Mike Brunt just posted an article describing basic ColdFusion clustering over on the Adobe site. It's amazing that it took this long for someone to provide information like this. I know the info has been available in other places, but this article is clearly written and very understandable.

Luckily at work we have employed this exact method of clustering ColdFusion instances already. The only thing we didn't do "correctly" was use the built-in CF web-server to power our Master Instance. Not a big deal really, but why not lighten the load on IIS another fraction of a percent if you possible can.

Mike really needs to follow up with an advanced article that addresses questions such as:

1) How many instances can you reliably run on a CF Server?

We can help answer this as we have effectively hit the cap on our two production CF servers. I don't have the specs of our servers on hand, but they are 5-year old moderately powerful servers and they are each running about 12-14 instances of CF.

2) Horizontal Clustering

Mike's article deals exclusively with Vertical Clustering, which is creating and running CF clusters all on the same machine. I know that CF also supports Horizontal Clustering, which is maintaining CF clusters across multiple physical machines.

I have only briefly played with this and I don't believe I could get it to work acceptably.

3) Resource Management and Optimization

How much resources (memeory, etc) should be allocated to a clustered instance? How does one go about tweaking memory allocations? How can you test whether or not a chance is an improvement or not?

4) What Happens When Things Go Wrong?

How do you know when a cluster member has failed? Are they any common signs that a failure is imminent? What information can you examine in order to determine the susceptibility of your infrastructure to failure? What does (and should) a failure look like from the user's perspective?

Anyway, it's nice to know that there is someone out there actively working on answering these questions. :)

My main other site is getting hammered by an unrelenting SQL injection attack. I now completely realize the importance of locking down your queries.

I can only hope that BlogCFC is immune. :)

Here is a full description of this particular attack... which is apparently hitting a bunch of sites. Info provided via a simple Google search.

Caught my daughter doing a little light reading the other day.

I just got back from CFObjective() 2008 where everyone was quite excited that ColdFusion was burning up the charts on the Tiobe Software Index. It was in the top 20 and had more little green up-arrows than any other language, indicating a strong future.

I checked the chart today and found that ColdFusion was nowhere to be seen! How strange! A ctrl-F on the page revealed this wonderful little nugget:

"Richard Bremner pointed out that ColdFusion is not a programming language. It is a framework comparable to JSP and ASP. As a consequence, ColdFusion has been removed from the TIOBE list. All its history has been deleted, which means that the history of the index has changed a bit as well."

All I can say is "wow, really?" Just like that? What is Richard Bremner afraid of? And who the frick is Richard Bremner anyway?

Very little has been written about how to upgrade your multi-server install of ColdFusion MX 7 to multi-server ColdFusion 8. Not even Adobe will tell you how to do it. Fear not, because I'll give you step-by-step instructions to get it done.

We have been running multi-server CF7 on JRun for the past year or so and have just completed the upgrade to CF8. We typically run about 10 instances of ColdFusion on a server, so the goal of the upgrade was to move to CF8 without impacting the sites that were already comfortably running on CF7.

I will assume you are using:

• ColdFusion MX 7.02 multi-server
• JRun4 as your J2EE platform
• Windows 200X Server

This should work for other operating systems, but you will have to figure out the particulars for yourself.

General Overview of the Upgrade Process:

• Backup server
• Download necessary files from Adobe
• Backup CF instances using CF Archive files (.car)
• Remove all CF instances
• Backup major file centers (optional)
• Uninstall ColdFusion MX 7
• Install ColdFusion 8 (multi-server)
• Install CF8 Hotfix (optional)
• Restore CF Instances
• Connect CF Instances to their Web Sites
• IIS Settings - Default Doc, CFIDE mapping
• Re-install Custom Tags

Here are the full step by step instructions:

Step 1: Backup and Preparation

Purpose: Disaster Recovery. We use VMWare server virtualization, so this step is as simple as making an "image" of our server.

1. Backup your server using whatever methods are available to you.
2. Download the following files from Adobe and put them into an easily accessible directory on your server, such as: C:\CF8Upgrade You will want this path to be short because you will have to either type it or browse to it a number of times.
3. Coldfusion-8-win.exe - When you download from Adobe, there are 2 options, Developer Edition and Trial Edition. These are the exact same files. Also, these files are actually the complete, full install of CF8. The full features 30-day timer is disabled by entering your serial number.
4. CF8 cumulative Hotfix - This is optional as per Adobe instructions. **NOTE** Updater 8.01 has been released, but we have not yet installed it, so we can't help you there.

Step 2: Backup Existing CF Instance Settings

Purpose: To avoid losing your ColdFusion Admin settings for all of your existing sites.

