Navigation: Central Station Monitoring > UL 1981 Installation Reference: MKS Cluster This Help File Page was issued on 09/30/2017

Failover Setup Procedure & Recovery Process

•MKS Cluster

a)Provides a live transactional backup of the log file for the active MKMSDefault.db file;

b)Supervises the Primary (owner) and Backup (secondary) Servers for a failure or either the Primary (e.g., Server 1), or Backup (e.g., Server 2);

c)Once the programmable failure notification time (in seconds) as expired,

i.MKS Cluster will start the Backup database server

ii.MKS Cluster will start SPA on that Backup database server

 

•Installation of the MKS Cluster application will be performed by a Micro Key Technician.

✓This MKS Cluster chapter describes a 3 Server Setup.

✓It is required by Section 7 (7.1, 7.2) Automation Multiplicity Third Edition UL® 1981 Standard.

 

 

❑Setup Procedure: Once the Central Station Monitoring system is configured and operating properly as a Cluster, there will be three (3) computers running the applications and/or services outlined below:

1.Primary Server - This is the master server which, as such, is running the Sybase® Adaptive Server Anywhere database engine and the Signal Processing Application.

a.Sybase® Adaptive Server Anywhere - This is the application/service that stores and delivers data to SPA, MKMS and MKMSCS, and any of the other related applications (e.g., the MKS Connect Service, the Dealer Access Module, MKS Web Dealer Access application, Virtual Printer).  

 

i.This database engine may be started manually when the server is started.

ii.However, it is best started automatically as a Windows® Service.

 

b.SPA - To confirm that SPA is running correctly:

 

i.Locate the SPA Icon in the hidden icons tray

ii.Right-Click on the SPA Icon and Choose the Show option

 

 

iii.The First button on the left of the SPA dialog should be labeled Stop (see the mouse pointer in the illustration above) indicating that is running (rather than Start)

iv.When viewing this SPA dialog, "Ports" on the bottom left indicates the number of Ports that SPA is connected to and currently monitoring - including IP Ports - and the total number of Ports that are available [displayed in the format nn / nn = Connected / Available].

v.A User would have to Click the Stop button to stop SPA from running.

vi.Always Minimize the SPA dialog after accessing it, do not Close the dialog (unless you have first Stopped it).

 

2.Secondary Server - The MKS Cluster application should be running on this Server.

 

a.MKS Cluster (Active)  

 

3.Third Server - The MKS Cluster application should also be running on this Server.

 

a.MKS Cluster (Active)

 

❑Recovery Process - When the Central Station Monitoring system is configured and operating in the above configuration, should the Primary Server fail, a natural Failover should occur in the following order.

❖1st Failover - Secondary Server takes over.

❖2nd Failover - Third Server takes over.

 

•Depending upon the conditions of the Failover and which server actually assumes the role of the Primary Server; the Central Station (or IT) Supervisor may have to vary the "standard" recovery procedure.  

•Knowing and understanding the function of all the applications will greatly expedite recovery from a Failover.

 

❑Test of the viability of the MKS Cluster installation.

•See the Testing Procedure for Failover chapter for complete information.

 

❑Restore the Primary Server in the Cluster to its Normal System Status.

•See the Recovering to Normal System Status chapter for complete information.

 

❑Also see the Mirrored Servers with Standby using MKS Cluster chapter for an alternative method that may be used to provide redundancy.