Summary

This Knowledgebase article provides information about this specific release of the Neverfail for File Server Plug-in.

More information

Neverfail for File Server Plug-in automatically configures protection for all of your file shares as they are created, edited, or deleted. The plug-in protects all the services required for the File Server and all the file shares discovered at install time and during normal operation (including all security settings, user rights and file properties).

What's new

• Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Standard / Datacenter
• Target states for the protectedServer (lanmanserver) service are changed as follows: Restarted on the Active Server and Running on the Passive(s) Server(s). (EN-3235)

Known Issues and Limitations

• The channel connection may become unresponsive if a large number of shares are added (Ref-4866)
• After creating a shadow copy and then modifying the Disk Quota limits, if a rollback is performed, the previous Disk Quota limits will not be restored (Ref-14289). 
• On WS2008R2 the DFS namespaces created post Engine install are not visible in DFS Management MMC after a switchover. (EN-2480)
  
• [EN-4913]: Engine vs Windows deprecated SMB1 feature: Risk of BSoD on WS2019 if SMB1/Computer Browser (deprecated features) are installed. Affected environments: Continuity Engine protecting WS2019 File Server with SMB1 and Computer Browser features installed.
  
1. Recommendation: don't enable SMB1 on WS2019. Follow MS recommendations
2. Workaround (only if recommendation is ignored): remove lanmanserver service from FileServer plugin protected list: this will eliminate the risk of browser service being bounced at switchover, but creates a potential risk for newly added file shares not being visible on new active after the switchover (till lanmanserver is restarted).

Supported Versions of Microsoft Windows

x64 / Intel 64 Platform (64-bit hardware)

• Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Standard / Datacenter
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Standard / Datacenter
  
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard / Datacenter
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard / Datacenter
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Standard / Datacenter
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 up to SP1

The IA-64 Itanium Platform is not supported.

Application Monitoring, Discovery and Protection

Monitoring

Monitoring the environment can be broadly categorized as:

• Active Server and Service Availability Monitoring
• Application and Performance Monitoring

Active Server and Service Availability Monitoring

Neverfail monitors the availability of a server by sending continuous heartbeat signals via the Neverfail Channel to the other server in the pair. The “Yes I am alive” response ensures that not only is the other server powered-up, but also that it is available if needed. The heartbeat signal interval is configurable from the Neverfail Management Client.

Application and Performance Monitoring

Neverfail for File Server relies on the 'System' plug-in for monitoring general system performance. The Neverfail System Plug-in performs this operation by checking select WMI counters at predetermined intervals to ensure that results of the check are within defined parameters. Neverfail System Plug-in uses 'Rules' to take action should a check reveal results outside of the defined parameters.

Note: Many of the rules listed below are provided in the disabled state because default values cannot be provided as these values depend upon the server and application load.

Rules - The following Rules are available by default:

• Logon/Sec
• Files Open
• Server Sessions
• Mean Response Time

To create/modify user defined 'Rules' follow the steps below:

1. Using the Management Client, click on Application: Rules .
2. Select the desired 'Rule'.
3. Click on the Edit button at the top of the Rules pane.
4. Configure/modify the desired fields (listed below).
   • Condition: (the condition being evaluated)
   • Duration: (the length of time the condition exists)
   • First Failure: (action to take upon first failure) Note: The default is set to Alert .
   • Second Failure: (action to take upon second failure) Note: The default is set to Alert .
   • Third Failure: (action to take upon third failure) Note: The default is set to Alert .
5. Click OK to save the changes.

Note: This dialog is also used to Enable/Disable the selected 'Rule'.

Tasks - There are no configurable 'Tasks' associated with this plug-in. Custom User defined 'Tasks' can be defined by following the steps below.

To configure a new 'Task', follow the steps below:

1. Using the Management Client, click on Applications: Tasks .
2. Click on the Add button at the top of the 'Tasks'  pane.
3. Enter the appropriate information completing all fields in the dialog.
4. Click OK to save the changes.

Note: This dialog is also used to Enable/Disable the selected 'Task'.

