Adding a server to a server group

To add a server to a server group

Choose one of the following options that is best suited to your environment. Perform the steps for the selected option.

• Option 1: Clone the production node. On your Windows environment, perform the following:
  1. On the server group’s secondary server, from Windows services, set up the following services to start in Manual mode.
     
     • AR System server
     • Email Engine
     • Flashboards
     • Mid Tier File Deployer
  2. If you are using a virtualized (VM) environment, clone the secondary server into the new server.

  3. Before adding the new server to the server group, run the AR System Server Rename utility on the new server to change the server name in the file system to the new server name. For more information, see the knowledge base (KA) article 000158399 available at https://bmcsites.force.com/casemgmt/sc_KnowledgeArticle?sfdcid=kA21O00000110jCSAQ&type=Solution.

     • To replace  a server name that contains the  production server name  string with  the cloned server name  in AR System and other files, use the following command:
       arsrename -o 3 -tokens "production_server_name=name of the cloned server" 
       
       For example, if the name of the production server is prodA and name of the cloned server is newProdServer, use the following command:
       arsrename -o 3 -tokens "prodA=newProdServer"
       
     • To replace a server name that contains the production server name string with cloned server name in the Windows services and registry entries, use the following command:
       arsrename -o 4 -tokens "production_server_name=name of the cloned server" 
       
       For example, if the name of the production server is prodA and name of the cloned server is newProdServer, use the following command:
       arsrename -o 4 -tokens "prodA=newProdServer"
  4. Set the following services to start in Automatic mode:
     
     • 
       
       • AR System server
       • Email Engine
       • Flashboards
       • Mid Tier File Deployer
  5. Delete the monitor-ARServer-guid.properties file from the new, cloned server. The file is available at the following location:
     • (Windows) ARSystemInstallDirectory\ARSystem\
     • (UNIX) ARSystemInstallDirectory/arsystem/bin
  6. In the ar.cfg/ar.conf file, ensure that the value of the Server Group Member parameter is set to True.
     
     • (Windows) ARSystemInstallDirectory\ARSystem\Conf
     • (UNIX) ARSystemInstallDirectory/arsystem/conf
  7. Start the AR System server.
  8. On the AR System Licenses Console form, add an AR System server license to the newly added server.
  9. (Optional) If you are not using a load balancer, you must change the Mid Tier configuration to use a new server name.
  10. On the AR System Server Group Operation Ranking form, set a ranking for the new server as per your requirement.

• Option 2: Perform a fresh installation of BMC Helix Innovation Suite and applications. Perform the following:
  1. On the new server with a new database, perform a fresh installation of AR System server, BMC Helix CMDB, and Atrium Integrator Server (using installers).
  2. Perform a fresh installation of BMC Helix ITSM applications version 18.05 (using installers). 
  3. Using the AR System Deployment Management console, apply the 18.08 deployment packages for BMC Helix ITSM applications (using deployment packages).
  4. On the new server, edit the ar.cfg/ar.conf file and update the database host name, port number, user name and password parameters to point to shared Server Group database server.
  5. In the ar.cfg/ar.conf file, ensure that the value of the Server Group Member parameter is set to True. 
  6. Ensure that the Configuration-Name, Server-Name, Server-Connect-Name, and Domain-Name parameters in the ar.cfg/ar.conf file are consistent with respect to the case (all lower case) or format (such as short name or FQDN) in the server group environment.
  7. Restart the AR System server.
  8. On the AR System Licenses Console form, add an AR System server license to the newly added server.
  9. On the AR System Server Group Operation Ranking form, set a ranking for the new server as per your requirement. 
• Additionally, perform the following steps when your installation includes AR System server, BMC Digital Workplace, BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog, and BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT:
  1. On an additional server, run the integration of BMC Helix Single Sign-On and AR System.
  2. Install BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT that points to existing BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT database. 
  3. Integrate BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT with BMC Helix Single Sign-On.
  4. Deploy BMC Helix Digital Workplace on an additional server.