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Deployment Group Settings Custom Failover Servers
Failover servers can be setup so that in the event of the following they can take over the role of the Management Server:
- A connection, hardware or environment failure.
- Decommissioning a Management Server.
- Conducting an update.
- Overhauling a Management Server.
The Deployment Agent on managed computers downloads the list of servers and maintains the list as a reference. If a Management Server is unavailable, the managed computer refers to the list and attempts to register with the next available server in the list. The list of servers consists of one or more URLs. Each URL can specify a server using the server NetBIOS name, the fully qualified domain name or the IP address.
The failover servers can be maintained in a:
- Global default list, which applies to all deployment groups.
- Custom deployment group list, which can be set to override the default list.
Custom Failover Servers
The Custom Failover Servers tab allows you to add and remove failover servers. The list of servers is shown in order of priority and you can move the servers up and down in the list to change the order of priority. You can also validate connections and set a diagnostics check prompt on any client computer connecting with a particular server. By default, the server URL is enabled but an option allows you to disable the server to prevent further connections.
When the Deployment Agent successfully registers with a Management Server, the URL of the server is added to the server list if the URL does not already exist. This ensures the Deployment Agent never loses contact with the Management Server. To remove a URL from the list of servers to which Deployment Agents connect, deselect the Server Enabled option.
The Deployment Groups Custom Failover Servers tab includes the following sections:
- Override Default Failover Servers - Overrides the list of failover servers and applies the settings in the list to all computers in the local deployment group.
- Manage Default Failover Servers - Link to the default Failover Servers listed in the Home View.
Failover Servers List
The Management Server list includes the options shown in the following table:
|
Column |
Description |
|---|---|
| Server | The URL address of the failover server. Displayed
in one of the following formats and may also include port specifications:
|
| Diagnostics Enabled | When selected for Management Servers, all connecting Deployment Agents on managed computers perform self-tests at startup and on request to ensure that connectivity is available. |
| Deployment Agent self-tests report events to the Management Server, except in the case of connectivity issues or failure, and also reports to the local Windows Event Log. | |
Deployment Agent self-tests check the following:
|
|
| Server Enabled | Selected by default. When selected, the server is available. When deselected, the server is unavailable for any further connections. Client computers automatically redirect to the next available server in the list. This can be used when decommissioning a server by preventing Deployment Agents connecting to the server. |
Actions
- Add Server — Launches the Add Failover Server dialog box for entering a server name or browsing for a failover server to add to the list.
-
Remove Selected Server — Removes selected Servers from the list of failover servers.
Any servers removed from the servers list which are still listed by Deployment Agents on managed computers registering with the server, can be added back into the list automatically. To avoid this occurring, it may be necessary to disable redundant or decommissioned servers until all managed computers have been updated with the correct list of available servers.
- Move Up — Moves the selected server to a higher position in the list and in the order of priority.
- Move Down — Moves the selected server to a lower position in the list and in the order of priority.
- Test Server Connection — When selected, the Management Server performs a connection test to each selected server in the list and reports any successes or failures.