Configuring the Web Interface › Web Directors and Web Engines Configuration › How Web Director Handles User Sessions

How Web Director Handles User Sessions

You can let users use the URL of any web engine or that of the web director to access CA Service Desk Manager.

Note: If all web engines associated with a web director are configured with UseDirector Yes (that is, web engines not using AfterLogin or BeforeLogin), web director functions strictly as a load balancer.

Web director handles user sessions as follows:

1. The following web director URL is published to users:

   Windows and UNIX: http://hostname/CAisd/pdmweb_d1.exe 
   

2. When a web director receives a request, it does the following for the web engine:
   1. Determines if is most able to handle the request.
   2. Examines the current session count.
   3. Calculates the current willingness by using the following formula:

      current willingness = (configured willingness) / (session count + 1)
      

3. The web director redirects the request to the web engine with the highest current willingness.
4. The selected web engine handles the entire session from login to logout.

   If a user in the environment attempts to access a web engine directly by using its own URL, the web engine sends a message to the web director requesting a referral. If the web director responds with the URL of a different web engine, the original web engine redirects the session to the recommended web engine.