Setup the Solr as a window service

Solr ? 

Solr is highly reliable, scalable and fault tolerant, providing distributed indexing, replication and load-balanced querying, automated failover and recovery, centralized configuration and more. Solr powers the search and navigation features of many of the world's largest internet sites.

1.   Prerequisite Software 

·         JAVA ( install it from https://java.com/en/download/)

·         solr-4.5.1.zip  (Download from https://archive.apache.org/dist/lucene/solr/4.5.1/)

·         NSSM 2.24 ( Non Sucking Service manager) https://nssm.cc/release/nssm-2.24.zip

2.   Setup Solr Instance

2.1  Download Solr

·         Download the Solr and extract it in one folder.

         Ex : D:\SolrPOC\Solr\Solr-4.5.1\

·         Make sure Java is installed properly

 Setup Solr as Windows service using NSSM

1. NSSM - Non-Sucking Service Manager

nssm is a service helper which doesn't suck. Other service helper programs suck because they don't handle failure of the application running as a service. If you use such a program, you may see a service listed as started when in fact the application has died. nssm monitors the running service and will restart it if it dies.

Nssm also features a graphical service installation and removal facility.

2. Download nssm and install Solr as a service

·         Download nssm 2.24  from https://nssm.cc/release/nssm-2.24.zip

·         Extract nssm zip into folder  D:\SolrPOC\Solr\nssm 2.24 

·         Run the below command in command prompt. Open cmd in administrator mode.

D:\SolrPOC\Solr\nssm-2.24\win64\nssm.exe install solr-5.4.1

·         It will open NSSM service installation window as GUI

·         Enter : D:\SolrPOC\Solr\Solr-4.5.1\bin\solr.cmd in Path

·         Enter : D:\SolrPOC\Solr\Solr-4.5.1\\bin in Startup Directory

·         Enter : start -f -p 8983 in Arguments  ( Note : You can provide the port based on your requirement, default port is 8983)

·         Same way, click on details tab, enter the other values, and click on “Install service” button.

·         If service installed successfully then below screen will display

                 

3  Verify the Service and Solr UI

·         Verify the service in window services. Run the command (services.msc) to open the window service and verify installed service.

·         Start the service (Right click and start or left top corner).

·         Now open the URL  http://localhost:8983/solr in browser. It will open the Solr GUI.

4  Create cores using Solr UI

·         Click on Core Admin > Add Core

·         In add core window , enter “US_master_index” in field name & instanceDir

·         Click on Add Core button

·         Repeat above steps to add more core

·         You can verify the core in folder : D:\SolrPOC\Solr\Solr-4.5.1\server\solr

·         Similarly add all the below cores for CD environment and verify it.

3.   Troubleshooting

3.1  Solr Service not starting or paused

·         Add / Verify JAVA_HOME System Variable

·         If Solr5.4.1 service is not starting or paused in Services then verify whether JAVA_HOME system variable is added under Environment Variables or not

3.2  How to verify and add JAVA_HOME system variable?

·         Go to Control PanelàClick on System àClick on Advanced System Settings

·         Click on Advanced Tabà Click on Environment Variables

·         Under System Variables, verify JAVA_HOME variable is there or not.

·         If JAVA_HOME variable available then verify latest JRE path is used or not.

·         Goto C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\ and verify JRE folders.

·         Check whether latest JRE folder path is specified for JAVA_HOME or not.

·         If not then enter latest JRE version’s  path.

·         Now try to start Solr5.4.1 service under services.

·         If JAVA_HOME not available then click on New to add new variable.

·         Enter JAVA_HOME as variable name

·         Enter jre path (C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_66) as Variable Value.

·         NOTE: If more than one jre folder is available under Java folder then specify latest jre

·         Click OK

·         Now try to start Solr5.4.1 service under services.

3.3    Edit/Uninstall the service using NSSM?
            ·         NSSM Command to uninstall the Solr Service
                  1). Open command prompt in Admin mode
                  2) Type command below command
                      D:\SolrPOC\Solr\nssm-2.24\win64\nssm remove solr5.4.1
                  3) You will receive "service removed successfully" message
                  4) Verify the service (type services.msc)
                  5) If service name still is still displaying then restart the system.

·         NSSM Command to edit Solr Service:
      1). Open command prompt in Admin mode

 2). Type command : D:\SolrPOC\Solr\nssm-2.24\win64\nssm edit solr5.4.1

3.4  How to verify solr service running on which port?

·         Navigate to \solr-5.4.1\bin folder. There .port extension file available which show the running port no.

3.5  How to verify solr service running on which process ID?

·         Navigate folder : \solr-5.4.1\server\solr

·         Open folder hsperfdata_

·         There is one file with numeric no. Note down this number

·         Open task manager and navigate to details tab

·         Search for Java and match the PID with above noted number.

3.6  Solr service is hanged for last 1 hour?

·         Java behave differently on window, when we stop the service then it does not immediately stop. If any backend operation is, happening then it wait to finish that operation.

·         Always stop and start the service for clear visibility.

·         Do not immediately stop and start the service. At least gap should be 30- 60 sec.

·         After waiting for a long time if service is still not responding then verify the above java PID in task manager.

·         Try to kill java process from task manager. If you are unable to kill particular java process then need to restart the system.