How to set up a Jboss 7.1 domain

With the new JBOSS 7.1 domain controller, a cluster of jboss instances can be administered via a single console.  In this tutorial we will step through the simple process of setting up a domain controller, and 3 nodes.

Target Architecture:

Simplistically we are aiming for the following architecture:

I've assumed IP addresses, passwords and names to keep thing simple.

Later on we will need base64 version of the identity.  I used this website to generate the following base64 strings:

Identity     Base64
node1id      bm9kZTFpZA==
node2id      bm9kZTJpZA==
node3id      bm9kZTNpZA==

1) Configure the ManagementRealm

The nodes authenticates with the domain controller (DC) by passing it's node name and password.  The DC does a name/password lookup against the ManagementRealm.

so... the first step is to configure the ManagementRealm.

On the domain controller run:
add-user node1    (when prompted set password to node1id)
add-user node2    (when prompted set password to node1id)
add-user root      (when prompted set password to password)

(The root user is used for logging into the jboss console.)

Start up the domain controller:
domain -b 192.168.0.24 -bmanagement 192.168.0.24

2) Configure Node 1

Open host.xml (under jboss-as-7.1.1.Final\domain\configuration) and edit as follows:

a) Update <host tag to read:

<host name="node1" xmlns="urn:jboss:domain:1.2">

b) Add server-identities section to <security-realm name="ManagementRealm">


<security-realm name="ManagementRealm">
  <server-identities>
    <secret value="bm9kZTFpZA=="/>
  </server-identities>

  <authentication>
    ...
  </authentication>
</security-realm


The secret value is the base64 encoded version of the Node password.

c) Edit the <domain-controller> section to read:

<domain-controller>

  <remote host="${jboss.domain.master.address:192.168.0.24}"
          port="${jboss.domain.master.port:9999}" 
          security-realm="ManagementRealm"/>
</domain-controller>

Don't forget to add the the security-realm attribute otherwise you will get messages like:


[Host Controller] 16:26:06,454 ERROR [org.jboss.remoting.remote.connection] (Rem
oting "host1:MANAGEMENT" read-1) JBREM000200: Remote connection failed: javax.se
curity.sasl.SaslException: Authentication failed: all available authentication m
echanisms failed
[Host Controller] 16:26:06,469 ERROR [org.jboss.as.host.controller] (Controller
Boot Thread) JBAS010901: Could not connect to master. Aborting. Error was: java.
lang.IllegalStateException: JBAS010942: Unable to connect due to authentication
failure.


d) Start up the node
domain.bat -b 192.168.0.25 -bmanagment 192.168.0.25

3) Configure Node 2

Configure as above,  setting <host name="node2" and <secret value="bm9kZTJpZA=="

4) Configure Node 3

Configure as above,  setting <host name="node3" and <secret value="bm9kZTNpZA=="

Testing

If everything is working, then open a browser and navigate to: http://192.168.0.24:9990/console using root/password when prompted.  On the left hand side, there should be a list of nodes.