Implementing a star topology

The Global Collaboration Framework supports communications between collaborating sites in a star topology. In this configuration, the collaborating sites do not communicate with each other directly but always go through a central site.

Following are examples of when this topology is useful.

Offline scenario

All collaborating shares are defined on all sites but all peripheral sites appear offline to each other except the local site and the central site. For example, assume there are three peripheral sites and one central site. At peripheral site 1, the GCF shares for that site and the central site are online, the shares for peripheral sites 2 and 3 are off-line.

In this scenario, users can transfer ownership directly by selecting a different site although the actual transfer will go through the central site. This scenario also supports claiming ownership and getting the latest revision as well as cross-site workflow.

For more information about offline shares, see Understanding offline shares. To implement this scenario, specify sites as off-line as described in Creating and editing a share.

Design house scenario

Each peripheral site can only see the central site because they only define the local site and the central site. For example, assume there are three peripheral sites and one central site. At peripheral site 1, only the GCF shares for that site and the central site are defined, the shares for peripheral sites 2 and 3 are not defined. Only the central site defines all shares.

Transfer of ownership between peripheral sites from PowerUser (using the Collaboration property page) can be done in two steps: first to the central site and then to a peripheral site. Cross-site workflow can also be used. This scenario also supports claiming ownership and getting the latest revision from one peripheral site to another.

To implement this scenario, define the following VBScript function.

Sub StarTopologySettings
  Vault.Argument("GCFStarSettings_StarMode") = 1
End Sub

Note    The star topology can only be implemented when the GcfEvents extension is used to handle vault events. For information about the GcfEvents extension, see Importing the VBScript code.

To enable a star topology:

1. Open Meridian Enterprise Configurator.

2. Register the GcfEvents extension as described in the BlueCielo Meridian Enterprise Configuration Guide.

3. Expand Environment in the configuration tree and select Vault Settings. The vault’s settings appear in property pages in the right pane.
4. Click the GCF Configuration tab. The GCF Configuration property page appears.
5. Click the Edit button in the lower right corner of the window. The page becomes editable.
6. Type the name of the central site in Hub.
7. Click OK to save your changes.