Windows Clustering

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Windows Clustering XR
Protection Against Failure For TargetEXPERT XR
MarketEXPERT XR

• Brian SchulteManager, Installations Systems
  Integration, VRMS

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The Common XR configuration
Server goes down! XR goes down!
Install XR!
Power Up Configure Server!
Buy A Server!
The system is down for an extended time users
get VERY angry because they cannot get work done!
Users get angry and cannot get work done!
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What If There Was A Better Way?

• A Windows Server Cluster

Active Node
Passive Node
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Before We Delve Deeper

• This presentation focuses on Windows Clustering
• TargetEXPERT XR and MarketEXPERT XR application
  software run on Windows!
• Clustering is a concept that is not unique to
  Windows. It exists for various flavors of Unix as
  well.

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Microsofts Definition

• Server cluster provides failover support for
  applications and services that require high
  availability, scalability, and reliability.
• With clustering, organizations can make
  applications and data available on multiple
  servers linked together in a cluster
  configuration.
• Back-end applications and services, such as those
  provided by database servers, are ideal
  candidates for Server cluster.

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The Concept Of Clusters

• Implies use of two or more computers
• Organizing them to work together
• Superior to any single system in regards to
• Availability
• Reliability
• Scalability

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Active / Passive Philosophy

• The simplest cluster configuration is 2 servers
  (primary and backup)
• Primary is the Active node, Backup is the
  Passive node (under normal conditions)
• If something goes wrong with the Primary server,
  the Primary becomes Passive and the Backup
  becomes Active
• There is always 1 Active node thats available
  to honor requests

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Active Node

• Actively handling requests on behalf of
• MarketEXPERT XR
• TargetEXPERT XR
• Database
• Other services or processes

Active Node
Passive Node
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Passive Node

• On standby, waiting for the Active node to fail
• When Active node fails, Passive node becomes the
  active node

Active Node
Passive Node
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Normal Operation

• The Active Node fields requests for MarketEXPERT
  XR

Active Node
Passive Node
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A Failure Occurs

• The Active node fails (something goes wrong!)
• Active node is made unavailable

Active Node
Passive Node
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A Failover Occurs

• The Passive node becomes Active
• Begins fielding requests for MarketEXPERT XR

XR SERVER
Passive Node
Active Node
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A Few Types Of Failure

• Application/service failure
• Application software and essential services
  (possibly with dependencies)
• System/hardware failure
• Hardware components (e.g., CPUs, drives, memory,
  network adapters, power supplies, etc.)
• Site failure
• Natural disaster, power outages, connectivity
  outages

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XR Cluster-Friendly Services

• MXXR Scheduler Service (rmsxrschsvc)
• Configurable as a cluster resource to failover
  from the Active to the Passive node
• TargetEXPERT XR (TXServ)
• Configurable as a cluster resource to failover
  from the Active to the Passive node
• MXXR Security Service (rmsxrusv)
• Knows to be the RPC service automatically (for
  reports)
• Needs to know location of XR security file if
  node is XR login server

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Clustered TargetEXPERT XR

• Configured in Cluster Resources as a Generic
  Service
• TXServ on the Passive node will be made active
  and begin honoring request for XR SERVER

XRSERVER
Active Node
Passive Node
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Load Balancing TXServ

• TXServ supports an ACTIVE ACTIVE setup!
• Both servers can be clustered partners
• Under normal operation, TXServ would be on 2
  servers for load balancing for high-volume,
  real-time transaction sites

TXSERVRA
TXSERVRB
Active Node
Active Node
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Clustered XR Scheduler

• Configured in Cluster Resources as a Generic
  Service
• Schedule will pick up again after a failover
  occurs

XRSERVER
Active Node
Passive Node
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Clustered XR Login Service

• Configured in Cluster Resources as a Generic
  Service
• Simply needs to know the location of the XR
  Security file (MXXRSEC directory)

XRSERVER
SAN
Passive Node
Active Node
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Benefits Of Clusters

• High availability
• Users (customer service, analysts, category
  managers, administrators) can log back into
  MarketEXPERT XR and continue working
• High reliability
• Schedules (nightly schedules, saved reports,
  etc.) will continue run on time
• High serviceability
• No true outages may be required. Instead, a
  failover is all thats needed, the Passive node
  can be serviced transparently.

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Limitations Of Clusters

• Does not guard against loss of a user's work
• Long running reports may need to be resubmitted
• Long running batch processes may need to be
  restarted (Aggregator, targeted lists, data
  exports, Product Pairing, etc.)
• Real-time communications (TargetEXPERT XR) may
  experience a brief outage during the failover
• Mapped drives or other server resources may be
  unavailable (if unique to other server)
• Redundant, but not fault-tolerant

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Redundancy Possibilities For YOU!

• Is your XR Installation 2-tier or 3-tier?
• Do you have TargetEXPERT XR? Do you require the
  insurance of extra redundancy?
• MarketEXPERT XR server could be a redundancy
  server in case your TargetEXPERT XR server goes
  down!
• Do your customer service employees (or analysts,
  category managers, etc.) require additional
  redundancy for MarketEXPERT XR?
• Do your servers have a version of Windows that
  supports Clustering?

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Windows Versions Which Support Clustering?

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
• Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
• Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition

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Sources

• An Overview of Windows Clustering Technologies
  Server Clusters and Network Load Balancing
  http//www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo
  wsserver2003/technologies/clustering/winclstt.mspx
  
• VRMS resources
• XR Administration Manual
• TargetEXPERT XR Manual
• VIPER Knowledgebase