Failover

  • Thread starter Thread starter amerar
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amerar

Here is a good one:

I have a client that runs XP on his desk PC. He is on his own
internal network. He wants another PC so the first PC will have a
real-time failover. If the first PC goes down, the second PC will
come up immediately.....

Is this even possible? The WHY is not really my concern. But I am
wondering if this is possible. None of the internal PC's have a fixed
IP. So, I'm lost on what to do here........

Any help is appreciated.
 
A little logic will answer the question here. How exactly would a PC
know to start up if some other PC shutdown?
 
Here is a good one:

I have a client that runs XP on his desk PC. He is on his own
internal network. He wants another PC so the first PC will have a
real-time failover. If the first PC goes down, the second PC will
come up immediately.....

Is this even possible? The WHY is not really my concern. But I am
wondering if this is possible. None of the internal PC's have a fixed
IP. So, I'm lost on what to do here........
Click to expand...

As Bob I said, there is no way the backup computer could magically know when
the main computer failed. But your client (or you doing it for him) can
routinely clone the system drive of the main computer and put the clone in
the closet. If there is a failure, he (or you doing it for him) can pull
out the backup cloned drive and put it in the main machine. Obviously the
cloning would need to be done regularly. You can do this with something
like Acronis True Image, which will also do the incremental backups I refer
to below.

Data should be kept separate from the system drive on the main computer
using a second internal hard drive and regularly backed up to an external
hard drive.

If you do it this way, getting back up and running will be only a matter of
a few minutes.

Malke
 
As Bob I said, there is no way the backup computer could magically know when
the main computer failed. But your client (or you doing it for him) can
routinely clone the system drive of the main computer and put the clone in
the closet. If there is a failure, he (or you doing it for him) can pull
out the backup cloned drive and put it in the main machine. Obviously the
cloning would need to be done regularly. You can do this with something
like Acronis True Image, which will also do the incremental backups I refer
to below.

Data should be kept separate from the system drive on the main computer
using a second internal hard drive and regularly backed up to an external
hard drive.

If you do it this way, getting back up and running will be only a matter of
a few minutes.

Malke
Click to expand...

Well, I suggested the backup/clone thing. But that does not seem to
satisfy him. He basically wants to duplicate something like a Unix
box failover, or some Oracle parallel server concept......

I doubt this can be done in an XP or Vista environment......
 
John said:
Well, I suggested the backup/clone thing. But that does not seem to
satisfy him. He basically wants to duplicate something like a Unix
box failover, or some Oracle parallel server concept......

I doubt this can be done in an XP or Vista environment......
Click to expand...

http://www.crn.com/software/201304195

Double-Take provides high availability and failover in case of a
server-down situation. It's a great alternative to Microsoft's Cluster
Service because it's less expensive and much easier to install for
smaller businesses that can't afford or maintain a server cluster.
Licenses cost $2,995 for each server in the mirror. Double-Take claims
it's as easy as installing antivirus on your server. AppTech engineers
would not go so far as to say that, but the documentation is thorough
and easy to follow.
 
http://www.crn.com/software/201304195

Double-Take provides high availability and failover in case of a
server-down situation. It's a great alternative to Microsoft's Cluster
Service because it's less expensive and much easier to install for
smaller businesses that can't afford or maintain a server cluster.
Licenses cost $2,995 for each server in the mirror. Double-Take claims
it's as easy as installing antivirus on your server. AppTech engineers
would not go so far as to say that, but the documentation is thorough
and easy to follow.
Click to expand...


Yeah, this guy needs to step into reality and realize that there is no
cheap solution for what he wants on a desktop PC.......
 
John said:
Yeah, this guy needs to step into reality and realize that there is no
cheap solution for what he wants on a desktop PC.......
Click to expand...

Hey if he has $10K to set up mirroring, maybe he is a day trader and
can/needs to afford it?
 
http://www.crn.com/software/201304195

Double-Take provides high availability and failover in case of a
server-down situation. It's a great alternative to Microsoft's Cluster
Service because it's less expensive and much easier to install for
smaller businesses that can't afford or maintain a server cluster.
Licenses cost $2,995 for each server in the mirror. Double-Take claims
it's as easy as installing antivirus on your server. AppTech engineers
would not go so far as to say that, but the documentation is thorough
and easy to follow.
Click to expand...

This guy is really over the hill. I gave him my suggestions, and what
does he come back with? "Can't unix run windows and I can take
advantage of any unix utilities that do this."

I may dump this client.......for sanity reasons.
 
Here is a good one:

I have a client that runs XP on his desk PC. He is on his own
internal network. He wants another PC so the first PC will have a
real-time failover. If the first PC goes down, the second PC will
come up immediately.....

Is this even possible? The WHY is not really my concern. But I am
wondering if this is possible. None of the internal PC's have a fixed
IP. So, I'm lost on what to do here........

Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...

It doesn't work that way. AFAIK there isn't anything to keep one pc up
to date with another pc. To come up "immediately" both machines would
have to be running at the same time and all you've really accomplished
is to double the chances of one of them failing.

He may want to look into RAID if he needs "immediate" response. RAID is
great, but NOT for the inexperienced either. A lot of people find RAID0
and stop reading and start implementing. But that's not what they want.

HTH,

Twayne
 
John said:
This guy is really over the hill. I gave him my suggestions, and what
does he come back with? "Can't unix run windows and I can take
advantage of any unix utilities that do this."

I may dump this client.......for sanity reasons.
Click to expand...

Jeez Louise. Aren't you the lucky one! Tell him sure, Unix can run Windows
from a VM. And that still won't solve his backup problem.

Give him a quote for a real backup solution suitable for a home user like
mine or give him Bob I's Double-Take solution. Or tell him you'll set up a
Linux cluster with mirrored drives and quote him something huge. Don't
forget to throw in a lot of money for strengthening his floor and include a
huge cooling system.

Better still, take your own advice above. ;-)

Good luck!

Malke
 
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