Off-Server Session Manager Machines

In larger implementations, it may be necessary to off-load the CPU and memory usage of Session Manager from the CIC server to dedicated servers on the network. Multiple factors are used to determine the optimal configuration. For example, considering the number of user applications running on the system, a determination can be made whether an off-server Session Manager implementation is advantageous or required.

In this configuration, the off-server Session Manager instances remain connected to the active CIC server in the switchover pair, regardless of which CIC server is active.For more information about configuration options related to switchover, see Configuring Session Manager Instances.

In order to support allowing initial client logon attempts to receive the other Session Manager instances, it is desirable to run Session Manager on the CIC server locally as well, even in an off-server Session Manager implementation.For more information, see Session Manager Discovery and Selection.

Interaction Desktop instances connect to the Session Manager server via a standard TCP/IP network. Regardless of the state of the Session Manager the client connects to (whether it is on-server or off-server and connected to the primary or backup Customer Interaction Center server), the Session Manager always responds with the list of available alternate Session Manager machines. In the case below, the list includes five Session Managers—all three off-server Session Managers—as well as the two Session Managers running locally on the CIC servers.

If the client initially connects to an on-server Session Manager, the connection is rejected after the list of alternate servers has been provided. The client then attempts to reconnect to one of the listed alternate servers, preferring off-server Session Managers over on-server Session Managers.

If the client initially connects to an off-server Session Manager, the connection succeeds.

Once the client has cached the list of alternate servers, any future connection attempts by the client prefer off-server Session Managers, even when a new instance of the client process is being started.

For more information about hardware requirements and installation of an off-server Session Manager, see Off-Server Session Manager Installation.