Installation of SolarWinds Failover Engine v6.7 from the Command

INSTALLATION GUIDE

SolarWinds Failover EngineCommand Line InstallationVersion 6.7

Last Updated: May 25, 2017

Retrieve the latest version from: https://support.solarwinds.com/Success_Center/Failover_Engine_(FoE)/FOE_Documentation

Copyright© 1995-2013 SolarWinds, Inc., all rights reserved worldwide. No part of this documentmay be reproduced by any means nor modified, decompiled, disassembled, published ordistributed, in whole or in part, or translated to any electronic medium or other means withoutthe written consent of SolarWinds. All right, title and interest in and to the software anddocumentation are and shall remain the exclusive property of SolarWinds and its licensors.SolarWinds®, the SolarWinds logo, ipMonitor®, LANsurveyor®, and Orion® are among thetrademarks or registered trademarks of the company in the United States and/or othercountries. All other trademarks contained in this document and in the Software are the propertyof their respective owners.

SOLARWINDS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS OR OTHER TERMS,EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, ON SOFTWARE ANDDOCUMENTATION FURNISHED HEREUNDER INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THEWARRANTIES OF DESIGN, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULARPURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOLARWINDS, ITSSUPPLIERS OR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISINGIN TORT, CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY EVEN IF SOLARWINDS HASBEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Microsoft®, Windows 2000 Server®, Windows 2003 Server®, andWindows 2008 Server® areeither registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United Statesand/or other countries.

Graph Layout Toolkit and Graph Editor Toolkit © 1992 - 2001 Tom Sawyer Software, Oakland,California. All Rights Reserved.

Portions Copyright © ComponentOne, LLC 1991-2002. All Rights Reserved.

Fluent is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation and the Fluent user interface is licensed fromMicrosoft Corporation.

SolarWinds Failover Engine version 6.7.0 [Build 10738] 2.28.2013

ii - Preface

Installation Guide - SolarWinds Failover Engine

About SolarWinds

SolarWinds, Inc develops and markets an array of network management, monitoring, and discoverytools to meet the diverse requirements of today’s network management and consulting professionals.SolarWinds products continue to set benchmarks for quality and performance and have positionedthe company as the leader in network management and discovery technology. The SolarWindscustomer base includes over 45 percent of the Fortune 500 and customers from over 90 countries.Our global business partner distributor network exceeds 100 distributors and resellers.

Contacting SolarWinds

You can contact SolarWinds in a number of ways, including the following:

Contact InformationTeam

1.866.530.8100Saleswww.solarwinds.comTEST

www.solarwinds.com/supportTechnical Support

http://support.solarwinds.net/supportUser ForumsNote: You need a customer account to access the CustomerSupport area of the website.

Preface - iii

SolarWinds Failover Engine - Installation Guide

http://www.solarwinds.com

http://www.solarwinds.com/support

http://support.solarwinds.net/support

SolarWinds Failover Engine Documentation Library

The following documents are included in the SolarWinds Failover Engine documentationlibrary:

PurposeDocument

Provides detailed configuration and conceptual information.Administrator Guide

Provides detailed setup information.Installation Guides

Provides help for every window in the SolarWinds FailoverEngine user interface.

Page Help

Provides late breaking information, known issues, and updates.The latest Release Notes can be found at www.solarwinds.com/

Release Notes

Conventions

The documentation uses consistent conventions to help you identify items throughout theprinted and online library.

SpecifyingConvention

Window items including buttons and fields.Bold

Book and CD titles, variable names, new terms.Italics

File and directory names, commands and code examples, texttyped by you.

Fixed font

Optional command parametersStraight brackets, as in[value]

Required command parametersCurly braces, as in {value}

Exclusive command parameters where only one of the optionscan be specified.

Logical OR, as invalue1|value2

iv - Preface


http://www.solarwinds.com/

Contents

Chapter 1:Introduction.....................................................................................................7SolarWinds Failover Engine Concepts..............................................................7Communications...............................................................................................8SolarWinds Failover Engine Switchover and Failover Processes..................10

Chapter 2:Implementation..............................................................................................11Implementation Overview................................................................................11Common Requirements..................................................................................11Server Architecture Options............................................................................13Virtual to Virtual (V2V).................................................................................13Physical to Virtual (P2V)..............................................................................13Physical to Physical (P2P)...........................................................................14

Cloning Technology Options...........................................................................15Supported Pre-Clone Technologies.............................................................15Supported Install Clone Technologies.........................................................15

Network Options..............................................................................................16Local Area Network (LAN)...........................................................................16Wide Area Network (WAN)..........................................................................17Network Interface Card (NIC) Configuration................................................18

Firewall Configuration Requirements..............................................................20Anti-Malware Recommendations....................................................................21

Chapter 3:Command Line Installation..........................................................................23Command Line Usage....................................................................................23Parameter File Elements.................................................................................24Command Line Installation of the Primary Server..........................................26Command Line Installation of a Virtual Secondary Server.............................27Command Line Installation of a Physical Secondary Server..........................28Post Installation Configuration........................................................................28Configure actions to take upon failure of a service......................................29When Additional Pollers (AP)s are not installed, create an Exclusion Filter.31When IPAM 2.0 is installed, create an Inclusion Filter.................................31

Contents - v


Command Line Installation of SolarWinds Failover Engine Client Tools........31Command Line Uninstall of SolarWinds Failover Engine ..............................32

Appendix A:Setup Error Messages..................................................................................35

Appendix B:Installation Verification Testing...................................................................41Testing a SolarWinds Failover Engine Pair.....................................................41Exercise 1 - Auto-switchover.......................................................................41Exercise 2 - Data Verification.......................................................................43Exercise 3 - Switchover...............................................................................44

Glossary........................................................................................................................................47

vi - Contents


Chapter 1IntroductionSolarWinds Failover Engine is a Windows based service specifically designedto provide High Availability or Disaster Recovery protection for SolarWindsServer configurations without requiring any specialized hardware.

SolarWinds Failover Engine Concepts

Architecture

SolarWinds Failover Engine software is installed on a Primary (production)server and a Secondary (ready-standby) server. These names refer to theIdentity of the servers and never change throughout the life of the server.

Note: In this document, the term “Cluster” refers to a SolarWinds FailoverEngine Cluster. Refer to the Glossary for more information about SolarWindsFailover Engine Clusters.

Depending on the network environment, SolarWinds Failover Engine can bedeployed in a Local Area Network (LAN) for High Availability or Wide AreaNetwork (WAN) for Disaster Recovery, providing the flexibility necessary toaddress most network environments.

When deployed, one of the servers performs the Role of the Active serverthat is visible on the Public network while the other is Passive and hidden fromthe Public network but remains as a ready-standby server. The secondaryserver has the same domain name, uses the same file and data structure, samePrincipal (Public) network address (in a LAN), and can run all the sameapplications and services as the primary server. Only one server can displaythe Principal (Public) IP address and be visible on the Public network at anygiven time. SolarWinds Failover Engine software is symmetrical in almost allrespects, and either the primary server or the secondary server can take theactive role and provide protected applications to the user.

SolarWinds Failover Engine provides continuous access to the passive serversimultaneously as the active server continues to service clients allowing thepassive server to be easily accessed for maintenance purposes, updatinganti-malware definition files, receiving operating system hot-fixes, updates andpatches from third-party management software, and allows use of third-partymonitoring tools.

Protection Levels

SolarWinds Failover Engine provides the following protection levels:

Introduction - 7


• Server Protection – provides continuous availability to end users througha hardware failure scenario or operating system crash. Additionally,SolarWinds Failover Engine protects the network identity of the productionserver, ensuring users are provided with a replica server on the failure ofthe production server.

• Network Protection – proactively monitors the network by polling up to threenodes to ensure that the active server is visible on the network.

• Application Protection – maintains the application environment ensuringthat applications and services stay alive on the network.

• Performance Protection –monitors system performance attributes to ensurethat the system administrator is notified of problems and can takepre-emptive action to prevent an outage.

• Data Protection – intercepts all data written by users and applications, andmaintains a copy of this data on the passive server which can be used inthe event of a failure.

SolarWinds Failover Engine provides all five protection levels continuously,ensuring all facets of the user environment are maintained at all times, and thatthe Public network continues to operate through as many failure scenarios aspossible.

CommunicationsSolarWinds Failover Engine communications consist of two crucial components,the SolarWinds Channel and the Principal (Public) network.

To accommodate communications requirements, SolarWinds Failover Enginecan be configured to use either multiple NICs (1 X Channel and 1 X Principal(Public) connection) on each server providing a separate dedicated SolarWindsChannel network from the Principal (Public) network or a single NIC on eachserver to fulfill both the SolarWinds Channel and Principal (Public) networkconnection requirements.

