Managing And Patching Engine Clusters Using Passive Node Management Feature With Quest KACE (formerly Dell KACE)

Managing And Patching Engine Clusters Using Passive Node Management Feature With Quest KACE (formerly Dell KACE)

Summary

This article provides information on how to manage or patch Neverfail Continuity Engine clusters through Quest KACE, using Passive Node Management feature.

Quest KACE Devices Provisioning

Prerequisite: Quest KACE Server should be installed and configured.

In Admin UI > Settings > Provisioning > Provisioning Schedules > Deploy, the Target IP addresses range must include the Management IPs of the Engine cluster servers.

Enable Passive Node Management

Neverfail Continuity Engine servers should be able to access Quest KACE in order to be managed remotely from there.

  • On the active server this can be achieved through the Public IP address or through a Management IP Address. 
  • On the passive server, this can be achieved only through a Management Name and IP Address.

Thus, a Management Name and IP Address with access to Quest KACE must be configured on each node, in order to be able to connect to Quest KACE when both in active or passive role.

Neverfail Continuity Engine passive server nodes can be managed through Quest KACE only after performing one of the following configurations: from the Quest KACE server side (1) OR from the managed node side (2). 

1. On the Quest KACE server side

Set the Web Server Name the Quest KACE server's IP.

q1.png

2. On the Engine cluster servers

Add to the "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts" the row "<KACE server's IP> <KACE server's fqdn>".

q2.png

Considerations

In Quest KACE devices inventory list Admin UI > Inventory > Devices, the managed Engine node names and their IP Addresses will change consistently when an Engine switchover occurs, but the managed server entity remains consistent, due to KUID / Asset Unique ID.

 

Applies to

Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance 9.0

Neverfail Continuity Engine 8.5 and later