Register an App Volumes Instance as a Target

For synchronization operations to occur, a source and target relationship is necessary. To achieve this relationship, an instance must be added as a target to another instance. As a result, the instance to which the target is added becomes the source. You can register a target instance by using the Add Target button on the App Volumes Instances page of the source.

After a synchronization relationship is established between the source and target, the applications and packages on the target instance can be managed only from the source. If the target is removed, the source no longer manages the applications and packages for this target and the target's inventory items are manageable from the target instance.

An instance can have multiple sources and multiple targets.

To understand the definition of terminologies such as App Volumes instance, source instance, target instance, and so on, see the Terminologies used in the context of App Volumes Application Synchronization in Configure Multiple App Volumes Instances for Application Synchronization.

Prerequisites

• Ensure that the domain of the source instance is accessible by the target instance.
• Ensure that a target instance has a trusted certificate.
• Ensure that you use valid credentials and have permissions to access the instance that is configured as a target.
• Ensure that you are aware of the Criteria for Application Synchronization.
• To understand how synchronization operations occur, see Configure Multiple App Volumes Instances for Application Synchronization.

Procedure

1. In the App Volumes Manager admin UI, navigate to INFRASTRUCTURE > Instances.
2. On the App Volumes Instances page, click Add Target.
3. On the Add App Volumes Instance Target page, enter the following information:

   Option	Description
   Secure Address	IP address or the host name of the target instance You can also specify the port address of the target instance. For example: <IP_address>:<port_address>. By default, the port number used is 443. Note: Communication between the source and target instances occurs through HTTPS.
   Username and Password	Administrator credentials required to access the target instance
   Domain	Domain for the service account to which the target instance belongs.
   Application Package Import	A control setting that allows an administrator to determine when a package import must occur on the target instance after replication. By default, this setting is deactivated. When the setting is deactivated, after an application package is replicated from the source instance to a target instance using storage groups, the package is not imported to the target instance. As a result, any change to the replicated package does not get synchronized to the target. At a later time, you can import the package from the target instance by using the Import functionality on the Applications page. This behavior allows you to control package import from the target instance. When the setting is activated, the package gets automatically imported to the target instance after replication. Any changes to the replicated package is automatically synchronized to the target. This setting can be changed by editing the target instance.
   Package Symmetry Assurance	A control setting that helps an administrator be aware of missing packages on the target instance during application synchronization. If there are missing packages on the target instance and the setting is activated, synchronization occurs for the packages that are available and a warning icon is displayed in the synchronization status of the application. This icon indicates that the enabled packages between the source and target instances are not the same and that some of the packages are missing on the target. To synchronize the missing packages, ensure that the packages are imported to the target instance in a timely manner. You can configure storage groups and activate auto replicate and auto import functionalities. For more information about these functionalities, see Configure Storage Groups in App Volumes Manager. When the setting is deactivated, synchronization occurs for the packages that are available on both the instances, but the warning icon is not displayed. By default, this setting is deactivated and can be changed by editing the target instance.
   Synchronize Markers	A control setting that determines whether the CURRENT marker of a package on the target instance is synchronized to match the marker status of the corresponding package on the source. When the control setting is activated, the set and unset marker functionalities for the synchronized package are unavailable on the target instance as the package can be managed only from the source instance. For packages managed by the target, these functionalities continue to be available at the target. When the setting is deactivated, the CURRENT marker of the package on the target instance remains unchanged. Note: You can configure this control setting only while registering a target instance. To deactivate this setting, the target and source instance relationship must be removed and the target added back to the source.
   Synchronize Assignments	A control setting that determines whether the entitlements of an application on the target instance are synchronized to match the entitlements of the corresponding application on the source instance. When the control setting is activated, the assign and unassign operations for the synchronized application are unavailable on the target instance as the application can be managed only from the source instance. For applications managed by the target, assign and unassign operations continue to be available at the target instance. When this setting is deactivated, the entitlements of the application on the target remains unchanged. Note: You can configure this control setting only while registering a target instance. To deactivate this setting, the target and source instance relationship must be removed and the target added back to the source.

4. Click Add and follow the UI prompts.
   The target instance is listed in the Related Instance table.
5. In the Related Instances table, you can expand the + sign and view the details of a target instance.
   

Results

After the target is successfully registered on the source, you can navigate to the target instance and observe the following UI changes on the target:

• The source instance is listed in the Related Instance table.
• If you have already imported the application packages, which are replicated from the source instance, then the applications and packages on the target are in a synchronized relationship with the source. Such applications and packages can now be managed only from the source by using the Manage Source button.

  For more information about managing the applications and packages from the source instance, see Manage a Synchronized App Volumes Application at the Source.

What to do next

• If you want to edit the details of this instance, see Edit an App Volumes Instance.
• If you want to monitor synchronization, see Monitor App Volumes Synchronization Operations.
• If you want to establish a synchronization relationship with the source, you must replicate the application packages from the source using storage groups and import these packages on this instance. For more information, see Configure Multiple App Volumes Instances for Application Synchronization.

  You can verify whether an imported application package is associated with the correct application on the source by using the application GUID. On the target instance, navigate to the application's summary page and view the GUID. This must match the application GUID on the source instance.