8 - Introduction


Figure 1: Communications Between primary and secondary Servers

SolarWinds Channel

The first component is the SolarWinds Channel which provides communicationsbetween the active and passive servers. The SolarWinds Channel is used forcontrol and data transfer from the active server to the passive server and formonitoring of the active server's status by the passive server.

The NICs on the active and passive servers used for the SolarWinds Channelare normally configured with IP addresses outside of the Principal (Public)network subnet range and are referred to as the SolarWinds Channel addresses.During installation, setup will disable NetBIOS for the SolarWinds Channel(s)on the active and passive servers to prevent server name conflicts.

The NICs that support connectivity across the SolarWinds Channel can bestandard 100BaseT Ethernet cards providing a throughput of 100 Mbits persecond across standard Cat-5 cabling. When using multiple NICs providing aseparate dedicated SolarWinds Channel, this channel requires no hubs orrouters, but the direct connection does require crossover cabling.

When configured for a WAN deployment, configure the SolarWinds Channelto use static routes over switches and routers to maintain continuouscommunications independent from corporate or public traffic.

Principal (Public) Network

The second component is the Principal (Public) network used by clients toconnect to the active server. The Principal (Public) network provides access tothe Principal (Public) IP address used by clients to connect to the active server.The Principal (Public) IP address is a static IP address that is only available onthe currently active server and is the IP address a client uses to connect to the

Introduction - 9


active server. It must be configured as a static IP address, that is, not DHCP(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) enabled. In the figure above, the IPaddress is configured as 192.168.1.127. The Principal (Public) IP addressis shared by the active and passive servers in a LAN and is always availableon the currently active server in the cluster. In the event of a switchover orfailover, the Principal (Public) NIC is blocked on the previously active serverand is then available on the new active server. When configured, a ManagementIP address will provide access to a server regardless of the role of the server.

Management IP Address

All servers in the cluster can be configured with Management IP addressesthat allow access to the server when the server is in the passive role. TheManagement IP address is a static IP address in the same subnet as thePrincipal (Public) IP address and is always available for administrators to accessthe server.

SolarWinds Failover Engine Switchover and FailoverProcessesSolarWinds Failover Engine uses four different procedures – managedswitchover, automatic switchover, automatic failover, and managed failover –to change the role of the active and passive servers depending on the statusof the active server.• Managed Switchover – You can click Make Active on the SolarWinds

Failover Manager Server: Summary page to manually initiate a managedswitchover. When a managed switchover is triggered, the running ofprotected applications is transferred from the active machine to the passivemachine in the server pair. The server roles are reversed.

• Automatic Switchover – Automatic switchover (auto-switchover) is similarto failover (discussed in the next section) but is triggered automaticallywhen system monitoring detects failure of a protected application.

• Automatic Failover – Automatic failover is similar to automatic switchover(discussed above) but is triggered when the passive server detects thatthe active server is no longer running properly and assumes the role of theactive server.

• Managed Failover –Managed failover is similar to automatic failover in thatthe passive server automatically determines that the active server has failedand can warn the system administrator about the failure, but no failoveractually occurs until the system administrator manually triggers thisoperation (the default configuration in a DR environment).

10 - Introduction


Chapter 2ImplementationThis chapter discusses the deployment options and prerequisites to successfullyimplement SolarWinds Failover Engine and provides a step-by-step processto assist in selecting options required for installation.

Implementation OverviewSolarWinds Failover Engine is a versatile solution that provides multipleconfigurations to suit user requirements. SolarWinds Failover Engine can bedeployed as a Pair in either a LAN or WAN.

This chapter discusses the deployment options and the necessary prerequisitesfor each option, and provides a step-by-step process to assist you in selectingthe options required to successfully implement SolarWinds Failover Engine.

Prior to installing SolarWinds Failover Engine, you must identify the preferreddeployment options. The installation process requires you to select optionsthroughout the procedure to achieve the best configuration for yourrequirements.

During the installation process, SolarWinds Failover Engine performs a varietyof checks to ensure the server meets theminimum requirements for a successfulinstallation. If the server fails one of the checks, a Critical Stop orWarningmessage is displayed. Setup Error Messages provides an explanation of themessages. You must resolve Critical Stops before you can proceed with setup.

Common RequirementsThe following requirements must be met to support a successful installation ofSolarWinds Failover Engine.

Environmental Prerequisites

The server protected by SolarWinds Failover Engine must not be configuredas a domain controller, global catalog, or DNS server. If it is, it must bereconfigured before installing SolarWinds Failover Engine.

System Requirements

To support the installation of SolarWinds Failover Engine, systems must meetthe following minimum requirements:• Supported Operating Systems

Implementation - 11


Important: SolarWinds Failover Engine requires that Microsoft™ .NetFramework 4 be installed prior to running Setup.exe. If .Net Framework4 is not installed when you attempt to initiate Setup, SolarWinds FailoverEngine will prevent installation until .Net Framework 4 is installed.

Windows Server 2003 must have Windows Imaging Component (WIC)installed prior to installing Microsoft .Net Framework 4.

◦ Windows Server 2003 x86 and x64 Standard / Enterprise / R2 withSP2

◦ Windows Server 2008 x 86 and x64 Standard / Enterprise with SP1 orSP2

◦ Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Standard / Enterprise / Datacenter andSP1

◦ Windows Server 2012 x64 Standard / Datacenter

• 1GB of available RAM (2GB recommended)

Note: During the setup process, SolarWinds Failover Engine verifies that aminimum of 1GB of RAM is available.

To ensure proper operation, SolarWinds Failover Engine requires a minimumof 1GB of RAM in addition to the memory requirements of the Operating Systemand installed applications. 256MB of RAM must remain available to theSolarWinds Failover Engine application suite at all times.

• 2 GB of disk space available on the drive to receive the SolarWinds FailoverEngine installation

Note: Although SolarWinds Failover Engine requires only 2GB of availabledisk space on the drive to receive the SolarWinds Failover Engine installation,once installed, the size of each send and receive queue is configured by defaultfor 10GB. You must ensure that sufficient disk space is available toaccommodate the send and receive queues or modify the queue sizeconfiguration to prevent MaxDiskUsage errors.

• Latest Microsoft security updates• Local administrator rights for installation

Note: SolarWinds Failover Engine services are required to be run under theLocal System account.

Configuration Requirements

In addition to the system requirements listed above, the network environmentmust meet the following criteria to support the installation and operation ofSolarWinds Failover Engine:

12 - Implementation


• Plugs-ins on pre-cloned servers must be located with the same path as onthe primary server for a successful installation. For example, if the path onthe primary server is C:\temp\<pluginname.dll>, then the path to theplug-in on the pre-cloned server(s) also must beC:\temp\<pluginname.dll>.

• All applications intended to receive SolarWinds Failover Engine protectionmust be installed and configured on the primary server prior to installingSolarWinds Failover Engine

• The primary and secondary servers must be set to identical System Date,Time, and Time Zone. Once configured, do not change the Time Zone

• If installing on Windows Server 2003, verify that the Principal (Public)network adapter is listed as the first network adapter in the NetworkConnections Bind Order on each server. (Network Connections >Advanced > Advanced Settings)

Server Architecture OptionsSolarWinds Failover Engine supports Virtual to Virtual, Physical to Virtual, andPhysical to Physical architectures. The selected server architecture determinesthe hardware requirements and impacts the technique used to clone the primaryserver.Virtual to Virtual (V2V)In a V2V architecture, SolarWinds Failover Engine allows cloning of the primaryserver prior to the installation of SolarWinds Failover Engine using VMwareConverter, VMware vCenter Cloning Utility, and other 3rd party utilities. Benefitsto this architecture include reduced hardware cost, shorter installation time,and use of the Pre-Clone technique for installation. The secondaryvirtualmachine must meet the following minimum requirements:• The configuration of secondary virtual machine must match the primary

virtual machine:◦ Similar CPU, including resource management settings◦ Similar memory configuration, including resourcemanagement settings.

• Appropriate resource pool priorities• Each virtual machine in a V2V configuration must be on a separate host

to guard against failure at the host level• Each virtual NIC must use a separate virtual switch (network)

Physical to Virtual (P2V)P2V architecture is used when the environment requires a mix of physical andvirtual machines, such as when SolarWinds Failover Engine is installed on aphysical server in an environment with limited available hardware. Thisarchitecture is appropriate if you must avoid adding additional physical servers

Implementation - 13


or when you prefer to migrate to virtual technologies over a period of time. Thesecondary virtual machine must meet the following minimum requirements:• The configuration of secondary virtual machine must match the primary

physical server:◦ Similar CPU◦ Similar memory

• The secondary virtual machine requires sufficient priority in resourcemanagement settings so that other virtual machines do not impact itsperformance.

