---
title: Preparing two new external servers using the prepare-external-server tool
description: Prepare the external directory servers, ds-central-01 and ds-central-02, by creating the proxy user account and the supporting access rules.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectoryproxy_server_administration_guide:pd_proxy_prep_two_external_servers
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectoryproxy_server_administration_guide/pd_proxy_prep_two_external_servers.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  example: Example:
---

# Preparing two new external servers using the prepare-external-server tool

Prepare the external directory servers, `ds-central-01` and `ds-central-02`, by creating the proxy user account and the supporting access rules.

## About this task

Connect to the `ds-central-01 `PingDirectory server using StartTLS. Because you are using StartTLS, you must capture the `ds-central-01` server's certificate and put it in the trust store on your PingDirectoryProxy server instance.

The `prepare-external-server` tool is located in the `bin` or `bat` directory of the server root directory, PingDirectoryProxy. In this example, run the tool on the `ds-east-01` instance of the PingDirectoryProxy server.

## Steps

1. Run the `prepare-external-server` tool to prepare the two new servers.

   ### Example:

   On the first attempted bind to the server, the tool reports a `failed to bind` message because it can't bind to the `cn=Proxy User` entry because it hasn't been created yet. The tool sets up the `cn=Proxy User` entry so that the PingDirectoryProxy server can access it and tests the communication settings to the server.

   ```
   root@proxy-east-01: ./prepare-external-server \
   --hostname ds-central-01.example.com --port 389 \
   --baseDN dc=example,dc=com \
   --proxyBindPassword password  \
   --useStartTLS \
   --proxyTrustStorePath ../config/ExampleTruststore.jks

   Failed to bind as 'cn=Proxy User'

   Would you like to create or modify root user 'cn=Proxy User' so that it is
   available for this Directory Proxy Server? (yes / no)[yes]:

   Enter the DN of an account on ds-central-01:389 with which to create or manage the 'cn=Proxy User'
   account [cn=Directory Manager]:

   Enter the password for 'cn=Directory Manager':

   Created 'cn=Proxy User,cn=Root DNs,cn=config'
   Testing 'cn=Proxy User' privileges ....Done
   ```

2. Repeat the process on the other new server in the central location, `ds-central-02`.

   |   |                                                                                                                            |
   | - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | For entry-balancing deployments, the global base distinguished name (DN) is required when using `prepare-external-server`. |