• Log into CF7 Master CFAdmin > Enterprise Manager > Instance Manager. Make sure all instances are running.
• Take a screen shot of Enterprise Manager > Instance Manager for use during CF8 instance re-build. This is so you can rememeber the exact names of your instances. Stick the image in "C:\CF8 Upgrade\backups\" so you can refer to it when re-creating instances.
• Proceed through each instance and make create a setting backup .car file
  • Starting at the top, click on the icon to access that instance's CFAdmin. (the rightmost icon)
  • In the new CFAdmin > Packaging & Deployment > ColdFusion Archives (.car)
  • Create New Archive > provide a name (example: XYZCompanyBackup)
    • If you receive a "500" error here, see below for a solution, and then continue here!
  • A new window opens > Click "Select All" > Close Window
  • Now click on the center icon (Build Archive) next to your newly created Archive in your instance CFAdmin
  • A new windows opens > Click "Next"
  • Choose a physical location for your .car file.
    • "C:\CF8 Upgrade\backups\XYZCompanyBackupBackup.car" - You must include the .car extension!
    • TIP: Copy this so you can paste it for the next round... just editing the file name.
  • Click "Next"
  • Should receive alert message "Build Successful"
  • Click "OK" > Close window
  • Close that instances CFAdmin browser window completely
  • Back in the Master CF Admin Instances > STOP the instance you just backed up. This is mostly used to keep track of which instances you have already backed up.
  • Proceed to the next instance and repeat.

Step 2(Java 500 Error): I got a Java "500" error when I tried to create a ColdFusion Archive!

Reason: At some point in your ColdFusion installation history, you probably told ColdFusion to use a different version of the Java Runtime Environment than the one that comes with CF. No problem. This is easily fixed. Here are my notes on the subject.

• STOP ALL CF JRun INSTANCES BEFORE DOING THE FOLLOWING!
• Open file: D:\JRun4\bin\jvm.config (may be in a different location for you)
• Change the "java.home" line to this "java.home=D:/JRun4" (direction of slash is critical). Why? This will force JRun to look for a JRE as per the documentation in the file. It should find and use the JRE that comes installed with JRun... and therefore should not through errors in the CFAdmin. You might ask "Why was this value changed in the first place?" Good question. You might have changed it in order to deploy other J2EE apps which required JRun to run a newer version of the default installed JVM. That was our situation.
• Save jvm.config file
• Restart JRun Admin service
  • Close your browser with the Master CFAdmin in it.
  • Windows Services > Stop and Start "Macromedia JRun Admin Server" and "Macromedia JRun Cfusion Server"
• Re-try creating .car file as above.
  • When you re-enter the Master CFAdmin, you may find the archive already "created". Just click on the left-most icon (Edit Archive Definition) to re-try creating the archive.

Step 3: Remove all existing CF Instances via the Master CFAdmin

Purpose: To remove existing instances from CF7 and as Windows Services

• Log into the Master CFAdmin
  • Enterprise Manager > Instance Manager
  • Stop and delete each instance
• Close your web browser
• Don't reboot now, you will be doing so in the next step

Step 4: Backup Major File Centers (generally optional)

Purpose: Disaster recovery. Though damage to these areas is highly unlikely.

• Shut down all CF services using the Windows Services Tool
  • All CF Instances including "Admin" and "Cfusion".
  • ColdFusion MX 7 ODBC Agent
  • ColdFusion MX 7 ODBC Server
  • ColdFusion MX 7 Search Server
  • Any other deployed J2EE apps that use JRun
• Copy your web root (D:\Inetpub) to C:\CF8 Upgrade\backups
• Copy D:\JRun4 to C:\CF8 Upgrade\backups

Step 5: Uninstall ColdFusion MX 7

Purpose: To remove CF MX 7 and its related Windows Services

• Use Add/Remove Programs to uninstall
  • Wait for entry in Add/Remove Programs to disappear (it can take a minute or two)
• Restart computer
• Upon restart, clean up remnants
  • Delete icons from Desktop
  • Delete entries from Start Menu
  • Delete JRun4 directories from both C: and D:
• Check that all relevant services are gone, etc.
  • Other deployed J2EE apps (if any) running as services should still exist

Step 6: Install ColdFusion 8

Purpose: To keep rockin in the ColdFusion world.

• Run Coldfusion-8-win.exe and follow install wizard
  • Enter Serial Number for CF8
  • Enter Serial Number for CF7
  • Next Screen > Select "MultiServer" edition
  • Next Screen > Select only the first two options (your needs may vary)
  • Next Screen > Specify "D:\JRun4" for JRun installation (may be different for you)
  • Next Screen > Select "All IIS Websites" (may be different for you)
  • Select "D:\Inetpub\wwwroot" for CF Admin location (may be different for you)
  • Next Screen > Specify Admin Password
  • Next Screen > Enable RDS (for non-production only)
  • Next Screen > Click "Install" and wait. Got get some coffee, you deserve it.