• Each virtual NIC must use a separate virtual switch.

Physical to Physical (P2P)P2P architecture is used in an environment that requires physical servers. Useof P2P architecture requires use of the Install Clone technique.Primary Server

The primary server in a P2P architecture must meet the hardware and softwarerequirements specified in Common Requirements.

Secondary ServerThe secondary server in a P2P architecture must meet specific hardware andsoftware requirements to ensure adequate performance when the serverassumes the active role.

Hardware

The secondary server in a P2P architecture must meet the following hardwarerequirements:• Hardware must be equivalent to the primary server:

◦ Similar CPU◦ Similar memory

• An identical number of NICs to the primary server• Drive letters must match the primary server• The amount of available disk space on each partition should be equal to

or greater than that on the equivalent partition on the primary server• ACPI compliance must match the primary server

Note: The SolarWinds Failover Engine standard implementation processassumes that the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (or ACPI)compliance of both machines are identical. If this is not the case, contactSolarWinds Support at http://www.solarwinds.com/support for furtherinformation.

14 - Implementation


http://www.solarwinds.com/support

Software

The secondary server in a P2P architecture must meet the following softwarerequirements:• The OS version and Service Pack version must match the primary server• The OS Updates installed must match the primary Server• The OS must be installed to same driver letter and directory as on the

primary server• The machine name must be different from the primary server prior to

installing SolarWinds Failover Engine• Set up in a Workgroup prior to installing SolarWinds Failover Engine• The System Date, Time, and Time Zone must be consistent with primary

server

Cloning Technology OptionsCloning the primary server to create a nearly identical secondary server involvesdifferent techniques depending on the selected server architecture option.Supported Pre-Clone TechnologiesThe following cloning technologies are supported for creating Pre-Cloned imagesfor use as a secondary server:• VMware Converter for Physical to Virtual (P2V)• VMware vCenter virtual machine cloning for Virtual to Virtual (V2V)• Other third party utilities

Supported Install Clone TechnologiesInstallation of SolarWinds Failover Engine provides support for NTBackup onWindows 2003 and Wbadmin on Windows Server 2008 for automated InstallCloning.

This process is automated, but all prerequisites for the secondary serverspecified under Physical to Physical (P2P) requirements must be met.

Note: When installing in a Physical to Virtual (P2V) architecture, VMware Toolsmust not be installed on the secondary server during the SolarWinds FailoverEngine installation process. If VMware Tools are currently installed on thesecondary server, you must fully uninstall VMware Tools prior to initiation ofthe Setup process. Once the installation of SolarWinds Failover Engine hascompleted, you may reinstall VMware Tools.

Important: When installing on Windows Server 2003, verify that the Principal(Public) network adapter is listed first in the bind order of the NetworkConnections > Advanced > Advanced Settings dialog.

Implementation - 15


Network OptionsNetworking requirements are contingent upon how SolarWinds Failover Engineis deployed. To deploy as a High Availability (HA) solution, a LAN configurationis required. To deploy SolarWinds Failover Engine for Disaster Recovery (DR),a WAN configuration is required. Each network configuration has specificconfiguration requirements to ensure proper operation.

Note: SolarWinds recommends that the SolarWinds Channel be configuredon a different subnet than the Principal (Public) network. In the event that thisis not possible, see SWREFID-2528 — Configuring SolarWinds Channel andPublic Connections to use the Same Subnet.

SolarWinds Failover Engine can be configured to run using multiple NICs or asingle NIC.

Multiple NICs

SolarWinds Failover Engine supports use of multiple NICs on each server pair.When using multiple NICs, one NIC is configured with the Principal (Public) IPaddress for client access while a second dedicated NIC is configured with theSolarWinds Channel IP address. Deploying with multiple NICs provides theadvantage of redundancy and also removes the risk of single point of failurethat exists in single NIC configurations. To configure using multiple NICs oneach server, see Multi-NIC Configuration.

Note: SolarWinds Failover Engine does NOT out-of-the-box support teams ofNICs but can be configured to support teamed NICs with additional configurationsteps when installing with teamed NICs present. See knowledge base articleSWREFID-1947—How to Install the SolarWinds Failover Engine Packet FilterDriver on a NIC team (Teamed NICs, NIC Teaming) for more information aboutteamed NICs.

Single NIC

SolarWinds Failover Engine also supports use of a single NIC configured toperform both functions, providing the Principal (Public) IP address to users andthe SolarWinds Channel for data transfer and control. To configure using asingle NIC on each server, see Single NIC Configuration.

Local Area Network (LAN)When deployed in a LAN environment, SolarWinds Failover Engine requiresthat both servers use the same Principal (Public) IP address. Each server alsorequires a SolarWinds Channel IP address.

16 - Implementation


Wide Area Network (WAN)SolarWinds Failover Engine supports sites with different subnets. In thisscenario, the primary and secondary servers in the SolarWinds Failover EnginePair will require unique Principal (Public) IP addresses in each subnet and aunique SolarWinds Channel IP address in each subnet for each server . DuringSetup, select the Use different IP addresses for Secondary (Recommendedfor DR secondary) and specify the Principal (Public) IP addresses of both thesecondary server and the primary server in the pair.

SolarWinds Failover Engine , using multiple NICs, also supports sites with thesame subnet. In this scenario the SolarWinds Failover Engine shares a singlePrincipal (Public) IP address between the primary and secondary server makingit available on the active server. Although the SolarWinds Channel addressesshould be unique within the same subnet. During Setup, select the Use sameIP addresses for Secondary (Recommended for HA secondary) on the Principal(Public) IP Address Configuration page and specify the IP address to be sharedby both servers.

WAN Requirements

WAN deployments require the following:• Persistent static routing configured for the channel connection(s) where

routing is required• One NIC minimum, two NICs (1 x Public and 1 x Channel) are

recommended• At least one Domain Controller at the Disaster Recovery (DR) site• If the Primary and DR site uses the same subnet:

◦ During install, follow the steps for a LAN or VLAN on the same subnet◦ Both the primary and secondary servers in the pair use the same Public

IP address

• If the Primary and DR site use different subnets:◦ During install, follow the steps for a WAN◦ The primary and secondary servers in the SolarWinds Failover Engine

pair require a separate Principal (Public) IP address and a SolarWindsChannel IP address

◦ Provide a user account with rights to update DNS using theDNSUpdate.exe utility provided as a component of SolarWindsFailover Engine through SolarWinds Failover Manager Applications> Tasks > User Accounts

◦ SolarWinds recommends integrating Microsoft DNS into AD so thatDNSUpdate.exe can identify all DNS Servers that require updating

Implementation - 17


◦ At least one Domain Controller at the DR site◦ Refer to the following articles in the SolarWinds Knowledge Base:

Knowledge base article SWREFID-1937 – Configuring DNS withSolarWinds Failover Engine in a WAN EnvironmentKnowledge base article SWREFID-1938 – Configuring SolarWindsFailover Engine to Update BIND9 DNSServers Deployed in aWAN

Bandwidth

SolarWinds Failover Engine includes automatic bandwidth optimization in WANenvironments. This feature compresses data transferred over the SolarWindsChannel, optimizing the traffic for low bandwidth connections causing someadditional CPU load on the active server.

Determine the available bandwidth and estimate the required volume of datathroughput to determine acceptable latency for the throughput. Additionally,the bandwidth can affect the required queue size to accommodate the estimatedvolume of data. SolarWinds recommends making a minimum of 1Mbit of sparebandwidth available to SolarWinds Failover Engine.

Latency

Latency has a direct effect on data throughput. Latency on the link should notfall below the standard defined for a T1 connection (2-5ms for the first hop).

SolarWinds Failover Engine Diagnostics can assist in determining the availablebandwidth, required bandwidth, and server workload. For more informationabout SolarWinds Failover Engine Diagnostics, contact SolarWinds ProfessionalServices.

Network Interface Card (NIC) ConfigurationSolarWinds Failover Engine supports the use of both a single NIC or multipleNIC configuration on primary and secondary servers. The number of NICspresent will determine how the NICs are configured.

Important: The primary and secondary servers must have the same numberof NICs.

Multi-NIC ConfigurationWhenUsingmultiple NICs, one NIC functions for client andmanagement accesswhile a second NIC functions as a dedicated SolarWinds Channel.

Primary Server

The primary server is configured with the following connections:

18 - Implementation


• A Principal (Public) network connection configured with a static Principal(Public) IP address, network mask, gateway address, preferred DNS serveraddress, and secondary (if applicable) DNS server address.

