Configuring PATROL for Exchange Servers on an Exchange cluster

PATROL for Microsoft Exchange Servers helps you monitor and manage the Exchange servers in your clustered environment. This section presents information about the following cluster topics:

Cluster configurations

PATROL for Microsoft Exchange Servers supports node-level and resource group-level and resource group-level configurations. The two clusters support by the product are Single Copy Cluster (SCC), and Cluster continuous replication (CCR) . 

The following figure shows an environment with a node-level cluster configuration. In this configuration, PATROL for Exchange Servers is installed and configured for PATROL Agents running on each cluster node. Each PATROL Agent monitors the Exchange Virtual Server (EVS) currently active on that node. 

Node-level cluster configuration 

image2013-12-23 0:0:35.png

Each PATROL Agent on the cluster node monitors all of the Exchange virtual servers on that node. If one of the Exchange virtual servers fails over, the PATROL Agent on the other cluster node automatically begins monitoring the failed over Exchange virtual server. 

The following figure shows an environment with a resource group-level cluster configuration. In this configuration, PATROL for Exchange Servers is installed and configured for PATROL Agents running as cluster resources within the EVS Cluster Resource Groups. 

Resource group-level cluster configuration 

image2013-12-23 0:1:29.png

Each PATROL Agent that is part of an Exchange cluster resource group monitors its own Exchange cluster resource group only. If the Exchange cluster resource group fails over, the PATROL Agent fails over with it and continues to monitor the Exchange virtual server.

Configuring PATROL for Exchange Servers on an Exchange cluster

The following figure shows the main tasks involved in configuring PATROL for Exchange Servers in an Exchange cluster environment. You must use a PATROL Console to configure PATROL for Exchange Servers in a cluster environment. For more information about the individual tasks, see the following table.

Note

The account you specify during configuration must be a Domain account, not a local account.

 PATROL for Exchange Servers configuration process on a cluster

clusterd.png

The following table summarizes the required configuration tasks when you configure a clustered server. BMC recommends that you configure each node of your cluster separately.

 Cluster configuration tasks


 Configuring a node-level cluster

If you are running the active-active node-level configuration, you will see configuration dialog boxes for both nodes when you add the hosts to your console. You must configure both nodes. Refer to con for more information about account roles in Exchange clusters.

If you are running the active-passive node-level configuration, and you change PATROL for Exchange Servers configuration settings on an agent that is running on a cluster node, you must apply the changes to all other node-level agents.

 Configuring a resource group-level cluster

If you are using a resource group-level configuration, and the PATROL Agent is running as part of an Exchange cluster resource group, you do not need to configure the passive node separately because the passive node automatically obtains configuration settings from the shared drive upon failover.

 Using the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard

The PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard is required if you are configuring PATROL to be a resource in an Exchange cluster resource group.

Using this wizard, you can specify the following properties of a clustered PATROL Agent:

  • PATROL Agent resources
  • Communication port for the PATROL Agent
  • Location to save history and configuration files


Note

When you configure PATROL for Exchange Servers using the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard, ensure that the port numbers that you assign to the different virtual server level agents (PATROL Agents installed as resources in the cluster groups) fall within the specified range. The default range is 10. (You can change the default range in the ClusterPortRange agent configuration variable by using wpconfig.) This range includes the port number of the node level agent that you assign when you install the PATROL Agent. For example, if you assign 3181 to the node level agent, the maximum value of the port number for the last virtual server level agent is 3191.

If you do not have the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard installed, you can install it from the PATROL for Microsoft Windows Servers product CD or the downloaded product package.

Before you begin

Identify the Exchange cluster resource groups into which you will install the PATROL Agent. These groups must contain the following resources:

  • Physical disk to store history and configuration data--preferably a standard cluster-shared disk that is not in the quorum
  • Groups must contain Exchange virtual server resources

To configure PATROL for Exchange Servers using the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard

  1. On each cluster node, run the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard. To start the wizard, use one of the following methods:
    • From a command prompt, type pcc.exe
    • Select Start > Programs > BMC PATROL > PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard
  2. In the Welcome to the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard window, click Next to begin your installation.
  3. In the next window, select the Add one or multiple PATROL Agent resource(s) option, and click Next.
    Adding a PATROL Agent as a cluster resource performs the following actions:
  • Sets the required environment variables
  • Registers the PATROL Agent with a new service name
  • Adds the PATROL Agent to the cluster as a Generic Service resource type and sets the resource properties

  1. In the next window, select the cluster to configure from the Cluster Name list. Then select Exchange Virtual Servers from the Available Groups list and click Add to move the groups to the Selected Groups list. Click Next.

    Note

    You can select multiple groups. In most cases, the groups will correspond to the applications you want to monitor.

  2. In the next window, select a port number from the Port Number list and enter the paths to the history and configuration database (on a shared drive) in the History Path and Config DB Path fields. Click Node List.

    Note

    The port number must be a port number that is not in use by any other process.

  3. In the Node List dialog box, verify that all the nodes that you want to configure are selected and click OK.
  4. In the previous wizard window, click Next.
  5. In the next window, verify the configuration information and click Configure.
  6. (Optional) In the results window, click View Log to review the details of the wizard.
  7. Click Finish to close the wizard.
    For information about how the PATROL Agent supports an application in a cluster environment and what type of failover tolerance it provides, see the PATROL Agent Reference Manual.

 Discovery

The discovery process ascertains if the PATROL Agent is running as a node-level agent or a resource group-level agent (Virtual Level Agent).

If the PATROL Agent is running in a node-level agent configuration, the discovery process instantiates and monitors all of the Exchange virtual servers on the node. For example, if the cluster node 192.168.20.125 has one Exchange Virtual Server XVS1CL1 running on it, and the node-level PATROL Agent is running on Port 3181, PATROL for Exchange Servers loaded on this PATROL Agent would discover and monitor XVS1CL1 as shown below:
image2013-12-6 10:34:12.png

If the PATROL Agent is running in a resource group-level agent configuration, the discovery process instantiates and monitors the Exchange virtual server that is part of the cluster resource group that encompasses this particular PATROL Agent. For example, if the cluster node 192.168.20.128 has two Exchange Virtual Servers XVS1CL1 and XVS2CL1 running on it, and a resource level PATROL Agent that is part of the cluster resource group that encompasses the Exchange Virtual Server XVS1CL1 and is running on Port 3185, PATROL for Exchange Servers loaded on this PATROL Agent would discover and monitor the Exchange Virtual Server XVS1CL1 as shown below:
image2013-12-6 10:35:12.png

 

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