How to setup building blocks and configure Enterprise Vault for a failover scenario in Enterprise Vault 14.1 or earlier

The following procedure should be performed on a new Enterprise Vault installation.

1. Ensure you have DNS aliases for each Enterprise Vault Server that point to the physical servers DNS A record

Example:
Berlinalias.lucern.local CNAME   BERLIN.lucern.local
Praguealias.lucern.local CNAME PRAGUE.lucern.local
Warsawalias.lucern.local CNAME WARSAW.lucern.local

BERLIN.lucern.local       A HOST 192.168.1.3
PRAGUE.lucern.local    A HOST 192.168.1.4
WARSAW.lucern.local  A HOST 192.168.1.5

2. Ensure you have a DNS alias pointing to a designated primary Enterprise Vault server

Example:
vaultsite.lucern.local CNAME Berlinalias.lucern.local

3. Check that the these records resolve correctly on each Enterprise Vault Servers, flush the dns cache if required (ipconfig /flushdns).

4. Perform the Pre installation Tasks and install Enterprise Vault  as described in the Enterprise Vault documentation. Remember to use the alias name and not machine name when configuring Enterprise Vault.

The Enterprise Vault Storage queue location must be on a file system that is a common shared location between the associated building blocks servers. For important information about other requirements, see the section "Extra requirements for building blocks" in the Enterprise Vault Administrator's Guide.

5. Once all Enterprise Vault servers have successfully installed, complete the Post installation Tasks as  described in the Enterprise Vault documentation.

6. Run Update Service Locations (USL):·

 

Notice that the VAC shows both computer alias and machine name for each computer. (Figure 1)
 

 

Figure 1
 

 
 

7. Log on using the Vault Service Account (Figure 1).
 

 

Figure 2
 

 
 

 

Once USL has completed, a summary page will be displayed. Notice that both Prague and Warsaw had Directory services already installed, but Berlin didn't.
 

 

Figure 3
 

 
 

8. Refresh 'Computers' node after each USL run so that it updates the changed information in the EV Administration Console.
 

 

Figure 4
 

 
 

Fail-Over
The following steps need to be taken when an EV server has failed or is replaced and the services need to be moved:

1. Change DNS alias name of failed server to point to an up and running EV server.
Example:

From
Berlinalias.lucern.local CNAME BERLIN.lucern.local
To
Berlinalias.lucern.local CNAME   PRAGUE.lucern.local

2. Flush the DNS cache on server replacing the failed server
ipconfig / flushdns

3. Present the volume from the failed server to the running server and run USL and check USL summary page that the correct services have been created or moved to the desired machine.

 

 

Figure 5
 

 
 

4. Refresh 'Computers' node. You should now notice that the failed machine's alias is pointing to the new EV server's computer name. If this didn't work, check that the aliases can all be resolved and then re-run USL.
 

 

Figure 6
 

 
 

5. Check that you have DNS connections to the Directory database and all the Vault Stores. The Event log will throw errors if it has any problem connecting to these databases.