InfoSphere Information Server engine options to increase availability

To increase the availability of the IBM® InfoSphere® Information Server engine, create an active-passive configuration.

To set up a robust engine tier, create an active-passive solution by using high-availability (HA) software such as Tivoli® System Administration for Multiplatforms. This solution consists of at least two servers that share a common storage resource such as a storage area network (SAN). At run time, only one of the servers is active, running engine processes. The HA software maintains a heartbeat signal between the servers that indicates that the active server is operational. If the heartbeat signal stops, the HA software causes one of the passive servers to take over. While the passive server is initializing, the engine is not available to the system.

With this configuration, a floating IP address and virtual host name are created for the system at installation time. This information is associated with the active server. All client programs connect to the system by using this address or host name. If the active server fails, the information is automatically reassociated with the passive server. Client programs do not need to connect to a different address.