TechNote (Archived)

Establishing a dedicated Shockwave Multiuser Server

When establishing a Shockwave Multiuser Server enabled application, the Director file must be able to connect to a dedicated multiuser server that is accessible to all of your clients. If you wish to have your multiuser server accessible from the Internet, there are a few requirements that must be met to allow this functionality.

Dedicated server
A dedicated multiuser server is accessible to all of your clients whenever they wish to use your application. This usually means that you will have the server running 24 hours, 7 days a week. To do this, most users will set up a dedicated machine to handle multiuser traffic. It is possible to have other applications or servers running on this machine, but we recommend that if you plan on heavy use or large data transfers that you dedicate the machine to handling multiuser messaging exclusively. We also recommend that you test early and often when designing your multiuser application to verify performance and abilities of your dedicated multiuser server.

The Shockwave Multiuser Server must be installed on the machine, and cannot be placed in a virtual directory. This means that you must have full rights access to the entire machine and be able to install an application on the machine. Also, the Multiuser Server does not run as a service on an NT machine. It can, however, be installed as a service using shareware, freeware, and commercial applications that are designed for this purpose. For more information, please refer to Frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding the Multiuser Server and Xtra (TechNote 14416).

Static IP address
Your multiuser server should be located on a machine that has a static IP address assigned to it. A static IP is important because it allows your Director application to always know where the server is located and how to connect to the server. If you have a dynamically assigned IP address and your IP address changes, your Director application will no longer be able to find the server and this will prevent your application from functioning correctly.

Defined port number
With every Multiuser Server enabled application you must define which port number the Multiuser Server will use to connect. When establishing a machine as your server you must verify that the machine has the ability to send and receive messages with this port number. Usually, this is only a concern if your server is located behind a Firewall. If your machine is behind a Firewall, make sure to confirm with the system administrator that the port you specify is currently accessible via the Firewall. For more information about port numbers please refer to Port Numbers for the Director Multiuser Server (TechNote 13726).

Using an internet service provider
It is possible for your ISP to provide a dedicated multiuser server, but there are some special requirements that you and your provider must be familiar with when setting up the server. Most ISPs will not allow you to install an application on the machine unless you are co-locating the server. Co-location of a server allows you to have a dedicated machine for your services exclusively. It also allows you to have full administration rights.

If you wish to have the server support up to 1000 simultaneous users, the Multiuser Server CFG file must contain a valid Director serial number. If the ISP is providing the Multiuser Server exclusively for your use, you may use your Director serial number to validate the Shockwave Multiuser Server. If the ISP wishes to allow other clients access to this Multiuser Server they must purchase a copy of Director themselves to provide a valid serial number. A unique serial number must be used for every copy of the Shockwave Multiuser Server that allows 1000 user access. The full Shockwave Multiuser Server User License is contained in the Director End-user License agreement and should be read fully before establishing a server with an ISP.

A Worldwide Mall is an ISP that provides multiuser service without having to co-locate a server. Please contact A Worldwide Mall for more information about the services they offer.