Configuration and Administration > Redundant (Fault Tolerant) Configuration > WMI Configuration of Fault Tolerant APMs

WMI Configuration of Fault Tolerant APMs
The following figure shows the APM Heartbeat Configuration form.
APM Heartbeat Configuration Form.
The next two figures show a detailed view of a filled in Heartbeat Configuration form for the primary APM in the configuration, and a detailed view of a filled in Heartbeat Configuration form for the redundant APM. The two forms are filled out almost identically, but observe the following fields in the two forms to see how they differ:
 
 
Detailed View - APM Heartbeat Form for Primary
Detailed View - APM Heartbeat Form for Redundant
The primary system is the system that runs under normal conditions. Ideally, this is always the case.
The redundant system is the system that takes over if the primary system fails or the heartbeat signal is interrupted.
The current system is the primary system when you are configuring the primary system. It is the redundant system when you are configuring the redundant system.
The mated system is the redundant system when you are configuring the primary system. It is the primary system when you are configuring the remote system.
Note: Most of the fields in the APM Heartbeat forms for the primary APM and for the redundant APM must be filled in identically. The two foregoing figures show which fields differ and how they differ when comparing the APM Heartbeat form for the primary APM to the APM Heartbeat form for the secondary APM.
Time in seconds before a missing heartbeat signal is recognized as a failure of the primary APM (default: 5 seconds).
Drop-down menu to the APM you are currently configuring either the “PRIMARY” or the “REDUNDANT” APM in the configuration.
Drop-down menu to select CRC (default - no authentication), MD5, or SHA1.
IP address assigned to the APM web service. The same IP address must be assigned for this field on the primary and on the redundant APM.
Drop-down box to either “Enable” or “Disable” the heartbeat - redundancy - failover feature. This must be enabled, or you cannot edit any of the other fields under the “System” tab.
A list of IP addresses to ping in order to detect when primary APM has lost connectivity to the network. Be sure to separate the IP addresses with commas and no spaces. It is recommended that this field includes the default gateway IP address and the router IP address.
The aliases of the APMs you are configuring. There are two fields: one field is for the current system, and the other field is for the mated system.
The current system is the primary system when you are configuring the primary system and it is the redundant system when you are configuring the redundant system.
Note: Compare these fields in the two foregoing figures.
The IP addresses of the APMs you are configuring. There are two fields: one field is for the current system, and the other field is for the mated system
The current system is the primary system when you are configuring the primary system and it is the redundant system when you are configuring the redundant system.
Note: Compare these fields in the two foregoing figures.
Force Fail Over/
Force Fail Back
If you are viewing the Heartbeat form for the primary APM, this button is labeled “Force Failover”. If you are viewing the Heartbeat form for the redundant APM, this button is labeled “Force Failback”.
APM Synchronization Form
Note: The APM 2500 and the APM 5000 synchronize using network RAID and DRBD (Distributed Replicated Block Device). This enables replication of data from the primary system to the redundant system in real time.
To Set Up a Fault Tolerant APM Configuration
Note: This feature is not supported on the APM E2000.
1.
Be sure both APM systems are upgraded with the same APM 1.4.0 GA release (refer tothe “AlterPath Manager Installation, Configuration, and User’s Guide”) .
Caution: You can mix APM hardware platforms, but you must be sure the APM 5000 has APM 5000 firmware and the APM 2500 has APM 2500 firmware. Both APMs must have firmware of the same build number and date.
2.
From the primary APM’s console, run the backup command on the primary APM system and back up the database:
a.
# backup conf root@192.168.48.100:backup.conf
b.
# backup log root@192.168.48.100:backup.log
3.
a.
# restore conf root@192.168.48.100:backup.conf
b.
# restore log root@192.168.48.100:backup.log
Your primary APM and redundant APM now have matching firmware and databases.
4.
5.
Connect the Eth1 ports on both APMs with a Cat-5 Ethernet crossover cable. This is the heartbeat and network RAID signal cable.

Configuration and Administration > Redundant (Fault Tolerant) Configuration > WMI Configuration of Fault Tolerant APMs