3.1.2 Matrix Server Administration Guide

Chapter 11: Configure Virtual Hosts 151
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Always active: If you check this box, upon server failure, the virtual host
will move to an active server even if all associated service and device
monitors are inactive or down. If the box is not checked, failover will not
occur when all associated service and device monitors are inactive or
down and the virtual host will not be made active anywhere. (See
“Virtual Host Activeness Policy” on page 155 for details.)
Policy: The policy determines the failback action that the virtual host will
take following a failover to a backup server.
As part of configuring a virtual host, you will need to select network
interfaces located on the servers that can be used for the virtual host. The
interfaces are placed in order: primary, backup #1, backup #2, and so on.
The ClusterPulse process considers the “health” of the servers providing
those interfaces when determining where to place a virtual host. The
status and enablement of each monitor contributes to the health of a
server with respect to the virtual host. When a server is completely
“healthy,” all of the services associated with the virtual host are up and
enabled.
•
AUTOFAILBACK. This is the default policy. It is intended to return the
virtual host to its original configuration, or as close to it as possible.
After the virtual host fails over to a backup server, Matrix Server
watches the health of the servers higher in the list for that virtual host.
When the health of one of these servers is equal to or greater than the
backup server where the virtual host currently resides, the virtual host
will automatically attempt to fail over to that server.
•
NOFAILBACK. This policy is intended to minimize failovers. The
virtual host remains active on the backup server until a “healthier”
server becomes available, at which point the virtual host fails over to
that server. (On a “healthier” server, more of the services associated
with the virtual host will be up than on the server currently hosting
the virtual host.)
Network Interfaces: When the “All Servers” box is checked, the virtual
host will be configured on all servers having an interface on the network
you select for this virtual host. When you add another server to the
matrix, the virtual host will automatically be configured on that server.
This option can be useful with administrative applications.