The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.
This chapter describes how to configure failover on a Cisco Digital Signs installation. It covers both new installations and adding failover to an existing installation.
This chapter contains these topics.
Before you can configure failover, you must meet these requirements.
When licensing your failover cluster, you must install the feature, author, and failover licenses on the primary Cisco DMM appliance. The secondary appliance needs only the base license that come with the appliance. It will inherit the optional feature, device, and author licenses during the failover activation process.
You must have a failover license installed on your primary Cisco DMM appliance to activate the failover configuration. You can enter the failover settings without the license, but you cannot activate failover until the license is installed. See the following for information about installing licenses:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/video/digital_media_systems/5_x/5_4/dmm/user/guide/admin/licenses.html for information about installing licenses.
Failover configuration is supported on the following DMS hardware platforms:
•DMM-SVR-C210-K9
You cannot configure failover for the following DMS hardware platforms:
•MCS-7835-H3
The primary and secondary appliance in a failover pair must be identical. Table 2-1 shows the failover appliance part numbers that correspond to the primary appliances.
|
|
---|---|
Cisco Digital Media Manager |
DMM-FA-C210-K9 |
•Configure NTP on the appliances before configuring failover.
•You must add the required FQDNs to your name server before configuring failover.
You will need the information in the following tables to complete the configuration. We recommend that you print out the table and fill in the information before you begin.
Note Please make sure that all "A" records in DNS have corresponding "PTR" (reverse zone) configured correctly. This is required for DMM and failover setup to work properly.
To configure failover for your DMS installation, perform the following procedures in the order presented:
1. Set Up the Primary DMM Appliance
2. Set up the Secondary DMM Appliance
3. Connect the Primary and Secondary Appliance Replication Interfaces
4. Configure the Secondary Cisco DMM Appliance
6. Activate the Failover Cluster
When you have an existing DMM appliance, its existing FQDN and IP address will become the virtual FQDN and IP address for the failover configuration. Users will not need to change their bookmarks.
When you are setting up a new Cisco DMM appliance, set up the primary DMM as you would a standalone system. See Quick Start Guide for Cisco Digital Media Suite 5.4.x for information about setting up the appliance.
When setting up the appliance, use the primary FQDN and IP address for the appliance. They will become the virtual FQDNs and IP address during the failover configuration process. In a later step, you will replace the primary FQDNs and IP addresses used here with the alternate, dedicated FQDNs and IP addresses.
Before you continue to the next step, make sure you:
•Install the failover license on the DMM. See the Licenses chapter in User Guide for Cisco Digital Media Manager 5.4.x.
•Install third party certificates on your appliances if you are using them. See the Manage Digital Certificates chapter in Administration Guide for Cisco Digital Media Suite 5.4.x Appliances.
•Enable NTP on the appliances. See the Configure System Time chapter in Administration Guide for Cisco Digital Media Suite 5.4.x Appliances.
Set up the secondary DMM Appliance as you would a standalone system. See Quick Start Guide for Cisco Digital Media Suite 5.4.x for information about setting up the system.
Use the secondary appliance dedicated FQDN and IP address for the appliance.
The application interfaces for both DMM appliances must be on the same subnet as the primary DMM appliance.
Install the base licenses installed that came with the appliance. You do not need to install additional feature or device licenses on the secondary DMM appliance.
You have two options for connecting the primary and secondary appliance replication interfaces:
•Crossover cable directly connecting the appliances.
•Connecting the appliances through a switch.
If you are using a switch between the replication interfaces, the replication interfaces must be on a different subnet than the application interface.
GigabitEthernet 2 is the replication interface. Figure 2-1 shows the location of the replication interface (marked by the arrow labeled 1) on a Cisco DMM-SVR-C210-K9 appliance.
Figure 2-1 The replication interface on a DMM-SVR-C210-K9 appliance
Configure the secondary appliance to recognize the primary Cisco DMM appliance as the cluster master.
Procedure
Step 1 Using the secondary FQDN to access the secondary DMM interface, log into DMM using the superuser or an administrator account.
Step 2 From the home page, choose Administration.
Step 3 Click the Failover tab.
The Failover Configuration page appears.
Step 4 Verify that Master FQDN is selected in the Digital Media Suite Cluster Settings area and enter the primary appliance FQDN in the Master FQDN field. DO NOT use the alternate FQDN.
Step 5 Click Save.
Step 6 Exit the DMM interface.
To configure the primary DMM, follow these steps:
Step 1 Using the primary FQDN to access the primary DMM interface, log into DMM using the superuser or an administrator account.
Step 2 From the home page, choose Administration.
Step 3 Click the Failover tab.
The Failover Configuration page appears.
Step 4 Set the primary DMM as the cluster master:
a. Choose Set as Master in the Digital Media Suite Cluster Settings
b. (Optional) Type a name for the cluster in the Name field. By default, the system assigns "DMS Cluster" as the cluster name.
Step 5 Configure the DMM failover settings:
Note The original primary DMM FQDN is automatically entered into the Virtual FQDN field. You cannot change the Virtual FQDN.
a. In the Primary FQDN field, replace the FQDN shown with the alternate primary FQDN.
b. Enter the secondary FQDN into the Secondary FQDN field.
Step 6 Do one of the following to configure the DMM replication interface:
•If using a crossover cable between the devices, verify that Crossover is selected.
•If using a switch between the devices, select Switched and enter the following information:
Step 7 Click Save.
What to do next
Next, see Activate the Failover Cluster.
When you activate the DMM cluster, the primary DMM configures and activates the other appliances in the failover cluster. Activation can take up to 20 minutes. After activation, the primary appliances are replicated to the secondary appliances. Replication process can take up to 15 hours. However, the primary appliances are available during replication and users can view and upload files as normal.
Procedure
Step 1 Click Activate.
A dialog displays a summary of the failover cluster settings.
Step 2 Click OK.
Activation begins. A series of activation progress dialogs appear.
You cannot navigate away from this page by clicking in the interface while the activation is in progress. If you close the browser or use the browser navigation to move away from this page and then return, the Activate button appears to be enabled. However, if you attempt to activate again you will receive the message: [FailoverConfig]: Another request already in progress.
Activation can take up to 20 minutes. Once activation is complete, replication occurs. You can monitor replication progress on the Failover Status page. Replication can take up to 15 hours.
What to do next
•Monitor the replication progress and verify your configuration. See Monitor Replication Status.
Go to the Failover Status page (Administration > Failover > Failover Status).
While replication is in progress, the primary appliance will be in the Up/Active state and the secondary appliances in the Down state. This is normal. You will see status bars that show the percent complete of the replication.
Note This page will not contain any information until activation is complete and replication has started.
During replication, users can access and use the Cisco DMM GUI. However, performance will be degraded.
When replication is complete, you should see the primary appliances in the Up/Active state and the secondary appliances in the Up/Standby state.
If the secondary system is in the Down state when replication has completed, access the system AAI interface reboot the system. See Administration Guide for Cisco Digital Media Suite 5.4.x Appliances on Cisco.com for information about using AAI.
You cannot restore backups taken from a standalone Cisco DMM appliance on a Cisco DMM appliance in a failover configuration. You should immediately back up the active appliance when activation and replication is complete.
See the Back Up and Restore Appliance Configurations chapter in Administration Guide for Cisco Digital Media Suite 5.3.4 Appliances.