• SolarWinds Channel connection(s) configured with a static IP address ina different subnet than the Principal (Public) IP address, and with a differentIP address than the secondary server channel NIC, and network mask. Nogateway or DNS server address is configured. NetBIOS will be disabledduring the installation process to prevent server name conflicts.

• TheRegister this connection's addresses in DNS check boxmust be clearedon the SolarWinds Channel connection(s) prior to installing SolarWindsChannel.

Secondary Server

The secondary server must have the same number of NICs as the primaryserver and is configured as follows:• A Principal (Public) connection configured with a static IP address, network

mask, gateway address, preferred DNS server address, and secondary (ifapplicable) DNS server address.

Note: If deploying in a WAN, the Principal (Public) IP address of thesecondary server may be in a different subnet than the primary server.

• SolarWinds Channel network connection(s) configured on a separatededicated NIC with a static IP address in a different subnet than thesecondary Principal (Public) IP address, and with a different IP addressthan the primary server's SolarWinds Channel NIC, and a network mask.No gateway address or DNS server address is configured. NetBIOS willbe disabled during the installation process to prevent server name conflicts.

• TheRegister this connection's addresses in DNS check boxmust be clearedon the SolarWinds Channel connection(s) prior to installing SolarWindsChannel.

Single NIC ConfigurationConfiguring SolarWinds Channel using a single NIC requires that both functions(Client access and Channel operations) use the same physical or virtual NIC.

Primary Server

The primary server requires a single NIC configured with the following IPaddresses:• A Principal (Public) IP address - configured using a static IP address,

network mask, gateway address, preferred DNS server address, andsecondary (if applicable) DNS server address.

Implementation - 19


• A SolarWinds Channel IP address - configured on the same NIC as thePrincipal (Public) IP address configured with a static IP address in a differentsubnet than the Principal (Public) IP address, and a network mask. Nogateway address or DNS server address is configured. NetBIOS will bedisabled during the installation process to prevent server name conflicts.

• TheRegister this connection's addresses in DNS check boxmust be clearedprior to installing SolarWinds Channel.

Important: Ensure that your server has a persistent DNS entry in the DNSsystem for the Principal (Public) IP address.

Secondary Server

The secondary server must have the same number of NICs as the primaryserver and be configured as follows:• A SolarWinds Channel IP address - configured with a static IP address and

the network mask. No gateway or DNS server address is configured.NetBIOS will be disabled during the installation process to prevent servername conflicts.

• TheRegister this connection's addresses in DNS check boxmust be clearedprior to installing SolarWinds Channel.

Important: Ensure that your server has a persistent DNS entry in the DNSsystem for the Principal (Public) IP address. The secondary server'sPrincipal (Public) IP address will be configured during the Setup process.

Firewall Configuration RequirementsWhen firewalls are used to protect networks, you must configure them to allowtraffic to pass through both the Client Connection port (52267) and the DefaultChannel port (57348).

SolarWinds recommends that the firewall be configured to allow the Client toconnect to the Client Connection port by process, nfgui.exe, rather than bya specific port. To enable Channel communications between servers, configurethe firewall to allow traffic to pass through on Port 57348, the Default Channelport.

Important: When installing on Windows Server 2008 or 2012, MicrosoftWindows may change the connection type from a Private network to anUnidentified network after you have configured the firewall port to allow channelcommunications resulting in the previously configured firewall changes to bereset for the new network type (Unidentified).

20 - Implementation


The firewall rules must be recreated to allow traffic to pass through for the ClientConnection port and the Default Channel port. SolarWinds recommends thatthe firewall be configured to allow the Client to connect to the Client Connectionport by process, nfgui.exe, rather than by a specific port. To enable Channelcommunications between servers, change the Network List Manager Policy sothat the SolarWinds Channel network is identified as a Private Network, andnot the default Unidentified Network, and configure the firewall to allow trafficto pass through on Port 57348, the Default Channel port.

Anti-Malware RecommendationsConsult with and implement the advice of your anti-malware provider, asSolarWinds guidelines often follow these recommendations. Consult theSolarWinds Knowledge Base for up to date information on specific anti-malwareproducts.

Do not use file level anti-malware to protect application server databases, suchas MS SQL Server databases. The nature of database contents can causefalse positives in malware detection, leading to failed database applications,data integrity errors, and performance degradation.

SolarWinds recommends that when implementing SolarWinds Failover Engine,you do not replicate file level anti-malware temp files using SolarWinds FailoverEngine.

The file level anti-malware software running on the primary server must be thesame as the software that runs on the secondary server. In addition, the samefile level anti-malware must run during both active and passive roles.

Configure file level anti-malware to use the Management IP address on thepassive server for malware definition updates. If this is not possible, manuallyupdate malware definitions on the passive server.

Exclude the following SolarWinds directories from file level anti-malware scans( C:\Program Files\SolarWinds\FoE\ is the default installation directory):

• C:\Program Files\SolarWinds\FoE\r2\logs

• C:\Program Files\SolarWinds\FoE\r2\log

Any configuration changes made to a file level anti-malware product on oneserver (such as exclusions) must be made on the other server as well.SolarWinds Failover Engine does not replicate this information.

Implementation - 21


22 - Implementation


Chapter 3Command Line InstallationThe following provides the procedures to install SolarWinds Failover Enginefrom the command line including all available parameter file elements.

Command Line UsageTo perform an unattended installation, you must run the start /wait Setupcommand with the appropriate parameters from the command line. Additionally,you must create a .txt file (parameter file) that contains the informationnecessary to provide the intended options to the Setup application. The followinginformation provides details about the parameters and parameter file necessaryto successfully perform a command line installation.

Note: Users should not cut-and-paste from this .pdf document but should typethe actual commands and parameters.

start /wait Setup [-h]

[-f<parameter file>] [-ni [-sp -se -sw -di]]

[-DNSPassword:<password>] [-BACKUPPassword:<password>]

[-secondaryInstall|-uninstall|-drvInstall|]

Table 1: Command Line Parameters

DescriptionParameter

Displays this usage information-h

Uses a file of parameters to run-f:<parameter file>

Important: If the file name/path contains any whitespace (space, tab) or special characters(-, /, etc.)then it must be enclosed in quotes "..."

Not interactive, suppresses the Graphical UserInterface.

-ni

This instructs Setup not to use the Graphical UserInterface. If this parameter is not specified but aparameter file is specified, the Graphical UserInterface pages will be fully populated and requirethat the Next or Proceed button be clicked and anypopup dialog boxes be acknowledged.

Suppress Progress (Only for Non- interactive)-sp

Command Line Installation - 23


DescriptionParameter

Suppress Errors (Only for Non- interactive)-se

Suppress Warnings (Only for Non- interactive)-sw

Display Info (Only for Non- interactive)-di

The password used for DNSUpdate-DNSPassword:<password>

The password used for WBADMIN-BACKUPPassword:<password>

Do not use unless instructed to do so-uninstall

The password to use for Administrator-ADMINPassword:<Password>

Do not use unless instructed to do so-drvInstall

Do not use unless instructed to do so-secondaryInstall

Important: Only the DOS shell requires the "start /wait"

Table 2: Return Codes

DescriptionCode

: Success0

: Incorrect Usage (not enough parameters)1

: Invalid Parameter2

: File cannot be opened (file cannot be found)3

: File parse failed4

: Unable to Run (See output for specific problems)5

: Processing failed6

Parameter File ElementsThe parameter file is used to pass setup options to the Setup application andis made up of a sequence of tagged lines, with the tag indicating what the datadescribes.

For example: INSTALLTYPE:Install

Important: The parser is case insensitive. Any values containing white spacemust be enclosed with double quotes, for example "pre clone". If the filename/path contains any white space (space, tab) or special characters(-, /,etc.) then it must be enclosed in quotes "..."

24 - Command Line Installation


Table 3: Parameter File Elements

CommentsValuesTag

Used to indicate the Format ofthe tags listed after this line.

V1_0 (Default)FORMATVERSION:

This can be used multipletimes.

