Failover Cluster and DFS replication implementation process XCOM for Windows

Products

• XCOM Data Transport - Windows
• XCOM Data Transport

Issue/Introduction

This document describes how to create the Failover Cluster and the DFS replication. This particular configuration is to show High Availability with XCOM. 

NOTE: This was configured using a Windows 2019 server. Refer to your Windows Server documentation for details and instructions on how to configure a Failover Cluster should you be using an older or more current version of Windows. The images or instructions can differ from the version of Windows used for this documentation.  

Environment

XCOM™ Data Transport® for Windows

Resolution

1. The process for implementing failover support is as follows:

   1. Configure the first machine and create the domain.
   2. Insert the second machine into the domain.
   3. Create the failover cluster.
   4. Create DFS Namespace and data replication.

   Follow these steps:

   From the Server Manager, click Dashboard, and select Add Roles and Features.

   

   Click Next three times, from the Select server roles screen and select:

   1. Active Directory Domain Services
   2. DNS Server
   3. Expand File and Storage Services
   4. Expand File and iSCSI Services
   5. Select DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication

   

    

   Accept the additional choices that are added and include Failover Clustering.

    

   

    Configure the Domain Controller

   Select Promote this server to a domain controller.

   

Select a domain name.

Leave all options at their default values, click Next, and then Install.

The server will reboot when logging in again.

Do not forget to use the domain name instead of the machine name.

  Insert the Second Machine into the Domain 

  Install the Necessary Roles and Features 

 Proceed similar to the first machine but do not select:

• Active Directory Domain Services
• DNS Server

Configure the Additional Server 

Change the IP settings to point to the above-configured server as a DNS.

Follow these steps:

From the Control Panel, go to System and Security, then System, then Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, then Change settings, then System Properties, and click Change.

Reboot to complete the insertion into the domain.

  Create the Failover Cluster 

This section describes how to create the failover cluster.

Follow these steps:

Click on the bottom-left Windows icon and type “Failover Cluster Manager”, then start the manager.

Select Create Cluster.

Choose Select Servers, enter all the server names (nodes) that are included in the cluster, and click Next.

You can add multiple servers by placing a comma between each name. To make it easier, use the IP addresses, for example, X.Y.137.1, X.Y.137.2.

Run the validation for all the tests, click Next three times, and then Finish.

Enter the Cluster Name in the Access Point for Administering the Cluster. Click Next twice and then Finish.

The Failover Cluster Manager now shows the cluster details.

Create DFS Replication 

Create an Identical Disk on the Machines 

On all machines, create, for example, a 39GB D: drive

Create a Name Space 

Press the Windows key and start writing DFS Management, then start the program.

Click on Namespaces, then New Namespace on the right-hand side.

Enter the name of the domain controller (can also be another machine)

Enter the name of the Namespace, click Next twice, and Create.

Add the second machine to the namespace.

 Create a New Replication Group 

From the DFS Management window, create a New Multipurposes Replication Group, then Next, give a name and optionally a description.

Add the two servers as members.

Click Next three times, then set the domain controller as the primary server.

Add the D drive with existing permissions.

Add the D: drive in the “Folders to Replicate”.

Review the Summary before you create the Replication Group.

Finally Close and OK.

Additional Information

Review our XCOM manual, section

High Availability/Failover Support on Windows (11.6) and

High Availability/Failover Support on Windows (12.0)

for the steps to install and configure XCOM on the failover cluster.