Your settings summary may look something like this:

• Continue following instructions
  • Click to open Master CFAdmin in default browser
  • Log in and wait
  • Click "OK" > Success!
• Create desktop icons for Master CFAdmin
  • Drag icons from Start Menu and name as follows
    • CF 8 Master Admin
    • JRun Admin (optional)
    • Web Server Configuration Tool
• Where is my "ColdFusion8" directory?
  • You may notice that no such directory exists
  • CF8 is installed as a deployed application under JRun

Step 7: Install Hotfixes if Desired

Purpose: To secure your CF8 installation with the latest and greatest patches and fixes.

Now would be a good time to do that, if desired. This is recommended. Download them and install them as per Adobe instructions. Typically, HotFixes are installed via the "System Information" button in the CFAdmin. That's the small little "info" button at the top right.

Step 8: Create CF Instances

Purpose: To get all of your clients back up and running. :)

• CF8 Master Admin > Enterprise Manager > Instance Manager
• Start adding all necessary instances
  • Refer to screen shot captured during backup phase OR refer to another server
• Click "Add New Instance"
  • Enter the correct Server Name in that field
  • Check "Create Windows Service"
  • Check "Auto Restart Service"
  • Click "Submit" and wait until you are told to wait no longer!
    • This can take longer than you might think.

Step 9: Restore CF Instance Settings

Purpose: To reset all of your instances with their original settings, datasources, mappings, etc.

• Log into the CFAdmin for a particular instance
  • Deploy an Existing Archive > Browse for .car file
  • Example: C:\CF8 Upgrade\backups\XYZCompanyBackup.car
  • Click "Deploy" > A new window opens
    • Click "Next"
    • Click "Deploy" and wait!
    • Should receive "Deploy Successful" alert
    • Click OK > Close
  • Check Mappings and Data Sources to verify settings were carried over properly

Step 10: Connect CF Instances to their websites

Purpose: To make sure that your webserver (in this case, IIS) knows how to talk to each ColdFusion instance.

• Open up the "Web Server Configuration Tool" using your desktop icon
• Click "Add"
• Select your JRun Server
  • Example: XYZCompany
• Select your IIS Website
  • Example: XYZCompany_Portal
• Click "Configure for ColdFusion 8"
• Click "OK"
• Click "Yes" to restart the web server

Step 11: IIS - Reset the Default Document

Purpose: To get IIS to server up index.cfm before index.html

Uninstalling CF 7 removes "index.cfm" from the default documents within each IIS website. Installing CF 8 adds it back in, but at the bottom of the list. Heck no.

• Visit each website in IIS and restore "index.cfm" to its rightful place above all other pitiful default documents!!!
  • IIS > Website> Properties > Documents

Step 12: IIS - Set up CFAdmin access (optional)

Purpose: If desired, you can virtually link the CFIDE to any of your websites for remote access to the instance CFAdmin. This is optional because some folks might want to simply RDC to their server and access the instance CFAdmins via the Master CFAdmin > Instance Manager

• In turn, click on each site that has been newly setup in IIS.
  • Right click > New > Virtual Directory
  • New Window > Next
  • Enter: "cfide" for the alias > Next
  • Browse for directory > "D:\Inetpub\wwwroot\CFIDE" > Next > Next > DONE!

Step 13: Re-deploy any J2EE Apps (optional)

Purpose: If you have any J2EE apps that need to run under specific instances within JRun, you will need to re-deploy them. We did. You can probably skip this step.

• Log into the JRun Administrator
• Click on instance name
• Click "Add" under "Web Applications"
• Browse to your J2EE application path
• • Click "Open"
• Click "Deploy"
• On next page, scroll down and click "Apply"
• Click link back to instance overview

Step 14: Re-install/Test Your Custom Tags

This process varies so much that I'll leave it for you to figure out for your particular application.

Step 15: Test Your Websites

Your sites and apps should all be working now as normal. To see your new CF version number in all it's glory, try running this code.

Have fun.

I'm sorry to say, but I just can't stand Matt Woodward's voice on the podcast! I feel horrible saying that, but damn... his voice is so jarring compared to everyone else on the podcast. Like a chainsaw amongst regular, smooth voices.

Ugh! I want to listen to the podcast, but he needs to take more of a producer role rather than an on-air talent. I really want to listen, but I just can't. ColdFusion Weekly has been going for a couple of years, so why am I bringing this up now? Well, until recently I have avoided listening to podcasts for various reasons... so I've never really listened to ColdFusion Weekly in the past.