InstallINSTALLTYPE:

Install Client ToolsOnly

Install AM(X)

Install Service Pack

Uninstall

Uninstall Components

Only one per line but can bedefined multiple times

Must be a valid pathand include the plug-infile name

PLUGINPATH:


SolarWinds FailoverEngine

FEATUREFORINSTALLATION:

PrimarySERVERROLE:

Secondary

HATOPOLOGY:

DR

TrueACCEPT_EULA:

False

Must be an integerDEFAULTCHANNELPORT:

Must be a valid pathDESTINATIONPATH:

Used to indicate where to writethe pre-synchronization data

Must be a valid pathBACKUPDESTINATIONPATH:

Used to locate thepre-synchronization data for

Must be a valid pathBCKUPSOURCEPATH:

installation of the secondaryserver

TrueINCLUDEPROTECTEDDATAINBACKUP:

False

Used when the Principal(Public) IP addresses are

NETWORKTASKDOMAIN:



CommentsValuesTag

different for different servers(usually for a DR topology)

Used when the Principal(Public) IP addresses are

NETWORKTASKUSER:

different for different servers(usually for a DR topology)

TrueLEAVEONNETWORK:

False

Must be a stringCOMPUTERNAMEPOSTUNINSTALL:

Must be an integerCLIENTCONNECTIONPORT:

Note: The Full and Mergeclone types are not supportedfor Command Line Installation

Full

Merge

Pre clone

SECONDARYCLONETYPE:

BACKUPUSER:


Must be an IP addressSECONDARYPRINCIPLEADDRESS:


Must be an IP addressPRIMARYSECONDARYCHANNEL:

TrueSTARTSERVICEATEND:

False

Command Line Installation of the Primary ServerInstallation of SolarWinds Failover Engine begins with the primary server.

1. The following is an example of a parameter file (it must be modified beforeyou use it). <file_name.txt>

DR Installation Example:INSTALLTYPE:InstallACCEPT_EULA:true

SERVERROLE:PRIMARYTOPOLOGY:<DR>SECONDARYCLONETYPE:"pre clone"DESTINATIONPATH:"C:\Program Files\SolarWinds\FoE\"PRIMARYSECONDARYCHANNEL:<10.0.1.1,10.0.5.2>



PRIMARYPRINCIPLEPADDESS:<192.168.99.111>SECONDARYPRINCIPLEPADDESS:<192.168.98.104>NETWORKTASKDOMAIN:dnstest.comNETWORKTASKUSER:administratorCLIENTCONNECTIONPORT:52267FEATUREFORINSTALLATION:SolarWinds Failover EngineBACKUPDESTINATIONPATH:\\<10.0.1.1\nf backup>BACKUPUSER:AdministratorINCLUDEPROTECTEDDATAINBACKUP:true//AMXPATH:PLUGINPATH:"C:\nfsql\SqlServerNFPlugin.dll"//DEFAULTCHANNELPORT://BACKUPSOURCEPATH:STARTSERVICEATEND:True

Note: The parameters enclosed in <> must be enclosed in double quotes(") if they contain spaces, dashes or other potentially confusing characters.

2. Download the SolarWinds Failover Engine .exe to a suitable location onthe primary server and change the file extension from .exe to .zip .

3. Extract the contents of the SolarWinds Failover Engine .zip file into atemporary folder.

4. Navigate to Start > Run and type CMD to open a command window.5. Navigate to the to the location of the temporary folder.6. Run the command :start /wait setup –f:<parameter file>

-DNSPassword:<DNS Password> -BACKUPPassword:<backuppassword> -ni

Command Line Installation of a Virtual SecondaryServerInstallation of the secondary server is similar to installation of the primary server

1. Create a .txt file containing the following configuration parameters: Thisis an example of a parameter file (it must be modified before you use it).

<file_name.txt>

INSTALLTYPE:InstallSERVERROLE:SECONDARYBACKUPSOURCEPATH:\\<192.168.15.111\nf backup>BACKUPUSER:Administrator

Note: The parameters enclosed in <>must be enclosed in double quotes(") if they contain spaces, dashes or other potentially confusing characters.



2. Download the SolarWinds Failover Engine .exe to a suitable location onthe secondary server and change the file extension from .exe to .zip .


4. Navigate to Start > Run and type CMD to open a command window.5. Navigate to the to the location of the temporary folder.6. Run the command: start /wait setup –f:<parameter file>

-BACKUPPassword:<backup password> -ni

Command Line Installation of a Physical SecondaryServerInstallation of the secondary server is similar to installation of the primary server

1. Create a .txt file containing the following configuration parameters: Thisis an example of a parameter file (it must be modified before you use it).

<file_name.txt>

InstallSecParas.txtINSTALLTYPE:InstallSERVERROLE:SECONDARYBACKUPSOURCEPATH:\\<192.168.15.111\nf backup>BACKUPUSER:Administrator

Note: The parameters enclosed in <> must be enclosed in double quotes(") if they contain spaces, dashes or other potentially confusing characters.

2. Download the SolarWinds Failover Engine .exe to a suitable location onthe secondary server and change the file extension from .exe to .zip .


4. Navigate to Start > Run and type CMD to open a command window.5. Navigate to the to the location of the temporary folder.6. Run the command: start /wait setup –f:<parameter file>

-BACKUPPassword:<backup password> -ni

Post Installation Configuration1. Upon completion of installation, SolarWinds Failover Engine prompts you

to activate the SolarWinds Failover Engine license. Enter the Activation keyand click Next.



Note: If FIPS is enabled, activation of the SolarWinds Failover Enginelicense may fail. To activate your license on a FIPS enabled server pair,see SWREFID-2255.

Figure 2: SolarWinds Failover Engine Activation

2. Ensure that the SolarWinds Failover Engine is shut down.3. Verify that the date, time, and time zone on the secondary server are identical

to the same on the primary server.4. Start the SolarWinds Failover Engine on the primary server.5. Start the SolarWinds Failover Engine on the secondary server.6. Right-click the System Tray icon on the primary server and select About

SolarWinds Failover Engine to verify v6.7 (11152) is displayed.

Configure actions to take upon failure of a serviceSolarWinds Failover Engine assigns three sequential tasks to perform in theevent a monitored service fails. Task options include Recover Service,Application Restart, Log Warning, Switchover, and any additional user-definedtasks previously created. By default, SolarWinds Failover Engine assignsRecover Service to each of the three actions. To cause a switchover in theevent of service failure, configure the 3rd option to Switchover.Procedure

To configure tasks to perform upon service failure:

1. Using the SolarWinds Failover Manager, navigate to Applications: Services.2. Select the intended service.3. Click Edit and assign a task to each of the three failure options, and then

click OK.



Important: For dependent services, failure actions must match the failureactions for any protected service on which those services depend, in bothtype and order. For example:• Service X is automatically protected by SolarWinds Failover Engine• Service Y is automatically protected by SolarWinds Failover Engine and

has a dependency on service X• The system administrator sets custom recovery actions for service X

as follows:

First Failure = Recover Service

Second Failure = Application Restart

Third Failure = Switchover

In this situation, the system administrator should also set the servicerecovery actions for service Y to:

First Failure = Recover Service

Second Failure = Application Restart

Third Failure = Switchover

Note that if service X fails, the dependent service Y must also fail. If theservice recovery actions for service Y are different to those for serviceX, they may take precedence, for example service X requires aswitchover but the failure of service Y has already triggered a servicerestart action.

This advice applies only to services which are automatically protected bySolarWinds Failover Engine and dependent upon one another. Thesedependenciesmay be examined via theWindows Service Control Manager,under Properties > Dependencies.

For services which are shown in the Protected services depend on: paneof the SolarWinds Failover Manager Applications: Services page, this adviceis not applicable, because:• These services do not depend on protected services; rather, protected

services are dependent upon them; and• These services are not directly managed by SolarWinds Failover Engine

and therefore have no configurable recovery actions.

Note: If an application with the failure option set to Application Restart fails,only the services that have failed are restarted. Dependent services do notstop and restart as a result of the failure.



When Additional Pollers (AP)s are not installed, createan Exclusion FilterTo prevent needless replication of temporary files created when AdditionalPollers are not used, create an Exclusion Filter.

1. Launch SolarWinds Failover Manger.2. Navigate to the Data: File Filters pane, and click Add Exclusion Filter to

open the Add Exclusion Filter dialog.3. Type the complete path to or browse to locate the file at the following

location:• Windows Server 2003: C:\Documents and Settings\All

Users\Application Data\SolarWinds\JobEngine\*.sdf

• Windows Server 2008: C:\ProgramData\ApplicationData\SolarWinds\JobEngine\*.sdf

• Windows Server 2012: C:\ProgramData\ApplicationData\SolarWinds\JobEngine\*.sdf

4. click OK.

When IPAM 2.0 is installed, create an Inclusion FilterTo create the Inclusion Filter:

1. Launch the SolarWinds Failover Manager on the active server.2. Navigate to Data: File Filters.3. Click Add Inclusion Filter.4. Type the path below or browse to the file location.

