryCheck.properties under the conf directory of each core, or in any property file residing in a common location among all cores. If no file is provided, the default query is run. For more information, see Query check properties file.

About this task

The following list shows the high-level steps that are associated with configuring the managed repeater and subordinates to perform index check validation:
  1. Enable the index query check operation option in the managed repeater or subordinate.
  2. Optional: Configure the query check properties file and save it into its default location.
  3. Optional: Copy the query check property file into a common location among all cores.

Procedure

  1. Enable the index query check operation option in the managed repeater or subordinate.
    1. Open the solr.xml under the managed-solr repeater or subordinate directory file for editing.
    2. Add the following property into each of the core configurations that are configured for replication:
      
<property name="healthCheckOps.enable" value="true"/>
    3. Save your changes and close the file.
  2. Optional: Configure the query check properties file and save it into its default location.
    1. Copy the query check properties file you created in the prerequisites into the conf directory of the managed-solr repeater or subordinate configured in Step 1.

      For example: managed-solr/repeater/solr/home/MC_3074457345616676668/en_US/CatalogEntry/conf.

  3. Optional: Copy the query check property file into a common location among all cores.
    1. Copy the query check properties file you created in the prerequisites into a common location for all cores.

      For example: managed-solr/repeater/solr/home.

    2. Add a new property into the solrcore.properties file under the conf directory of the managed-solr repeater or subordinate you configured in Step 1 to point to the common query check properties file.
      Note: Create the solrcore.properties file if it does not already exist.
      For example, in the managed-solr/repeater/solr/home/MC_3074457345616676668/en_US/CatalogEntry/conf/solrcore.properties file, add the following property:
      
com.ibm.commerce.foundation.solr.operation.SolrDoQueryCheckOperation.fileName= 
/usr/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/demo_solr/installedApps/demo_search_cell/Search_demo.ear/managed-solr/repeater/solr/home/commonQueryCheck.properties

Results

After the managed-solr templates are deployed into the primary node, the next time index replication is completed, the query check operation will run and log an entry into the administration logger with the index validation status per core.