Setting up a New Cluster

The following procedure summarizes the steps in an initial Vocera Voice Server cluster configuration.

To set up a Vocera cluster:

  1. Install all the software and hardware as follows:
    1. Perform the pre-installation tasks described in the Vocera Voice Server Installation Guide.
    2. Install the Vocera Voice Server on every computer that will be a member of the cluster.
      If necessary, you can also add and remove servers any time after the setup is complete.
    3. If you are using the telephony integration option, install the Vocera SIP Telephony Gateway software.
    4. If you are planning to use the Vocera Report Server, install it also.
  2. On the computer(s) that will be the standby node(s), use the Vocera Control Panel to stop the Vocera Voice Server.
    Important: Keep the Vocera Voice Server on the standby nodes stopped while you configure the active node. This ensures that when you start the standby nodes they will perform a remote restore from the active node because it has been running longer. Otherwise, you may unintentionally cause the active node to perform a remote restore from one of the standby nodes.
  3. Prepare the Vocera Voice Server that you want to use as the initial active node as follows:
    1. On the Vocera Voice Server that you want to use as the initial active node, fully configure the database or restore an existing database.
      See the Vocera Administration Guide for information about setting up users and groups and restoring data a backup file.
    2. If you did not restore from a backup file, back up the database on the initial active node.
      Although this step is not required, best practice is to do a complete backup to preserve your work in case you need to rollback to it.
    3. On your configuration computer, create a badge.properties file that includes the IP address of every machine in your cluster in a comma-separated list.
      See the Vocera Badge Configuration Guide.
    4. Copy the new badge.properties file to the \vocera\config\ directory of the initial active node.
      The standby nodes copy this file when they come online as cluster members. See Data Synchronization.
    5. If you have a customized Properties.txt file, make sure you copy it to the \vocera\server\ directory on every Vocera Voice Server.
    6. Restart the Vocera Voice Server on the machine you want to use as the initial active node so it loads your new Properties.txt file and badge.properties file.
  4. Set up clustering on the server that you want to use as the initial active node.
    1. Log in to the Administration Console of the Vocera Voice Server you want to use as the initial active node.
    2. Click System in the navigation bar.
    3. Click the Cluster tab to display the Cluster Setup page.
      The IP address of the current server appears in the server list. The Status column displays “Unsaved”.
    4. Check Enable Cluster.
      The buttons for setting up and maintaining the cluster appear to the right of the server list.
    5. Click Add Server.
      The Add/Edit Cluster Server dialog box appears. Use this dialog box to add servers to a cluster.
    6. Enter the IP address of a standby server and a brief description, and then do either of the following:
      • If you do not need to add other nodes to the cluster, click Add to save changes, close the Add/Edit Cluster Server dialog box, and display the Cluster Setup page.

      • If you need to add any other nodes to the cluster, click Add & Continue to save the information and leave the Add/Edit Cluster Server dialog box open, then add another node.

      When you are finished, the server list displays the IP address of each server you added along with any descriptions you entered. The Status column for each new server displays “Unsaved”.

    7. Click Save Changes.
      Vocera saves the information and displays the first tab of the System screen, License Info.
    8. Click the Cluster tab to display the Cluster Setup page and check your work. The server list should display the following:
      • The Status column for the current server displays “Active”.

      • The Status column for each additional server displays “Unknown”.

        The cluster discovers the status of these unknown servers after you configure them for clustering and restart them.

    9. Click the Log Out button at the top of the page.
      The system logs you out and displays the Log In page of the Administration Console.
  5. On the standby node(s), use the Vocera Control Panel to start the Vocera Voice Server.
  6. Set up clustering on every other server that will be in the cluster. These additional servers will become standby nodes in the cluster.
    1. Log in to the Administration Console of a server you want to use as a standby node.
    2. Click System in the navigation bar.
    3. Click the Cluster tab to display the Cluster Setup page.
      The IP address of the current server appears in the server list. The Status column displays “Unsaved”.
    4. Check Enable Cluster.
      The buttons for setting up and maintaining the cluster appear to the right of the server list.
    5. Click Add Server.
      The Add/Edit Cluster Server dialog box appears. Use this dialog box to identify the server you are using as the initial active server.
    6. Enter the IP address of the active server and a brief description, and then click the Add button to save changes, close the Add/Edit Cluster Server dialog box, and display the Cluster Setup page.
      Note: You do not have to add the IP address of any other cluster servers to the list. When you restart the server you are configuring, it will download this information from the active server.
    7. Click Save Changes.
      Vocera saves the information and displays the first tab of the System screen, License Info.
    8. Click the Cluster tab to display the Cluster Setup page. The server list should display the following:
      • The Status column for the current server displays “Active”.

      • The Status column for the server you want to use as the initial active server displays “Unknown”.

    9. Click Force Restart.
      A dialog box asks you to confirm restarting the server.
      Note: If you do not click Force Restart, within a minute the cluster's self-healing mechanism will cause the server to automatically enter discovery mode, perform a remote restore from the active server, and then come online as a standby node.
    10. Click OK.

      Vocera logs you out of current server’s Administration Console, and the current server restarts as a standby node in the cluster. If you copied a customized Properties.txt file to each standby, the Vocera Voice Server loads it when it restarts.

      Note: You cannot log in to the Administration Console of a server after it becomes a standby node. If you attempt to log in to a standby node’s Administration Console, the cluster redirects you to the Administration Console of the active node.
  7. If your organization uses Staff Assignment, update the cluster list in the Staff Assignment configuration file (app.config) on each standby node:
    1. On each standby node, open the following file in a text editor:
      \vocera\data\applications\staffassignment\app.config
    2. Edit the serverIP property to include the comma-separated list of IP addresses for the Vocera Voice Server cluster. Enter numeric IP addresses using dotted-decimal notation. Do not enter domain names.
    3. Save your changes.
    Note: You do not need to update the cluster list in the Staff Assignment configuration file on the active node. The serverIP property is updated automatically on the active node when someone logs into Staff Assignment.
  8. If you use the telephony integration option, open the Vocera SIP Telephony Gateway control panel and set the Server IP Address field to the IP address of the active Vocera Voice Server.

    After you save this setting, the Vocera Voice Server populates the Server IP Address field with a comma-separated list of all cluster IP addresses. The Vocera Voice Server maintains this list if cluster nodes are added or removed.

    Note: You can optionally enter a comma-separated list of all cluster IP addresses manually in the Server IP Address field.
  9. If you use a Vocera Report Server, open the Report Console and enter a comma-separated list of all cluster IP addresses in the Vocera Voice Server IP Address field.
    Because the Vocera Report Server does not communicate continually with the Vocera Server, you must enter every cluster IP address. The Vocera Report Server does not maintain this list of addresses.
  10. Check your work.

    Log in to the Administration Console of the active Vocera Voice Server. Make sure each server shows up in the list on the Cluster Setup page with the proper status of “active” or “standby”.

    Fail over cluster control several times, until you confirm that the cluster behaves as you expect. See the Vocera Voice Server Installation Guide.