Configuring the failover cluster with database replication

If you have installed the management server component with SQL Server on both nodes, you can use data replication of the SQL Server databases.

Prerequisite	Description
Database backup	Back up any existing databases to avoid loss of data. During the failover cluster configuration, the wizard replicates the SQL Server databases on Node 1 to the SQL Server databases on Node 2. All data on the SQL Server databases on Node 2 is overwritten.
SQL Server service account	The SQL Server service must run under the same user account as the XProtect services. To change a service account for the XProtect VMS, see Changing the service account that runs a VMS service
Database location	You can use the default or custom location for the VMS database's data and log files. The default configuration is as follows: The VMS database's data and log files are stored in the DATA folder. The SQL Server error logs, trace log files, and log events are stored in the Log folder. The DATA and Log folders belong to the same parent folder. The default locations are: `C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL{nn}.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA` `C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL{nn}.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Log` {nn} is the version number. Note To use custom locations, place the data (.mdf) and log (.ldf) files in a folder called DATA. Then, create an empty Log folder in the same parent folder.
Virus scanning exclusions	In your antivirus program, exclude the locations of the DATA and Log folders from virus scanning.
Instance name	Verify that the instance name of your SQL Server is MSSQLSERVER. See View the SQL Server instance name.

To configure the failover cluster, you switch between Node 1 and Node 2 in the following order:

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

During the configuration, the XProtect VMS users won't be able to log in to any XProtect client during configuration.

XProtect Management Server Failover