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Configuring a Failover Server in Offline Environments

Offline Environments

Installation Notes

Before you begin, read the following installation notes.

  • The two HP Anyware License Servers must be the same version.

  • Both HP Anyware License Servers should be configured identically, with some allowable differences. For example, you can specify different PORT values for the two HP Anyware License Servers.

  • The two servers should be in different physical locations, or at least on independent hypervisors.

  • The clocks of both the servers must be accurate, synchronized, and in the same time zone. If they are not, unpredictable behavior can occur.

  • The main HP Anyware License Server with the failover information before must be configured the backup server is registered. If the backup HP Anyware License Server is registered before configuration is complete, create a ticket with HP Anyware Support for assistance.

Installation Procedure

Follow the steps described in this section to install the failover pair.

1: Install the Backup Server

Install the new HP Anyware License Server that will act as your backup. Do not register it yet. For more information, see Installing the license server in an offline environment.

1A: Optionally open a Temporary Internet Connection

Temporarily connect to the Internet for both main and backup license servers. The main and backup servers must always have connectivity with each other.

Once the failover pair is registered, the Internet connection can be disconnected. After you connect the main and backup servers to the internet temporarily, perform steps 2 through 5 and then perform Step 6 A.

If you cannot open a temporary Internet connection, perform Step 6 B after performing steps 2 through 5.

2: Set the Host ID of the Backup Server on the Main Server

The backup server's ID must be available to the main server. This ID is registered with HP Anyware to create a failover pair.

  1. Start the backup HP Anyware License Server.

  2. On the backup HP Anyware License Server, run the following command and note the backup server's host ID in the response:

    pcoip-get-license-server-id
    
  3. Stop the backup HP Anyware License Server.

    sudo systemctl stop HPAnywareLicenseServer
    
  4. Switch to the main HP Anyware License Server and start it.

    sudo systemctl start HPAnywareLicenseServer
    
  5. On the main HP Anyware License Server, use a text editor to set the backup-hostid in the /opt/flexnetls/HP/local-configuration.yaml file to to the backup server's host ID.

    Host IDs must be of the same type

    The host ID for both the main server and backup server must be the same type (for example, two VM UUIDs or two Ethernet MAC addresses).

  6. Save and exit the editor.

  7. Shut down the main HP Anyware License Server.

    sudo systemctl stop HPAnywareLicenseServer
    

3: Register the HP Anyware License Servers

  1. Start the main HP Anyware License Server.

    sudo systemctl restart HPAnywareLicenseServer
    
  2. Run the following command:

    pcoip-list-licenses
    
  3. Once you see a valid response from pcoip-list-licenses, start the backup HP Anyware License Server.

4: Enable Failover Support on the Backup Server

The following sections use the HP Anyware License Server Administrator command-line tool, which is a utility provided at /opt/flexnetls/HP/admintools/flexnetlsadmin.sh. You can invoke it by providing its full file path on the command line.

If you'd like to invoke the tool as flexnetlsadmin.sh (omitting the full path), add /opt/flexnetls/HP/admintools to your machine's $PATH variable and restart your console application.

The examples that follow use the shorter command form, as if you had modified your system $PATH. If you haven't, replace flexnetlsadmin.sh with /opt/flexnetls/HP/admintools/flexnetlsadmin.sh in all of these sample commands.

Passwords

You will be prompted for a password when using these commands. The password is the HP Anyware License Server administrative password, as set by pcoip-set-password.

On the backup server, use flexnetlsadmin.sh to set the following HP Anyware License Server policy settings:

  • fne.syncTo.mainUri: Set this to the URI of the main HP Anyware License Server, using the format: https://{ licenseServerHostName }:{ port }/fne/bin/capability. Replace { licenseServerHostName } and { port } with values of your own.

    Example:

    flexnetlsadmin.sh -server  https://localhost:7071/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin -passwordConsoleInput -config -set fne.syncTo.mainUri=https://<MainLicenseServerHostName>:7071/fne/bin/capability
    
  • fne.syncTo.enabled: Set this value to true. Example:

    flexnetlsadmin.sh -server  https://localhost:7071/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin -passwordConsoleInput -config -set fne.syncTo.enabled=true
    

5: Configure Response Reference Information on the Main Server

Capability responses returned to client devices can include the URI for the main and backup HP Anyware License Servers. Configure one or both of these policy settings to include the corresponding URIs in the response reference information:

  • To include the main HP Anyware License Server URI in client reponses: set the licensing.main.uri value using flexnetlsadmin.sh.

Example (replace these host names and port numbers with your own):

flexnetlsadmin.sh -server  https://localhost:7071/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin -passwordConsoleInput -config -set licensing.main.uri =https://<MainLicenseServerHostName>:7071/fne/bin/capability
  • To include the backup HP Anyware License Server URI in client reponses: set the licensing.backup.uri value using flexnetlsadmin.sh.

Example (replace these host names and port numbers with your own):

flexnetlsadmin.sh -server  https://localhost:7071/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin -passwordConsoleInput -config -set licensing.backup.uri=https://<BackupLicenseServerHostName>:7071/fne/bin/capability

6 A: (With Internet) Activate Licenses

If no licenses were activated on the main HP Anyware License Server temporarily connected to the internet, activate them now. For instructions, see activating licenses in an offline deployment.

Close the internet connection for both the primary and the backup HP Anyware License Server. Note that the primary and backup servers must still be connected to one another.

6 B: (Darksite) Activate Licenses

If no licenses were activated on the main HP Anyware License Server in a darksite environment, activate them now. For instructions, see activating licenses in an offline deployment.

Execute the same response.bin in the backup server to keep both the main server and the backup server in sync.

7: Synchronize Changes on Both the Servers

If you make changes on the main server that need to be synchronized with the backup, restart the HPAnywareLicenseServer on the backup:

systemctl restart HPAnywareLicenseServer

8: Verify Failover Configuration

After both servers have received their license rights, verify the failover scenario role of each HP Anyware License Server. Each server's failover role is included in capability responses delivered to it.

Use the flexnetlsadmin.sh tool on each server machine to verify its failover role.

  • Example command on the main HP Anyware License Server:

    flexnetlsadmin.sh -server  https://localhost:7071/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin -passwordConsoleInput -status
    

    You should see a backup server specified in the response to this command.

  • Example command on the backup HP Anyware License Server:

    flexnetlsadmin.sh -server  https://localhost:7071/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin -passwordConsoleInput -status
    

    This response should not contain a backup server item.