Implementing Arcserve Backup › Installing and Upgrading Arcserve Backup in a Cluster-aware Environment › Deployment Considerations

Deployment Considerations

Before you begin to deploy Arcserve Backup into a cluster environment, you need to be aware of the following considerations:

• Supported operating systems--For information about supported operating systems, see the Arcserve Backup Readme file.
• Required Cluster Resource Considerations--As with other cluster-aware applications, the Arcserve Backup HA server needs to bind itself with some cluster resources, including a shared disk and a virtual name/IP address. Clusters resources can be grouped together to allow you to install Arcserve Backup into an existing group and bind it with the existing cluster resources already established for that group, or to create a dedicated group for Arcserve Backup deployment.
• Special Installation/Configuration Considerations--To deploy Arcserve Backup into all cluster nodes, you need install the same Arcserve Backup components on all nodes, and each of these components must be configured in the same way. The Arcserve Backup system accounts must be the same for all Arcserve Backup servers installed on each of the cluster nodes.

  Note: The setup program for cluster machines does not support remote installation of the Arcserve Backup base product or the Arcserve Backup agents. This remote install limitation for the Arcserve Backup agents (for example, the Agent for Microsoft SQL Server and the Agent for Microsoft Exchange Server) only applies if you use a virtual host. Remote installation of Arcserve Backup agents using the physical hosts of clusters is supported.

• Failover Trigger Mechanism Considerations--Arcserve Backup has its own cluster resource Dynamic Link Library functions (DLL) and scripts to extend the cluster service capabilities to monitor and detect Arcserve Backup failures. The network name and IP address of a virtual server allows Arcserve Backup to appear as a single system and take advantage of the capabilities of cluster management tools.
• Upgrade Considerations--To ensure that all Arcserve Backup services start properly, you must execute the cstop and cstart scripts after you complete the upgrade process and before you open the Arcserve Backup Manager Console. You must perform this task when you upgrade from Arcserve Backup r12.5 (includes the GA release and all of the latest service packs), Arcserve Backup r15 (includes the GA release and all of the latest service packs), and r16 (includes the GA release and all of the latest service packs) to this release.

  The cstop and cstart batch files are stored in the Arcserve Backup installation directory on the Arcserve Backup server.

  Note: For more information about using cstop and cstart, see the Administration Guide.