Adding a High Availability System

Adding a HA System Using Automatic Deployment

Before You Begin

Considerations Before Adding a High Availability System

A high availability system is a redundant system that is added to, and becomes part of your system. It provides high availability in the event of a virtual machine failure.

The High Availability (HA) system has the following constraints

  • The HA system must be at the same release version as the primary system. If you have updated the primary system, then be sure to do the same for the HA system.
  • If you are entitled (with the appropriate service contract), then Cisco recommends you deploy the HA system using the OVA file that is the same base version (before any patches) as the primary system.
  • The HA system size must be the same as the primary system.
  • If you have added public access on the primary system, then you must add it to the HA system as well.
  • The HA system's internal virtual machines must be on the same subnet as the primary system's internal virtual machines.
  • If you have added public access, then the HA system's Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine must be on the same subnet as the primary system's Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine.
  • Because this process affects the virtual machines in your system, your current security certificate may become invalid and require an update.
  • If you previously had an HA system, removed it, and are redeploying a new HA system, then you will not be able to reuse the virtual machines in the previous HA system. You must redeploy a new HA system with new virtual machines.

Summary of Tasks to Add a High Availability System Using Automatic Deployment

Follow these tasks in order.

Task Description For Details, See
1 Using the VMware vSphere client, deploy the Admin virtual machine for the HA system. Deploying the OVA File From the VMware vSphere Client
2 Power on the Admin virtual machine of the HA system, and write down the deployment URL.  
3 Enter the URL into a web browser and continue the deployment of your HA system.  
4 Select your preferred language for the deployment of the HA system. Selecting Your Language for Setup
5 Confirm the system size for the HA system. (This system size must match the primary system.) Confirming the Size of Your System
6 Select Create a High Availability (HA) redundant system. Choosing What System to Install
7 Select an automatic deployment. (For simplicity, Cisco recommends making the same selection as for your primary system.) Choosing the Type of System Deployment
8 Enter your vCenter credentials so that we may deploy the HA system's virtual machines for you. Providing VMware vCenter Credentials
9 As applicable, select the ESXi host, datastore, and virtual machine port group for the media virtual machine for the HA system.
Note   

Choose the same virtual machine port group as used for the primary system.

Choosing vCenter Settings for your Media Virtual Machine
10 As applicable, enter the fully qualified domain name of the HA system's media virtual machine. (If you have already updated your DNS server with entries for the HA system, then we will look up the IP address for you.) Entering Networking Information for the Media Virtual Machine
11 If you have added public access for your primary system, then ensure there is a check in the Create an Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine check box. Otherwise, uncheck this check box.
Note   

If you have not enabled public access, then skip to Task 14.

Adding Public Access
12 If you have added public access, select the ESXi host, datastore, and virtual machine port group for the Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine for the HA system.
Note   

Choose the same virtual machine port group as used for the primary system.

Choosing vCenter Settings for your Internet Reverse Proxy
13 Enter the hostname and networking information for the Internet Reverse Proxy. Entering the Networking Information for the Internet Reverse Proxy
14 Check that you have made all the networking, DNS server, and firewall configuration changes required for your HA system. Confirming That Your Network is Configured Correctly
15 Once your HA system's virtual machines have deployed successfully, then select Next to continue to the HA system check. Deploying Your Virtual Machines
16 Once the HA system check has completed successfully, then select Next. Checking Your System
17 Confirm that the primary system and the HA system are at the same version. If not, then update the HA system. Confirming Your Primary System and Your HA System Are at the Same Version
18 Add this high availability system to the primary system in Cisco WebEx Administration. Adding a High Availability System

Adding a HA System Using Manual Deployment

Before You Begin

Considerations Before Adding a High Availability System

A high availability system is a redundant system that is added to, and becomes part of your system. It provides high availability in the event of a virtual machine failure.

The High Availability (HA) system has the following constraints

  • The HA system must be at the same release version as the primary system. If you have updated the primary system, then be sure to do the same for the HA system.
  • If you are entitled (with the appropriate service contract), then Cisco recommends you deploy the HA system using the OVA file that is the same base version (before any patches) as the primary system.
  • The HA system size must be the same as the primary system.
  • If you have added public access on the primary system, then you must add it to the HA system as well.
  • The HA system's internal virtual machines must be on the same subnet as the primary system's internal virtual machines.
  • If you have added public access, then the HA system's Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine must be on the same subnet as the primary system's Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine.
  • Because this process affects the virtual machines in your system, your current security certificate may become invalid and require an update.
  • If you previously had an HA system, removed it, and are redeploying a new HA system, then you will not be able to reuse the virtual machines in the previous HA system. You must redeploy a new HA system with new virtual machines.

Summary of Tasks to Add a High Availability System Using Manual Deployment

Follow these tasks in order.