<installation_dir>\Orion\InformationService\2.0\Schemas\IPAM.attributes.xml

5. Click OK.

Command Line Installation of SolarWinds FailoverEngine Client ToolsSolarWinds Failover Engine allows installation of SolarWinds Failover EngineClient Tools for remote management of SolarWinds Failover Engine clusters.Prerequisites

When installing SolarWinds Failover Engine Client Tools on Windows XP, thefollowing Service Pack levels are required.• Windows XP 32 bit SP3• Windows XP 64 bit SP2



1. Create a .txt file containing the following configuration parameters:

Important: The following is an example of a parameter file (it must bemodified before you use it). The content within the characters < and >indicate example text and the actual < and > characters should not bepresent in the edited file.

INSTALLTYPE:"Install Client Tools Only"

ACCEPT EULA:true

DESTINATIONPATH:<C:\AutoInstall>

2. Download the SolarWinds Failover Engine .exe to a suitable location onthe workstation and change the file extension from .exe to .zip .


4. Navigate to Start > Run and type CMD to open a DOS window.5. Navigate to the to the location of the temporary folder.6. Run the command: start /wait setup -f:<parameter file> -ni7. Upon completion of the unattended installation, the Manage Server icon

will appear on the desktop.

Command Line Uninstall of SolarWinds FailoverEngineSolarWinds Failover Engine allows you to uninstall the product from your Serverusing the command line method.

1. Ensure all the SolarWinds Failover Engine processes are stopped and closethe SolarWinds Failover Manager and System Tray icon.

2. Create a .txt file with the following configuration parameters:

Important: The following is an example of a parameter file (it must bemodified before you use it). The content within the characters < and >indicate example text and the actual < and > characters should not bepresent in the edited file.

INSTALLTYPE:Uninstall

LEAVEONNETWORK:true

3. Navigate to the SolarWinds Failover Engine .exe file and change the fileextension from .exe to .zip .




5. Navigate to Start > Run and type CMD to open a DOS window.6. Navigate to the to the location of the temporary folder.7. Run the command: start /wait setup –f:<parameter file> -ni

After the uninstall process completes, you will be notified of any files thatcould not be removed and advised to delete them manually.

Note: The SupportLogs directory is also left behind. This is intentionaland should not be deleted in the event you need to submit a support report.





Appendix ASetup Error MessagesThe following table provides a listing of the most common error messagesdisplayed during setup.

Table 4: Setup Error Messages

TestLevelSecPriMessage

Check that the file adheres tothe correct formatting and

CriticalStop

YesNo10 – ‘The pre installcheck data file does

structure for use in analysison the secondary.not have the correct

format. Setup cannotcontinue’.

Check that the analyzer andcollector dlls are compatible.

CriticalStop

YesNoSetup has detectedincompatible versionsof the collectorversion $x and theanalyzer version $ydll. This would suggestdifferent versions ofSetup have been run onthe Primary andSecondary servers.

Check file format is correct.CriticalStop

Yes–File $x cannot beanalyzed it may becorrupt Setup is unableto continue. If thefile has been openedcheck that it has notbeen saved with WordWrap.

Test whether the server is adomain controller.

CriticalStop

YesYes190 – This server is a#1# domain controller.SolarWinds FailoverEngine must not beinstalled on a domaincontroller.

Test for /3GB on Windows2000

CriticalStop

YesYes173 – SolarWindsFailover Engine doesnot support the '/3GB'

Setup Error Messages - 35



switch on Windows 2000Standard Edition.

CriticalStop

YesYes175 – SolarWindsFailover Enginerequires Windows 2003Standard Edition SP1 orlater if '/3GB' switchis on.

WarningYesYes103 - SolarWindsFailover Engine doesnot support #1#. Thefollowing are supportedWindows 2000 Server SP4or greater; WindowsServer 2003 SP1 orgreater.

CriticalStop

YesYes200 - Your #1# serveruses the Intel ICH7chipset and Windows2000 has been detected.This combination isincompatible withSolarWinds FailoverEngine.

WarningYesYes217 - SolarWindsFailover Engine is notsupported on WindowsStorage Server Edition.

Compatibility check onsecondary.

CriticalStop

Yes–106 - Primary andSecondary OS versionsare not identical, #1#vs. #2#: and requirethe same Service Packlevel.


CriticalStop

Yes–208 - You are runninga 64-bit version ofWindows on one of yourservers and a 32-bitversion of Windows on

36 - Setup Error Messages



the other. This is notsupported.


CriticalStop

Yes–111 - The systemfolders on primary andsecondary system mustbe the same. Setup hasdetected that thesecondary system folderis #2# and the primarywas #1#.

CriticalStop

YesYes113 - You do not haveenough total memory toinstall SolarWindsFailover Engine on your#1# server. You musthave at least 1GB.

WarningYesYesSolarWinds recommendsa minimum of 2GB. Noteactual memoryrequirements depend onthe application load;and may require morememory.

CriticalStop

YesYes117 - You do not haveenough free disk spaceto install SolarWindsFailover Engine Youmust have at least 2GBavailable.


WarningYes–118 - For every volumeon the primary systemthat contains protecteddata a correspondingvolume must exist onthe secondary server.In most cases thismeans that for everyvolume on the primaryserver a volume withthe same drive letter




(such as D:\) mustexist on the secondaryserver. If this is notthe case, the secondaryserver must be modifiedto meet thisrequirement.

CriticalStop

YesYes204 - Your operatingsystem on your #1#server is #2# and youare running with aWindows 2000 driver foryour NC77xx NIC(s). Inorder to prevent systemcrashes you mustupgrade to a Windows2003 driver; the namefor those drivers endswith '57XP32.sys' andnot with '57W2K.sys'

CriticalStop

YesYes212 - The number ofFree System Page TableEntries on this serverhas dropped to #1#.This is too low. Youshould have at least#2# Free System PageTable Entriesavailable.

WarningYesYes201 - #1#: This serviceis incompatible withrunning SolarWindsFailover Engine andmust be stopped beforeSolarWinds FailoverEngine can beinstalled.

CriticalStop

YesYes209 - Double-Takedrivers have beendetected on this




server. To avoidcompatibility problemsplease uninstallDouble-Take beforere-running setup.





Appendix BInstallation Verification TestingInstallation Verification testing is a procedure performed to validate theconfiguration of the server Cluster and its performance after installation.

Testing a SolarWinds Failover Engine PairImportant: The following procedure provides information about performingInstallation Verification testing on a SolarWinds Failover Engine pair to ensureproper installation and configuration. Additionally, this procedure providesstep-by-step procedures to perform a controlled switchover in the event of anapplication failure and failover in the event of network or hardware failureresulting in excessive missed heartbeats.

Note: In this document, the term “Pair” refers to a SolarWinds Failover Enginepair. Refer to the for more information about SolarWinds Failover Engine Pairs.

Exercise 1 - Auto-switchoverSolarWinds Failover Engine monitors SolarWinds services and the systemenvironment to ensure that protected services are available for end users. Tomonitor services and the system environment, SolarWinds Failover Engineuses plug-ins which are designed for SolarWinds services and the system.

If a protected service or the system begins to operate outside of preconfiguredthresholds, SolarWinds Failover Engine can automatically switch to make thepassive server the active server in the pair that provides services for end users.

Important: These exercises are examples and should be performed in order.SolarWinds recommends against attempting to test failover on a properlyoperating pair by methods such as unplugging a power cord. At the momentpower is lost, any data not written to the passive server is lost. SolarWindsrecommends that all actions intended to verify operation of the passive serverbe performed as a switchover rather than a failover.

Starting Configuration

Prior to initiating the Installation Verification process in a pair, SolarWindsFailover Engine must be configured with the primary server as active and thesecondary server as passive. Additionally, the following prerequisites must bemet:• The secondary server must be synchronized with the primary server.• All protected services must be operating normally.

Installation Verification Testing - 41


• If installed in a LAN environment, verify that Failover from Primary serverto Secondary server if channel heartbeat is lost for failover timeout isselected from the Server: Monitoring >Configure Failover dialog (defaultsetting).

• If installed in a WAN environment, you must manually select Failover fromPrimary server to Secondary server if channel heartbeat is lost for failovertimeout in the Server: Monitoring > Configure Failover dialog.

Important: Prior to starting the Installation Verification process, ensure that aknown good backup of the primary server exists and examine the Windowsevent logs for recent critical errors.

SolarWinds provides an executable, nfavt.exe, to emulate conditions thatresult in auto-switchover so you can verify that your SolarWinds Failover Engineinstallation performs as expected. This section guides you through the stepsnecessary to perform this verification.

Steps to Perform

Important: If you encounter errors and or find it necessary to back out thechanges made by this exercise, you can stop at any point and perform the stepsdescribed in the Back-out Procedure (Auto-switchover) to return the Pair to itsoriginal operating configuration and state.

Table 5: Perform the following procedure to verify Auto-Switchover in aPair configuration.

