Configure the failover cluster

During the configuration process, you switch between Node 1 and Node 2. To configure the failover cluster successfully:

  1. Start the configuration on Node 2. Once you prepare Node 2, move to Node 1.

  2. Continue the configuration on Node 1. Once done, move to Node 2.

  3. Finish the configuration on Node 2.

Considerations

Before starting the configuration, consider the following:

  • VMS access - The users won't be able to log in to any XProtect client during configuration. Milestone recommends that you schedule downtime during the configuration process.

  • If using internal SQL Server - The wizard will replicate the SQL Server databases from Node 1 to Node 2 and overwrite the databases on Node 2.

  • If using external SQL Server - Make sure that the Management Server and the IIS application pools for the VMS on Node 1 are running.

  • If you have installed a recording server or failover recording server on the nodes - If you select HTTPS as the connection protocol for the failover cluster, you must stop the Recording Server and Failover Recording Server services. You can start the services when you have configured the failover cluster. See Start or stop a VMS service.

Start the configuration on Node 2

  1. In the notification area, right-click the Management Server Manager tray icon and select Configure failover management server.

  2. Select Configure the secondary computer and select Continue.

  3. Make sure that you have installed the required system components and scheduled downtime. Select Confirm to continue.

  4. On the Select connection protocol page, select a protocol for communication with the failover web console. Select Continue.

    To secure your connection, select HTTPS.

  5. On the Set a password for authentication page, specify a password for login to the failover web console. You need to set the same password on Node 1.

    Select Continue.

The wizard prepares the node and informs when successfully completed.

(For HTTPS only) Save the security code. To establish a secure connection between the nodes, you must specify the security code on the Node 1.

You are now ready to continue on Node 1.

Continue the configuration on Node 1

  1. In the notification area, right-click the Management Server Manager tray icon and select Configure failover management server.

  2. In the Failover management server wizard, select Configure the primary computer.

    If you want to exclude SQL Server from the failover cluster, select Use an external SQL Server.

    If you select to use external SQL Server, XProtect Management Server Failover will not replicate the data on the SQL Server databases. To keep your SQL Server databases safe, you must configure a backup solution yourself.

    Then, select Continue.

  3. If you have prepared Node 2, select Confirm to continue.

  4. On the Select connection protocol page, select the same connection protocol you selected on Node 2. Select Continue.

  5. On the Connect to the secondary computer page, specify the required system information.

    Name

    Description
    Secondary computer’s FQDN (recommended), host name, or IPv4 address

    Specify the address of Node 2.

    • When in an AD domain, you must specify the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of Node 2.

    • If it is a workgroup environment, specify the host name (recommended) or IP address of Node 2.

    Failover license

    If you have purchased an XProtect Management Server Failover license, you can add it now on this node.

    If you do not add a license within three days, the Management Server service will stop.

    You must add the same XProtect Management Server Failover license on both nodes.

    Virtual IPv4 address The remote servers will communicate with this IPv4 address instead of the management server address. Specify an available IPv4 address in your network to replace the actual address of the management server.
    Security code (for HTTPS only) To establish a secure connection between the nodes, specify the security code you got from Node 2.

    Then, select Continue. If you have not added a license, a message informs you that the management server becomes unavailable after three days.

  6. On the Set a password for authentication page, enter the password that you set on Node 2 in step 5, then select Continue.

    The wizard configures the failover cluster. It may take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the system load and connection speed.

  7. (For HTTPS only) On the Select destination folder for the server certificate page, specify a destination folder. If you do not select a destination folder, the wizard will export the certificate to C:\Users\{user}\Documents.

    Select Continue. The wizard saves the certificate to the selected folder.

When the configuration of Node 1 succeeds, go to Node 2 to finish the configuration.

Finish the configuration on Node 2

  1. Confirm that you have completed the configuration on Node 1, and then select Continue.

  2. On the Add a failover license on this computer page, you can add your failover license.

    Select Continue.

  3. When the configuration is successful, the failover web console opens automatically on Node 2. Node 1 comes into the PRIM state, and Node 2 comes into the SECOND state.

    The wizard adds a shortcut to the failover web console to your desktop on both nodes.

    To finish the setup, you must register the remote servers. See Register remote servers.

    Install the server certificate. See Install the server certificate on a computer.

You can enforce a node failover to ensure that the setup is correct. You can then swap the nodes again to revert to the original state of the nodes.

If the configuration fails, remove the current configuration and start the process again, see Remove the existing failover cluster configuration.