Disk Quotas

Neverfail for File Server Plug-in supports protection of Disk Quotas (see limitations in the Unsupported Components and Features below). To enable Disk Quota protection:

Note: After creating a shadow copy and then modifying the Disk Quota limits, if a rollback is performed, the previous Disk Quota limits will not be restored (Ref - 14289).

Important: When configuring protection of Disk Quotas, Orphaned File Deletion must be enabled.

1. Using the Neverfail Heartbeat Management Client, navigate to Applications: Plug-ins .
2. Select the Neverfail for File Server Plug-in .
3. Click Edit .
4. Select the ProtectQuotas to enable the option and click OK .
5. Navigate to Application: Rules .
6. Select both the ProtectDiskQuotas and ProtectQuotaSettings rules and select Edit .
7. Select to enable both rules and click OK .
8. Select the ProtectDiskQuotas and ProtectQuotaSettings rules and click Check Now.
9. Run (or wait for) File Filter Discovery to complete. To run File Filter Discovery, navigate to Applications: Tasks . Select FileServer, right click File Filter Discovery and click Run Now.

Protected Services

This is a list of all services protected by this plug-in. Please note that where a plug-in supports multiple vendor versions, some services may not be present in a particular version.

• Server (lanmanserver)

When the plug-in is installed, all protected services will be set to manual unless otherwise stated.

Protected Data

This is a description of the protected data set that was determined at plug-in install time. Please note that exact filters will be based on the configuration of the application at the moment that the plug-in was installed.

• All registry data relating to file shares
• All the file shares, including specific security settings and user rights

Automatic Filter Discovery

This plug-in provides a filter discovery component. The Automatic Filter Discovery component is configurable and runs every 2 minutes by default.

• Protects all the newly created shares
• Reconfigures the file filters when removing specific shares
  
  Note: If the Server service is not running when filter discovery starts an exception will be thrown with message: The Server service is not started .

Unsupported Components and Features

This plug-in does not protect the following application features or components:

• For unsupported features of the Windows NTFS File System please refer to Knowledgebase article #321 - Neverfail for File Server: Unprotected Features of the Windows NTFS File System .
• Neverfail for File Server is not supported in a Windows Workgroup environment – please refer to Knowledgebase article #391 - Neverfail for File Server is not supported in a Microsoft Windows Workgroup environment for more information.
• If the user chooses to protect quotas, the following will not be protected:
  • The disk quota does not limit disk usage setting (Ref-13915)
  • The Enable Set warning level to setting on a quota for Administrators users (Ref-14009)
  • The deletion of a disk quota (Ref-13906)
  • A quota (available only on Windows 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012) applied to a share (Ref-13886)

Installation Information

Initial installations of Neverfail for File Server Plug-in can be performed using either the Neverfail Continuity Engine Setup process or the Applications: Plug-ins tab of the Advanced Management Client. Subsequent reinstallations and upgrades may be performed using the Applications: Plug-ins tab of the Advanced Management Client.

Install/Uninstall the Neverfail for File Server Plug-in Via the Advanced Management Client

To install the Neverfail for File Server Plug-in, follow the steps below:

1. Unzip the Neverfail for File Server Plug-in to the desired location. 
2. Launch the Advanced Management Client.
3. Navigate to Application -> Plugins.
4. Click on the Install button.
5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the location of the FileServerNFPlugin.dll file.
6. Click OK to complete the installation.

To remove/uninstall the Neverfail for File Server Plug-in, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the Advanced Management Client.
2. Navigate to Application -> Plugins.
3. Select the desired plug-in to be removed/uninstalled.
4. Click on the Uninstall button in the Plugins pane.
5. When the plug-in is uninstalled, the files are not removed.  This is by design for future functionality and therefore the following workaround is provided:
6. Copy the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> folder to a different location (e.g. C:\temp).
7. Delete the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> folder.
8. To reinstall the plug-in, when prompted for the location of the plug-in files, navigate to the new folder location (e.g. C:\temp).

Note: As an alternative, reinstallation can be accomplished by using the download files from the original download location after removing the plug-in.

Applies To

Neverfail for File Server Plug-in V201.5.7

Related Information

None

KBID-3012