1. The connecting server tries to connect using the same method it used the last time it made a successful connection to the destination server. Note these two exceptions:

• If the server never connected to the destination server, the server searches for a path (consisting of a network port and any passthru servers) to the destination server.
• If the server has connected previously, but the connection now fails, the server conducts a new path search if it is the first attempt of the day.

3. The server examines normal-priority Connection documents in the IBM® Lotus® Domino™ Directory for information on what path to use to connect to the destination server. A normal-priority Connection document is one that has Normal selected in the "Usage priority" field. If multiple normal-priority Connection documents exist for the same destination server, the server chooses the Connection document to use based on the type of connection in the following order:

• Local Area Network
• Network Dialup
• IBM® Lotus® Notes® Direct Dialup
• Passthru server
• Hunt group of passthru servers
Note A server that uses a passthru connection to reach the destination server must first be able to connect to the passthru server. To provide information on how to connect to the passthru server, you may have to create an additional Connection document.

5. If the connecting server's local Domino Directory does not contain information about the destination server, it tries to connect directly to the destination server on the LAN by using the server common name as its address.

6. The connecting server checks the low-priority Connection documents. A low-priority Connection document is one that has Low selected in the "Usage priority" field.

7. If the connecting server still cannot find a path to the destination server, it issues a message that a connection is not possible.

Note For workstations connecting to servers, the search logic is the same except that the workstation tries to use the passthru server listed as default in the Location document to make the connection if Steps 1 through 5 fail. If the Location document does not define a default passthru server and the workstation is already connected to a server over an IBM® Lotus® Notes® Direct Dialup connection, the workstation uses that server as a passthru to reach the destination server.

To display information about how a server makes a connection, open the Miscellaneous Events view in the log file (LOG.NSF). To change the amount of information IBM Lotus Domino records about connections in the log file, change the log level.

For more information on using log files, see the topic The Domino server log.

See also

Planning server-to-server connections

Glossary