Central Server Mirroring
Central Server Mirroring (CSM) feature is designed to allow to carry on major system operations while the central server (CS) is out of order. CSM is based on the Macula Recording Server installation, has limited functionality and does not require additional licensing. Therefore, CSM does not require same level hardware and even can run in a virtual environment.
CSM duplicates the contents of the central management server onto another server hardware, allowing clients' access to the contents of recording servers and Macula Enterprise features. CSM operates constantly and is standing by, ready to provide immediate communication with client applications as an emergency host while CS is undergoing maintenance. Client applications keep record of CS and its CSM automatically to provide continuous and fully transparent system operation for CS out of order situations. This means continuous system operation is maintained for system operators while CS is inaccessible and client applications are forwarded back to CS automatically after it is brought back online.
The system administrator must restore CS server operation as soon as possible since CSM is designed as a temporary solution for CS out of order situation and limits some of the features. Especially system configuration modifications cannot be applied via CSM.
Mirroring server provides the following functionality:
all connected Macula Monitor applications are automatically forwarded to and back from the mirror server, provided that they are not deliberately disconnected
all channels from all recording servers can be viewed
it is possible to log into the CSM via Macula Console to view monitoring and audit information
video wall state is constantly pushed to CMS
CSM has major operation limitations by design:
CSM does not cover device configuration assigned to the Macula Enterprise
it is impossible to make any changes to the CS configuration via CSM
failover clusters do not operate under CSM
bookmarks are not available under CSM (as they are only stored on the CS)
Mirror Installation
First, install a Macula Recording Server as you would normally do on the machine you plan to use as a backup server for the central management server. After installation, initialize it but do not run Macula Recording Server autodiscovery from the central server.
Add a Mirror
Next, it is necessary to add the newly installed Macula Recording Server manually into the central server configuration. Log into your Macula Enterprise server via Macula Console, choose the Configuration section and go to the Servers category in the menu on the left. On the top panel, click the little arrow next to the + New server button and select New mirroring server. The corresponding dialog box will appear, allowing you to enter server configuration manually.
All settings for this type of server are the same as for a regular recording server, except for:
server role is defined as Mirroring server and it cannot be changed
server cannot accept any active configuration (like a failover node)
Enter and save your settings, then go to the Monitoring section and make sure your mirroring server has been successfully discovered and synchronized.
Now, if your Macula Enterprise central server fails, the mirroring server will be available for you to log into and view live statistics and aggregated audit information from all recording servers.
Mirror Functionality
CSM operation mode is best described by the word "mirror" itself. It does not offer configuration modifications; rather, it reflects the last good known CS state and provides enterprise features for all connected Macula Recording Server computers and clients:
all connected Macula Monitor applications re-connect to/from CSM automatically (but not Macula Mobile)
you see all live channels from Macula Recording Server machines and will be able to play them back, as usually
you have your maps and geo maps, shared layouts, mail servers (with E&A and reports), data sources on Macula Recording Server
live podcasts from Macula Recording Server machines will not be interrupted
Organizations and user permissions work as usual
replication from/to Macula Recording Server computers works, too
user buttons, global events and other events (E&A) still work on all Macula Recording Server machines (and not on CS)
it is possible to log into the CSM via Macula Console to view monitoring and audit information – directly and anytime
CSM always has the latest video wall configuration received from CS
you will be able to change CSM's video wall configuration via Macula Monitor application (video wall management tab)
It is possible to change the video wall state via CSM. If, during these changes, CS is down, it will retrieve the CSM's video wall configuration after CS comes back online (sync back). However, if any changes are made to the CSM's video wall configuration while CS is up, these changes will not be pushed back. Instead, any new changes to the video wall on CS will be immediately pushed to CSM. In other words, CS video wall configuration is primary, and it only accepts video wall updates from CSM upon startup.
Exceptions - what will not operate under CSM:
no alterations can be made to the configuration via Macula Console
any channels assigned to CS
any events and action (E&A) rules assigned to CS
all external services, Web clients, and Macula Mobile clients (you can connect directly to CSM from Web
clients and Macula Mobile)
failover clustering
Remember that CSM is designed to serve as a temporary solution for periods when CS is not available due to hardware or network failures. CSM does not take over CS recording configuration and E&A, so we recommend that you keep your channels and their associated rules on the dedicated Macula Recording Server machines: these are not limited in number by your Macula Enterprise license.
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