Task Description For Details, See
1 Using the VMware vSphere client, deploy the Admin virtual machine for the HA system. Deploying the OVA File From the VMware vSphere Client
2 Power on the Admin virtual machine of the HA system, and write down the deployment URL.  
3 Enter the URL into a web browser and continue the deployment of your HA system.  
4 Select your preferred language for the deployment of the HA system. Selecting Your Language for Setup
5 Confirm the system size for the HA system. (This system size must match the primary system.) Confirming the Size of Your System
6 Select Create a High Availability (HA) redundant system. Choosing What System to Install
7 Select a manual deployment. (For simplicity, Cisco recommends making the same selection as for your primary system.) Choosing the Type of System Deployment
8 If you have added public access for your primary system, then ensure there is a check in the Create an Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machine check box. Otherwise, uncheck this check box. Adding Public Access
9 Check that you have made all the networking, DNS server, and firewall configuration changes required for your HA system. Confirming That Your Network is Configured Correctly
10 Once your HA system's virtual machines have deployed successfully, then select Next to continue to the HA system check. Deploying Your Virtual Machines
11 Once the HA system check has completed successfully, then select Next. Checking Your System
12 Confirm that the primary system and the HA system are at the same version. If not, then update the HA system. Confirming Your Primary System and Your HA System Are at the Same Version
13 Add this high availability system to the primary system in Cisco WebEx Administration. Adding a High Availability System

Confirming Your Primary System and Your HA System Are at the Same Version

The HA system must be at exactly the same release as your primary system. The version of the HA system is listed on this browser page. To check the version of the primary system, complete the following on the primary system:

Procedure
    Step 1   In a separate browser window, sign in to the WebEx Administration site on the primary system.
    Step 2   On the Dashboard tab, check the primary system version number in the System pane in the top right corner.
    Step 3   If the primary system is at a later version than the HA system, then you will either need to redeploy the HA system using a newer OVA file (for a later version of the software), or update the HA system.
    Note    If you need to update the HA system, first back up the virtual machines. For complete details, see Creating a Backup Using VMware vCenter.
    Step 4   If an update is required, then after deploying the HA system, select update on the browser connected to the HA system.
    Step 5   Download the appropriate update file from the Cisco Software Center:

    http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/navigator.html

    Place the update file on a local disk or on a datastore available to the HA system.

    Step 6   Select Continue on the browser connected to the HA system.
    Step 7   Connect the CD/DVD drive to the ISO update file in the Admin virtual machine of the HA system.

    See Connecting the Update ISO Image From the CD/DVD Drive.

    Step 8   Check the I have connected to the ISO file and am ready to proceed check box and select Continue.
    Caution    Once you select Continue, you will not be able to stop the update procedure. If an issue arises during the update procedure, and it does not complete successfully, then you must use your backups to restore the system.

    The update procedure may take up to an hour. Do not close this browser window, as you will be unable to return to this page.

    Once the update completes, a new dialog is displayed, confirming the success of the update.

    Step 9   Select Restart.

    Once the system has restarted, the HA created system page is displayed, with a message indicating the success of the update.


    What to Do Next

    Add this high availability system to the primary system in Cisco WebEx Administration on the primary system.

    Adding a High Availability System


    Note


    Most of the features on your high-availability system are prohibited. For example you do not have access to upgrade, SNMP configuration, storage access, or email servers on your high-availability system. You can view system properties, but modification is prohibited.



    Note


    Complete the following procedure on the primary system.


    Before You Begin
    • Install Cisco WebEx on a second virtual machine from the OVA file to be used as your high availability system.

      Note


      Your high-availability system must be the same size as your primary system.


    • Your high-availability system must be configured with the same OVA and patch as your primary system. If your primary and high-availability systems' versions do not match, you will be instructed to upgrade to the higher version.
    • Copy the high-availability virtual machine fully qualified domain name (FQDN). You must know the FQDN to add your high-availability system.
    • Verify that all virtual machines are functioning normally. Determine virtual machine status by viewing the System Monitor as described in About Your Dashboard.
    Procedure
      Step 1   Sign in to the Administration site.
      Step 2   On the primary system, in the System section, select the View More link.
      Step 3   Select Add High Availability System.
      Step 4   Follow the instructions on the System Properties page to add this HA system.

      Example:

      Step 5   Enter the FQDN of the Administration site virtual machine of the high-availability system and select Continue.

      We will validate the readiness of both the primary system and the HA system for this add HA procedure.

      • If both systems are ready, then you will see a green Add button. Do not select it until you put your system into maintenance mode.
      • If either system is not ready, then you will see an error message. Fix the error and attempt the add high availability procedure again.
      Step 6   Select Turn On Maintenance Mode, then select Add.

      Your high-availability system is added and automatically configured to serve as a backup in the event of a primary system failure.

      Step 7   Select Turn Off Maintenance Mode and Continue to confirm.

      Your system restarts after you turn off maintenance mode. You can sign back into the Administration site after restart is complete.


      Testing the System

      These are some of the tests to run on the system. You can accomplish these tests and validate your system by using two diagnostic tools provided on the support pages for this product: the Meetings Test and the System Resources test.

      • Add, edit, activate, and deactivate users.
      • Schedule and hold a meeting.
      • Reschedule an existing meeting.
      • Delete a series of meetings or a future meeting.
      • Open a meeting attachment.
      • Play a meeting recording.