How to replace a Windows server with Neverfail IT Continuity Engine when it is deployed as a Virtual Machine

How to replace a Windows server with Neverfail IT Continuity Engine when it is deployed as a Virtual Machine

Summary

This Knowledgebase article provides the step-by-step procedure necessary to replace a server when this is a Virtual Machine.

 

More Information

Initial Assumptions

  • The Primary active server will be cloned.
  • The Secondary/Tertiary passive server will be replaced by the new clone of Primary active server.

Before you begin

  • Read the entire article before performing any steps!

 

Procedure

  1. Clone the Primary (Active) server VM using the hyper-visor capabilities.
  2. In case of a DR scenario, ship the cloned VM to the DR site and import it into the hyper-visor.

 On the newly cloned Secondary/Tertiary (Passive) server:

  1. Virtually disconnect the virtual NICs for Public and Channel of the VM from the hyper-visor management client, completely isolating it from the network.
  2. Start the newly cloned Secondary or Tertiary virtual machine.
  3. After the OS boots up, right click on the Neverfail Engine Server icon and select Shutdown Engine (with Leave the protected applications running option).
  4. Open the Neverfail Engine Configure Server Wizard -> go to Machine tab -> and set the “Physical Hardware Identity” to Secondary or Tertiary and make sure that “Active Server” is the Primary.
  5. If this is a WAN installation then modify the networking configuration on the Public vNIC. Also open a command prompt window and use the “route” command to create a static route for the channel(s), if necessary. For more details, read Neverfail Knowledgebase article #466.
  6. Also, in the Neverfail Engine Configure Serve Wizard -> go to Public tab and verify that the Public IP is correct for this machine.
  7. In the System Tray, right click on the Neverfail Engine Server icon and select Start Engine.
  8. Virtually reconnect the virtual NICs for Public and Channel of the Secondary/Tertiary VM from the hyper-visor management client.
  9. Open the Neverfail Engine Management Client and wait for the connection to establish and for replication to start between Primary active and the newly cloned passive servers.

 

Applies To 

All Windows OS versions when deployed as a virtual machine.

Neverfail Engine

 

Related Information

Knowledgebase article #466 - How to Create a Static Route for the Neverfail Channel Connection in a WAN Environment


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