Am I alone here? How can you regular listeners stand it? I just found this blog post that refers to "the soothing voice of Matt Woodward". Wow. Maybe my iPod is malfunctioning, but his voice is the complete opposite of "soothing". He's a smart guy and I really applaud his efforts in delivering a worthwhile product to the CF community. I just wish I could enjoy it.

I wish I knew more about Regular Expressions. I'm slowly learning and discovering how frickin' all mighty and powerful they are. Here's an example.

I have a field in my app where I need to make sure that users enter a time-like format, but not an actual time. I want them to enter how long in minutes and seconds it took them to do something. And I don't want to use two separate form fields.

Therefore, they might enter 36:15, which is 36 minutes, 15 seconds... obviously not a real time-of-day.

If you need to verify an actual time-of-day, just look at my previous post about using the ColdFusion IsDate() function to validate time. But if you need to do what I'm doing, check out this RegEx I created. I'm still new at RegEx, so there might be an even better way to do this.

This does exactly what I need it to do. And it will even accommodate really slow users who enter something like 114:38. But any other format will generate a message that they entered their info in the wrong format.

What's going on?

1) The carat "^" tells the RegEx to start at the beginning of the string. There it looks for any single number [0-9].

2) Next, we tell it to do this at least 1 time and not more than 3 times {1,3}.

3) Then we have a literal character ":" which is an actual character to look for.

4) Then we check for exactly 2 more numbers.

5) The "$" locks the end of the string after those two numbers have been found.

This is very old news, but I think it still generates a lot of questions and searching from ColdFusion developers. There is no literal IsTime() or IsTimeFormat() function in ColdFusion in order to check whether or not a value is formatted properly as a time.

When a developer needs this functionality, they will often search Google, etc. and come across various forum posts that suggest Regular Expression solutions, etc. Well, there is actually no need for all of that. The built-in ColdFusion function IsDate() will also check times for you!

Test it for yourself!

David OMalley sent me a snippet of interesting code.  While playing around with the HostMySite.com CF8 Scorpio Beta, he discovered a simple way to bind <cfselect> to a <div>.  This little trick could prove useful!  A sample of the working code can be found here:

http://h127188.cf8beta.com/courses.cfm

I have just finished uninstalling ColdFusion MX 7 on a second computer.  And I've just had it fail completely for a second time.

1) Attempt #1: Home computer with XP Pro, CFMX7 Dev Multi-Server edition on JRun, Apache

How do I uninstall ColdFusion MX 7?  What would Brian Boitano do?

• Look within Program group in the Start menu.  Hmmm... nothing there.
• Go to Add/Remove Programs and click on ColdFusion MX 7 & JRun uninstall.  Okay, do that.
  

So the uninstall starts and runs.  "Shutting down Windows Services" takes a ridiculous amount of time.  I let it sit there for about 30 minutes and check back.  Okay, that dialog is gone and now it's sitting at "ColdFusion is configuring your system... blah.."  Let it sit for another 30 minutes.  Come back and find nothing has changed.

Switch over to my other computer via KVM switch for a while.  Bad idea.  Try to switch back and my first computer is locked up.  Hard reset!  Ugh.

Come back into first computer after reset and find that Add/Remove Programs shows ColdFusion to be gone.  Okay, I *guess* that worked.  I guess it didn't (see below), but that's all I have time for on that machine.


2) Attempt #2: Work Dev computer with XP Pro, CFMX7 Dev Multi-Server edition on JRun, Apache

Everything proceeds as above except that my computer did not lock up.  I let it sit on "ColdFusion is configuring your system... blah.." for about 2 hours with no response.  Used Task Manager to end the task.  Browsed the File Structure and saw that the /JRun4 directory still existed.  Then I did this:

• Explored that directory
• There I find an "uninstall" sub-directory.
  
• Here we find a bunch of executables, all with nice human-readable names.
• Clicked on "KillJRun.exe".  Nice.  Nothing really happened.  Just seemed like a cool thing to do.
  
• Clicked on "Uninstall ColdFusion MX 7 with JRun".
• BOOM!  Magic happens. 
  
• The installer comes up and runs through all of it's uninstall routines quickly and efficiently.  ColdFusion MX 7 is apparently wiped from my system.  Phew!
  

What went wrong?  Did I miss something geeky that I was supposed to do before I attempted the original uninstall?  I wouldn't be surprised.  While ColdFusion is the easy and efficient way to do application development... installing, uninstalling, and configuring is usually not without complications and the need to edit .xml files or move, rename, or otherwise manipulate .jar files.