IIS Failover and CLustering or Virtual Server TEchnology?

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JoeF - 28 Aug 2006 21:59 GMT

I have two identical servers configured.
I have one Web Site published to one of the servers.
I have been reading up on Clustering technology and had to stop due to a
hardware requirement of "External disk storage unit connected to all
computers".

What I want to accomplish is sounds simple to me.
How do I replicate one web site to the other server in real-time?
And...How can I accomplish failover?(Even if it's manual)

I have separated these two servers from our AD and kept them on a workgroup
and separate network.
They are behind a firewall.
I have been reading about MS Virtual Server R2 (Which I own) but don't think
this is the way to go either.

Can someone pleeeeease point me in the right direction as I have spent a
looooong time on this scenario already. Any/all assistance is much
appreciated. Thank you.

Sincerely,

JoeF

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Ken Schaefer - 29 Aug 2006 08:21 GMT

I think a better way may be to use Network Load Balancing, as that obviates
the need for "shared storage"

Your issue becomes keeping your content "in synch" between the two nodes.
Your options could include:
a) automating the publishing tools you have, so that you publish to both
servers simultaneously (or have a robocopy script etc that pushes changes
from one node to the other)
b) use Application Center (Microsoft product) that can synchornise content
c) use a network share to hold your content. Both nodes look to the same
share for their content. You only update this node. This may have some
performance impact though as you'd be needing to pull files across the
network. Also file-change notifications may not always work for network
locations.

Cheers
Ken

>I have two identical servers configured.
> I have one Web Site published to one of the servers.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> JoeF

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JoeF - 29 Aug 2006 23:28 GMT

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions Ken. I will try these.

-JoeF

> I think a better way may be to use Network Load Balancing, as that obviates
> the need for "shared storage"
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> >
> > JoeF

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JoeF - 31 Aug 2006 19:53 GMT

Ken

You have been very helpful. I have a problem with my NLB config though:

Shared IP : 192.168.203.70 -external client will connect to this
website/ip address after firewall forwards port 80.

Computer Name : Webserver1
IP address(public) : 192.168.203.77
IP address(private) : 10.0.0.1

Computer Name : Webserver2
IP address(public) : 192.168.203.78
IP address(private) : 10.0.0.2

I was told the PRIVATE connection is the HEARTBEAT. These are the only two
computers on the 203 network. I used to have internet access on these two
machines, but no more. I don't have a DNS server on this network and was
using external DNS server such as 129.250.35.250. What have I done wrong?

-JoeF

> I think a better way may be to use Network Load Balancing, as that obviates
> the need for "shared storage"
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> >
> > JoeF

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