Step 8: Test the Failover Cluster (NLB)

You should ensure your failover environment is functioning properly after configuration. You can test the cluster by disconnecting the active node from the network to force a failover.

• To test the failover cluster:

1. Disable Node 2 to make Node 1 the active node.

   To disable Node 2, disconnect the node from the network. You can either:

   • Shut down the node, or
   • Disable the node's Network Connection.

   Node 1 is now the active node.

2. Connect to the cluster with a file transfer client via the cluster IP address, then transfer any file (for example, node1active.log) to ensure the active node is functioning properly.

   If you can't connect to the cluster, ensure that you can reach the cluster from your client, that you configured the IP addresses associaed with the cluster, and that both nodes have the proper firewall exceptions.

3. Check the log file to ensure that logging is functioning properly.

   

   The file in the screenshot was sent from Node 1.

   If logging is not functioning properly, ensure that the registry key to the logging directory is set to the proper UNC path (see the Changing the log file path article in the Progress Community), that the Windows share has proper permissions if applicable (see Configuring Windows Share Permissions for Failover Clusters), and that you restarted the Progress Logging Service after editing Progress registry entries. Restart logging service on both nodes after you make any changes.

4. Reconnect Node 2 to the network and ensure it is part of the cluster.
5. Reconnect Node 2 to the network and ensure it is part of the cluster.
6. Disable Node 1 to make Node 2 the active node.

   To disable Node 1, disconnect the node from the network. You can either:

   • Shut down the node, or
   • Disable the node's Network Connection.

   Node 2 is now the active node.

7. Connect to the cluster with a file transfer client via the cluster IP address again, then transfer any file (for example, node2active.log) to ensure the cluster is functioning properly.
8. Check the log file again to ensure that logging is functioning properly. You will see that you have connected to Node 2 through the cluster IP address.

   

   The file in the screenshot was sent from Node 2.

9. Connect the disconnected node to the network again.
10. Check the status of the cluster in the Network Load Balancing Manager again.