ResultsActivityMachineID

Open a command prompt.primary

Change directory to C:\ProgramFiles\SolarWinds\FoE\r2\Bin

Service is switched to the secondary serverand SolarWinds Failover Engine shuts downon the primary.

Executenfavt.exeWhen prompted,“Are you sure you wish to continue”, clickContinue.

Login to the SolarWinds FailoverManager.

secondary

The System Overview screen indicates thatthe secondary server is active.

In the Servers pane of the SolarWindsFailover Manager, select the server pair.

Services are running on the secondary.Verify all protected applications havestarted on the secondary.

42 - Installation Verification Testing



Data is present.Verify data is present.

Successful completion of this procedure leaves the SolarWinds Failover Enginepair in the state necessary to perform the second part of the InstallationVerification process, detailed in Exercise 2 - Data Verification.

Back-out Procedure (Auto-switchover)

Important: Do not perform this back-out procedure if you intend to continuethe Installation Verification process.

If for any reason you find it necessary to back out of this exercise, you can stopat any point and return the pair to the state it was in at the beginning of thisexercise by performing the following steps:

1. Shut down SolarWinds Failover Engine and protected services on all servers.2. Complete the following on both servers:

a. Open the Configure Server wizard.b. Select the Machine tab.c. Select the Primary server as active.d. Click Finish.

3. On the secondary server, right-click the taskbar icon and select StartSolarWinds Failover Engine .

4. Verify that the secondary server is passive (S/–).5. On the primary server, right-click the taskbar icon and selectStart SolarWinds

Failover Engine .6. After SolarWinds Failover Engine starts, login to the SolarWinds Failover

Manager.7. Verify that applications have started and replication to the passive server

has resumed.

Exercise 2 - Data VerificationThe Data Verification exercise validates that data is synchronized between theservers resulting in current data on the active server following theAuto-switchover exercise performed previously. The objective is to take aworking active server (the secondary server) and synchronize it with the passive(primary server). This exercise also demonstrates that all the correct servicesstopped when the primary server became passive.




SolarWinds Failover Engine is running on the secondary active server. Usingthe System Tray icon, verify that the server status displays S/A. SolarWindsFailover Engine is not running on the primary server which is set to passive.Using the System Tray icon, verify that the server status displays -/- to indicatethat SolarWinds Failover Engine is not running.

Steps to Perform

Table 6: Perform the following steps to verify that data is synchronizedfollowing Auto-switchover in a Pair configuration.


SolarWinds Failover Engine successfullystarts.

Right-click the taskbar icon and selectStart SolarWinds Failover Engine .

primary

Login to SolarWinds Failover Manager.

The System Overview screen is displayed.In the Servers pane of the SolarWindsFailover Manager, select the server pair.

The Server: Summary page shows aconnection from the secondary server to theprimary server.

Navigate to the Server: Summary tab toshow the connection from the secondary(active) to primary (passive).

Data replication resumes from the secondaryserver back to the primary server. Both the

Select theData: Replication tab and waitfor both the File System and theRegistry

File System & Registry status becomeSynchronized.

status to display as Synchronized.Access the SolarWinds Failover Enginelogs and confirm that no exception errorsoccurred during the synchronizationprocess.

Successful completion of this procedure leaves the SolarWinds Failover EnginePair in the state necessary to perform the final part of the Installation Verificationprocess, detailed in Exercise 3 - Switchover.

Exercise 3 - SwitchoverThe Switchover exercise demonstrates the ability to switch the functionalityand operations of the active server on command to the other server in the pairusing the SolarWinds Failover Engine. Perform this exercise only aftersuccessfully completing the Auto-switchover and Data Verification Exercises.




SolarWinds Failover Engine is running on the secondary active server. Usingthe System Tray icon, verify that the server status displays S/A. SolarWindsFailover Engine is running on the primary server which is set to passive. Usingthe System Tray icon, verify that the server status displays P/- to indicate thatSolarWinds Failover Engine is running on the primary server and that the primaryserver is passive

Steps to Perform

Table 7: Perform the following steps to switch functionality and operationson command from the active server to the ready standby server.


Launch SolarWinds Failover Managerand select the Data: Replication tab.

secondary

Verify that both the File System and Istatus are Synchronized.

The SolarWinds Failover Manager Server:Summary page displays the applications

Select the Server: Summary tab. Selectthe primary server icon and click MakeActive. stopping on the active server. Once all

applications are stopped, the active serverbecomes passive and the passive serverbecomes active. The Console shows theapplications starting on the newly activeserver. Both the File System and Registrystatus are Synchronized.

Services continue to be provided as beforethe switchover occurred. You may need to

Confirm application performance andavailability meets previously defined

refresh or restart some client applicationsas a result of a switchover.

criteria. Verify that client applications arerunning as expected after the switchoverprocess.

Successful completion of this procedure indicates a successful outcome fromthe Installation Verification process.





Glossary

ActiveThe functional state or role of a server when it is visible to clients through thenetwork, running protected applications, and servicing client requests.

AlertA notification provided by SolarWinds Failover Engine sent to a user or enteredinto the system log indicating an exceeded threshold.

Active Directory (AD)Presents applications with a single, simplified set of interfaces so users canlocate and use directory resources from a variety of networks while bypassingdifferences between proprietary services. SolarWinds Failover Engineswitchovers and failovers require no changes to AD resulting inswitchover/failover times typically measured in seconds.

Active–PassiveThe coupling of two servers with one server visible to clients on a network andproviding application service while the other server is not visible and notproviding application service to clients.

Active Server QueueThe staging area of the active server used to store intercepted data changesbefore being transported across the channel to the passive server.

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)A specification that dictates how the operating system can interact with thehardware especially where power saving schemes are used. The primary andsecondary servers must have identical ACPI compliance.

AsynchronousA process whereby replicated data is applied (written) to the passive serverindependently of the active server.

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)The program a personal computer's microprocessor uses to get the computersystem started after you turn it on. It also manages data flow between thecomputer's operating system and attached devices such as the hard disk, videoadapter, keyboard, mouse, and printer.

Cached CredentialsLocally stored security access credentials used to log into a computer systemwhen a Domain Controller is not available.

Glossary - 47


Channel DropAn event in which the dedicated communications link between servers fails,often resulting in the passive server becoming active and consequently creatinga split-brain syndrome.

Channel NIC (Network Interface Card)A dedicated subnet used by the SolarWinds Channel.

CheckedThe status reported for user account credential (username/password) validation.

Cloned ServersServers that have identical configuration settings, names, applications, SecurityIdentifiers (SIDs) and IP addresses, following the installation of SolarWindsFailover Engine.

Cloning ProcessThe SolarWinds Failover Engine process whereby all installed programs,configuration settings, and the machine name, Security Identifier (SID), and IPaddress are copied to another server.

ClusterA generic term for SolarWinds Failover Engine Pair and the set of machines(physical or virtual) involved in supporting a single protected server. SolarWindsFailover Engine Cluster can include themachines used in a VMware or Microsoftcluster.

ConnectionAlso referred to as Cluster Connection. Allows the SolarWinds Failover Managerto communicate with SolarWinds Failover Engine Cluster, either on the samemachine or remotely.

Crossover CableA network cable that crosses the transmit and receive lines.

Data ReplicationThe transmission of protected data changes (files and registry) from the activeto the passive server via the SolarWinds Channel.

Data Rollback ModuleSolarWinds Failover Engine module that allows administrators to rollback theentire state of a protected application, including files and registry settings, toan earlier point-in-time. Typically used after some form of data loss or corruption.

48 - Glossary


DegradedThe status reported for an application or service that has experienced an issuethat triggered a Rule.

Device DriverA program that controls a hardware device and links it to the operating system.

Disaster Recovery (DR)A term indicating how you maintain and recover data with SolarWinds FailoverEngine in event of a disaster such as a hurricane or fire. DR protection can beachieved by placing the secondary server at an offsite facility, and replicatingthe data through a WAN link.

DNS (Domain Name System) ServerProvides a centralized resource for clients to resolve NetBIOS names to IPaddresses.

DomainA logical grouping of client server based machines where the administration ofrights across the network are maintained in a centralized resource called adomain controller.

Domain Controller (DC)The server responsible for maintaining privileges to domain resources;sometimes called AD controller in Windows 2003 and above domains.

DualedA way to provide higher reliability by dedicating more than one NIC for theSolarWinds Channel on each server.

FailoverFailover is the process by which the first passive server assumes the activerole when it no longer detects that the active server is alive as a result of acritical unexpected outage or crash of a server.

Full System Check (FSC)The internal process automatically started at the initial connection or manuallytriggered through the Manage Server GUI to perform verification on the filesand registry keys and then synchronize the differences.

Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)Also known as an absolute domain name, a FQDN specifies its exact locationin the tree hierarchy of the Domain Name System (DNS). It specifies all domainlevels, including the top-level domain, relative to the root domain. Example:somehost.example.com., where the trailing dot indicates the root domain.

Glossary - 49


Global CatalogA global catalog is a domain controller that stores a copy of all Active Directoryobjects in a forest. The global catalog stores a full copy of all objects in thedirectory for its host domain and a partial copy of all objects for all other domainsin the forest.

Graceful (Clean) ShutdownA shutdown of SolarWinds Failover Engine based upon completion of replicationby use of the SolarWinds Failover Engine SolarWinds Failover Manager,resulting in no data loss.

GroupAn arbitrary collection of SolarWinds Failover Engine Clusters used fororganization.

Hardware AgnosticA key SolarWinds Failover Engine feature allowing for the use of servers withdifferent manufacturers, models, and processing power in a single SolarWindsFailover Engine Cluster.

HeartbeatThe packet of information issued by the passive server across the channel,which the active server responds to indicating its presence.High Availability (HA)Keeping users seamlessly connected to their applications regardless of thenature of a failure. LAN environments are ideally suited for HA.

HotfixA single, cumulative package that includes one or more files that are used toaddress a problem in a product.

IdentityThe position of a given server in the SolarWinds Failover Engine Cluster: primaryor secondary.

Install CloneThe installation technique used by SolarWinds Failover Engine to create areplica of the primary server using NTBackup or Wbadmin and to restore thereplica to the secondary server.

Low Bandwidth Module (LBM)SolarWinds Failover Engine module that compresses and optimizes datareplicated between servers over a WAN connection. This delivers maximumdata throughput and improves application response time on congested WANlinks.

50 - Glossary


Machine NameThe Windows or NETBIOS name of a computer.

Management IP AddressAn additionally assigned unfiltered IP address used for server managementpurposes only.

Many-to-OneThe ability of one physical server (hosting more than one virtual server) toprotect multiple physical servers.

Network MonitoringMonitoring the ability of the active server to communicate with the rest of thenetwork by polling defined nodes across the network at regular intervals.

PairSee SolarWinds Failover Engine Pair above.

PassiveThe functional state or role of a server when it is not delivering service to clientsand is hidden from the rest of the network.

Passive Server QueueThe staging area on the passive server used to store changes received fromthe active server before they are applied to the disk/registry on the passiveserver.

PathpingA route-tracing tool that works by sending packets to each router on the wayto a final destination and displays the results of each hop.

Plug-and-Play (PnP)A standard for peripheral expansion on a PC. On starting the computer, PnPautomatically configures the necessary IRQ, DMA and I/O address settings forthe attached peripheral devices.

Plug-inAn application specific module that adds SolarWinds Failover Engine protectionfor the specific application.

Pre-CloneAn installation technique whereby the user creates an exact replica of theprimary server using VMware vCenter Converter or other 3rd party utility priorto the initiation of installation and uses the replica as a secondary server.

Glossary - 51


Pre-Installation ChecksA set of system and environmental checks performed as a prerequisite to theinstallation of SolarWinds Failover Engine.

PrimaryAn identity assigned to a server during the SolarWinds Failover Engineinstallation process that normally does not change during the life of the serverand usually represents the production server prior to installation of SolarWindsFailover Engine.

Principal (Public) IP AddressAn IP address used by clients to contact the server through drive mappings,UNC paths, DNS resolved paths, etc. to gain access to the server's servicesand resources.

Principal NICThe network card which hosts the Principal IP address.

Principal (Public) NetworkThe network used by clients to connect to server applications protected bySolarWinds Failover Engine.

Protected ApplicationAn application protected by the SolarWinds Failover Engine solution.

Quality of Service (QoS)An effort to provide different prioritization levels for different types of traffic overa network. For example, SolarWinds Failover Engine data replication may havea higher priority than ICMP traffic, as the consequences of interrupting datareplication are more obvious than slowing down ICMP traffic.

Receive QueueThe staging area on a server used to store changes received from anotherserver in the replication chain before they are applied to the disk/registry onthe passive server.

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)A multi-channel protocol that allows a user to connect to a computer runningMicrosoft Terminal Services.

ReplicationThe generic term given to the process of intercepting changes to data files andregistry keys, transporting the changed data across the channel, and applyingthem to the passive server(s) so the servers are maintained in a synchronizedstate.

52 - Glossary


RoleThe functional state of a server in the SolarWinds Failover Engine Cluster:active or passive.

RuleA set of actions performed by SolarWinds Failover Engine when definedconditions are met.

SecondaryAn identity assigned to a server during the SolarWinds Failover Engineinstallation process that normally does not change during the life of the serverand usually represents the standby server prior to installation of SolarWindsFailover Engine.

Security Identifier (SID)A unique alphanumeric character string that identifies each operating systemand each user in a network of 2003/2008/2012 systems.

Send QueueThe staging area on a server used to store intercepted data changes beforebeing transported across to a passive server in the replication chain.

Server MonitoringMonitoring of the active server by the passive server, using a heartbeatmessage, to ensure that the active server is functional.

Shared NothingA key feature of SolarWinds Failover Engine in which no hardware is sharedbetween the primary or secondary server. This prevents a single point of failure.

SMTPA TCP/IP protocol used in sending and receiving e-mail between servers.

SNMPSimple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an Internet-standard protocolfor managing devices on IP networks.

SolarWinds ChannelThe IP communications link used by the SolarWinds Failover Engine systemfor the heartbeat and replication traffic.

SolarWinds Failover EngineThe core replication and system monitoring component of the SolarWindsFailover Engine solution.

Glossary - 53


SolarWinds Failover Engine DiagnosticsThe umbrella name for the SolarWinds Failover Engine process and tools usedto verify the production servers health and suitability for the implementation ofa SolarWinds Failover Engine solution.

SolarWinds Failover Engine Heartbeat Packet FilterThe network component, installed on all servers, that controls network visibility.

SolarWinds Failover Engine PairDescribes the coupling of the primary and secondary server in a SolarWindsFailover Engine solution.

SolarWinds Failover Engine Plug-insOptional modules installed into a SolarWinds Failover Engine server to provideadditional protection for specific applications.

SolarWinds Failover Engine Switchover/Failover ProcessA process unique to SolarWinds Failover Engine in which the passive servergracefully (switchover) or unexpectedly (failover) assumes the role of the activeserver providing application services to connected clients.

Split-Brain AvoidanceA unique feature of SolarWinds Failover Engine that prevents a scenario inwhich primary and secondary servers attempt to become active at the sametime leading to an active-active rather than an active-passive model.

Split-Brain SyndromeA situation in which more than one server in SolarWinds Failover Engine Clusterare operating in the active mode and attempting to service clients, resulting inthe independent application of different data updates to each server.

SubnetDivision of a network into an interconnected but independent segment or domain,intended to improve performance and security.

Storage Area Network (SAN)A high-speed special-purpose network or (subnetwork) that interconnectsdifferent kinds of data storage devices with associated data servers on behalfof a larger network of users.

SwitchoverThe graceful transfer of control and application service to the passive server.

SynchronizeThe internal process of transporting 64KB blocks of changed files or registrykey data, through the SolarWinds Channel, from the active server to the first

54 - Glossary


passive server or from the first passive server to the second passive server toensure the data on the passive server is a mirror image of the protected dataon the active server.

System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)SystemCenter OperationsManager is a cross-platform data center managementserver for operating systems and hypervisors.

System StateData that comprises the registry, COM+ Class Registration database, filesunderWindows File Protection, and system boot file; other data may be includedin the system state data.

TaskAn action performed by SolarWinds Failover Engine when defined conditionsare met.

Time-To-Live (TTL)The length of time that a locally cached DNS resolution is valid. The DNS servermust be re-queried after the TTL expires.

TracerouteA utility that records the route through the Internet between your computer anda specified destination computer.

Ungraceful (Unclean) ShutdownA shutdown of SolarWinds Failover Engine resulting from a critical failure or byshutting down Windows without first performing a proper shutdown ofSolarWinds Failover Engine, resulting in possible data loss.

Unprotected ApplicationAn application not monitored nor its data replicated by SolarWinds FailoverEngine.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)A private data network that makes use of the public telecommunicationinfrastructure, maintaining privacy through the use of a tunneling protocol andsecurity procedures.

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)A management technology allowing scripts to monitor and control managedresources throughout the network. Resources include hard drives, file systems,operating system settings, processes, services, shares, registry settings,networking components, event logs, users, clusters, and groups.

Glossary - 55


56 - Glossary
