Configuring custom DR replication interfaces

Advanced users can, if required, configure different replication interfaces to the default for disaster recovery (DR) configurations.

About this task

By default, the eth20 interface is used for data replication in a DR configuration, but you can specify a different interface, if required. You should choose an interface of at least 10 Gb; the performance of a 1 Gb replication link is likely to be poor.

Procedure

To configure a non-default DR replication link:
1. Make the necessary hardware configuration to connect the appliances in the DR appliance.
2. Enter the IBM® MQ administration mode on both DR appliances by entering the following command:
  
  mqcli
3. Set up the custom interface by entering the following command on both DR appliances:
```
setdrlink -r IP_address
```
  Where IP_address is the IP address of the interface to be used for replication. You must specify the IP address using ip v4 dotted decimal notation (for example, "192.0.2.8"). The interface that you specify on each appliance must meet the following requirements:
  - The IP address specified must map to a valid local interface or aggregation interface (you cannot specify a VLAN interface).
  - The local interface must be at least a 10 Gb link, otherwise you are warned.
  - You must select the same interface for both appliances in your HA group.
  The command sets a new interface from that moment forward, so that any crtdrprimary and crtdrsecondary commands set up a DR configuration using the newly specified interface. Any queue managers configured to use DR before this point will continue to use the default interface, rather than the new one, unless you remove and recreate the DR configuration for those queue managers.
To check the configuration of your DR replication link, enter one of the following commands:
- To view the DR replication link for a particular queue manager:
```
dspdrlink -m QueueManager
```
  The IP address and interface name currently configured for that queue manager are displayed, for example:
```
QM1			10.120.5.42  (eth21)
The dspdrlink command succeeded.
```
- To view the default setting, and the settings for existing queue managers:
```
dspdrlink
```
  Fore example:
```
Default		10.120.10.100 (eth20)

QMGR 		     DR Interface (Name)
----			-------------------
QM1			10.120.5.42  (eth21)
QM2			10.120.6.42  (eth22)

The dspdrlink command succeeded.
```
To revert to the default configuration for the DR replication link:
```
setdrlink -d
```