Deployment Server "Failover" Configuration Question

Deployment Server \"Failover\" Configuration Question

Hello Again CNC-ers

I have a client who is configuring a deployment server failover scenario for E810 instance where in case one machine fails in some critical fashion, only a DNS ALIAS pointer (to the IP address of the "failover" deployment server) would have to be changed and the E1 system would start using the "backup" mirrored (presumably) failover deployment server.

Here is the question: as those who work with 8.9 and above, E1 installs and configures a local JDELOCAL MSDE instance on the deployment server with the machine name prefixed to the JDELOCAL name (i.e., DEPSERVER\JDELOCAL).

In my client's case, since they have two DIFFERENT deployment server machine names, there will be two different instances of the JDELOCAL MSDE databases. So even though the DNS alias will direct E1 system to the ALIAS NAME and connectivity should be fine from application and report point of view, I think there could be issues for CNCs working locally on Dep Server (even signing in) with the TWO different instance names.

The 810 instance is using Oracle so I do not have data sources with server names as DEPSERVER\JDELOCAL as I might on SQL Server, but can anyone think of potential problems that might occur as a result of two different instance names?

Also, I am assuming that instance name (DEPSERVER\JDELOCAL) is "hardcoded" in MSDE Master DB to refer to the machine name/registry of the host machine (in this case, the deployment server machine name it resides on.)

In other words, I cannot restore the DEPSERVER\JDELOCAL instance to the second deployment server name DEPSERVER2 for example.

Am I missing something here or does someone have alternate view or understanding? Oh and did I mention that we are planning on doing this tomorrow night, the 15th of September 2005?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Deployment Server \"Failover\" Configuration Question

A deployment server failover configuration , would work best if the failover server had the same name. Changing the name would have a lot of implications and needs to be reflected in many places.

Are you looking at a temporary fail over where the primary server would be brought back up asap or where the fail over becomes the primary and vice versa.

The easiest would be to setup your failover server with the same Deplyment Server name. Keep it re-named while inactive. As long as you dont sign into JDE on the DS when the host name is different,you should not have any problem. Also keep the MSSQLServer service for the MSDE manual so it is not started the while the temporary host name is active.

When you want to switch to the fail over machine, take the original of network. Rename the fail over to orginal. Start the MSDE service and you should be good to go. How much in sync the servers will be will depend on how often you refresh your fail over system.

This is my view. May not be the best...

Re: Deployment Server \"Failover\" Configuration Question

Hello Ice

Thanks again for post. The procedure you described is what I would have (and did) suggest. However, customer is happy? on using DNS alias name pointing to an ip address. So, depserver1 goes down, they repoint ALIAS to different ip (depserver2) and away they go.

I think from an admin point of view, dealing with the MSDE dbs is going to be a little bit of a pain.

You know how it is, the "infrastructure" folks--or the security folks at a few firms rarely seem to care how the E1 application works over the network-I have been to several sites as I am sure you have where you try to explain how E1 works and they could care less (it seems). They have THEIR security/network architecture they want to implement (I suspect more for EGO reasons than any other since viruses and such still get through ironically enough) and 'Dang it! (they say) the E1 application is going to fit into it!! (square peg into round hole theory).

Re: Deployment Server \"Failover\" Configuration Question-FOLLOW UP

Hello JDE-ers

I just wanted to let everyone know that you CAN use a DNS alias for deployment server name with 8.10 in the failover situation I described earlier.

The "gotchas" identified thus far are:

1) Make sure you run the 'sp_change_users_login' (I apologize if I have that slightly wrong-haven't had coffee yet) procedure after re-attaching the MSDE databases-this procedure is available from Knowledge Garden white paper on changing out deployment server I believe

2) You will NOT be able to DEPLOY packages from the deployment server to enterprise server--best guess I have is that the R98825D program calls the VersionListMachineLookup business function-does a direct OS call to get machine name and uses that instead of the ALIAS name of deployment server listed in F9650 (the log tricks you into think it is reading from F9650 but it isn't - it is passing the actual deployment server name TO a SQL and the select statement is "forced" to use the actual name of dep server instead of what is in the F9650. Thus, I opened a call with Oracle-JDE to see if there is another BSFN to use/call that would use ALIAS name in F9650 instead of OS retrieved name.

I would suggest you do this after hours or on a Saturday as I did. Good luck!

Joe Tirado