---
title: Configuring server groups
description: The PingDirectory server provides a mechanism for setting up administrative domains that synchronize configuration changes among servers in a server group.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_server_administration_guide:pd_ds_config_server_groups
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_server_administration_guide/pd_ds_config_server_groups.html
revdate: July 2, 2024
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  example: Example:
  example-2: Example:
  example-3: Example:
  example-4: Example:
  example-5: Example:
  result: Result:
  example-6: Example:
  example-7: Example:
  result-2: Result:
  example-8: Example:
  result-3: Result:
---

# Configuring server groups

The PingDirectory server provides a mechanism for setting up administrative domains that synchronize configuration changes among servers in a server group.

## About this task

After you have set up a server group, you can make an update on one server using `dsconfig`, then apply the change to the other servers in the group using the `--applyChangeTo server-group` option of the `dsconfig` non-interactive command. If you want to apply the change to one server in the group, use the `--applyChangeTo single-server` option. When using `dsconfig` in interactive command-line mode, you are asked if you want to apply the change to a single server or to all servers in the server group.

You can create an administrative server group using the `dsconfig` tool. The general process is to create a group, add servers to the group, and then set a global configuration property to use the server group. If you are configuring a replication topology, then you must configure the replicas to be in a server group, as outlined in [Replication Configuration](pd_ds_config_single_listener_address.html).

The following example procedure adds three PingDirectory server instances into the server group labeled "group-one".

## Steps

1. Create a group called "group-one" using `dsconfig`.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig create-server-group --group-name group-one
   ```

2. Add any PingDirectory server to the server group.

   If you have set up replication between a set of servers, these server entries are created by the `dsreplication` `enable` command.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig set-server-group-prop \
     --group-name group-one --add member:server1

   $ bin/dsconfig set-server-group-prop \
     --group-name group-one --add member:server2

   $ bin/dsconfig set-server-group-prop \
     --group-name group-one --add member:server3
   ```

3. Set a global configuration property for each of the servers that should share changes in this group.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig set-global-configuration-prop \
     --set configuration-server-group:group-one
   ```

4. Test the server group.

   In this example, enable the log publisher for each PingDirectory server in the group "server-group" by using the `--applyChangeTo server-group` option.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig set-log-publisher-prop \
     --publisher-name "File-Based Audit Logger" \
     --set enabled:true \
     --applyChangeTo server-group
   ```

5. View the property on the first PingDirectory server instance.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig get-log-publisher-prop \
     --publisher-name "File-Based Audit Logger" \
     --property enabled
   ```

   ### Result:

   ```
   Property : Value(s)
   ---------:---------
   enabled : true
   ```

6. Repeat step 5 on the second and third PingDirectory server instances.

7. Test the server group by disabling the log publisher on the first PingDirectory server instance by using the `--applyChangeTo single-server`.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig set-log-publisher-prop \
     --publisher-name "File-Based Audit Logger" \
     --set enabled:disabled \
     --applyChangeTo single-server
   ```

8. View the property on the first PingDirectory server instance.

   The first PingDirectory server instance should be disabled.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig get-log-publisher-prop \
     --publisher-name "File-Based Audit Logger" \
     --property enabled
   ```

   ### Result:

   ```
   Property : Value(s)
   ---------:---------
   enabled : false
   ```

9. View the property on the second PingDirectory server instance.

   Repeat this step on the third PingDirectory server instance to verify that the property is still enabled on that server.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/dsconfig get-log-publisher-prop \
     --publisher-name "File-Based Audit Logger" \
     --property enabled
   ```

   ### Result:

   ```
   Property : Value(s)
   ---------:---------
   enabled : true
   ```