Failover

[Heath]

Need some help here. I have 2 servers both hosted at OVH at 2 separate location. My primary server was a Professional and was just upgraded to Emterprise and on windows server. My secondary and what I have as a backup is a standard and on a lenux. Each of course have a separate FQDN. My backup I had in case the primary ever went down as a failover I can manual reprogram the phones to the backup FQDN so at least I had phones. In the 10 years it did happen 3 times I had to utilize the backup.

Now with the enterprise my understanding it has its own failover. I’ve been trying to read in the blog on how to setup my the auto failover but there are a few items confusion for me and need some assistance

1. I know I still need a second server. For the enterprise failover to work. Does the one that is the passive need its own license key, or does the license key on for the enterprise can be installed in 2 machines (1 for active and 1 for passive) But trying to see if the backup one that I currently have can be utilized. My understanding that both servers need to have the same FQDN. How can I change the FQDN on the my backup to that of the same as the enterprise. Does both need to be windows or can I have 1 as windows and
Lenux. Or am I not able to use my backup and need to get another server.

2. The failover scrips that need to be entered. I tried to follow what is on the blog, but I’m not savi on scripts and confused on that.


Any help and assistance on this is greatly appreciated.

 

[Charles_3CX]

With the 3CX failover both machines are installed with a single license and one FDQN.

When using a 3CX supplied FQDN the dns changes are handled automatically from our side.

Scripts are only mainly used to perform operations upon failover to change things like internal DNS, stop, start services, but without them and in the above scenario they are not required.

See full guide here: https://www.3cx.com/docs/failover/

 

[Heath]

So based on your reply I guess I can’t use my current backup. My FQDN is 3cx supplied. Now I understand it can’t be hosted & cloud that it has to be like to like. Now my active is located on a VPS at OVH on windows server. Can the failover be in a Lenux if I decide to get rid of my backup. Or being the primary is on a VPS at OVH can the failover be in-house.

The website you provided I did look at that prior. But it’s the scripts I’m confused with. Are you saying that if I don’t have scripts everything will work fine and the failover will take over if the primary will go down. Or if they are suggested how to setup the script and provide sample. I’m not savi on that and the web doesn’t provide much info or samples.

 

[SweetAction]

Can the failover be in a Lenux if I decide to get rid of my backup.

Yes

My FQDN is 3cx supplied

Then you don't need the scripts at all. That's used for self managed FQDNs normally.

Now I understand it can’t be hosted & cloud that it has to be like to like.

Well, not exactly. You can go with on-prem to cloud and so on these days, but it's best to stick with same to same so you don't have to worry about SplitDNS and such..

 

[Heath]

Now on the new failover server, what is the proper way to install the software. Is it installed the same way as a reinstall and using the configuration files and FQDN??

I attempted and tried to install the software on the failover but what it did was it then took the FQDN over to the new IP and then I had all sorts of problems. I was able to get the FDQN back to the my primary server and and restarted the service and went fine. However I uninstalled the software from the failover as I couldn’t get into management portal or webclient. So I’m going to start again, but before I do need to know if there is a any different way to install on the failover and also when I do how it won’t change the IP on the FQDN during the install as this will be the failover and passive

 

[Heath]

So I got the failover installed.. Got the Active and Passive Setup... Now a few questions here on the forum..

1. On the Passive... What Services should be running, and what services should be stopped so as not to conflict with the Active.

2. I assume that should the Active go down and when the Passive takes over the FQDN, that what ever services are stopped will automatically start, or re-start.

3. Should the Active go down for what ever reason and the passive does take over, When the active comes back up, or if it comes back up on its own, will the FQDN then switch automatically to the Active, and the active come back on line, or is this something that I need to do, and how would I then do it..

4. On the schedule backup.. Other than the last checkbox for password (at my option), do I need all the boxes checked, and if not, which are not to be checked...

5. Lastly, if I need to do a manual restore on the passive, while in passive, Or if I need to re-boot the computer, how to I make sure that at the completion of the restore, or when everything loads that it doesn't restart the 3cx services and cause a conflict on the active...

thx