Cluster Support: Windows

Answer

A cluster is a group of independent computer systems, referred to as nodes, working together as a unified computing resource. A cluster provides a single name for clients to use and a single administrative interface, and it guarantees that data is consistent across nodes.
Windows Clustering encompasses two different clustering technologies. These technologies implement the following two types of clusters.

• A network load balancing cluster filters and distributes TCP/IP traffic across a range of nodes, regulating connection load according to administrator defined port rules.
• A failover cluster provides high availability for services, applications, and other resources through an architecture that maintains a consistent image of the cluster on all nodes and that allows nodes to transfer resource ownership on demand.

WebSphere Transformation Extender supports clustering (Microsoft® Cluster Server (MSCS) failover) for the Launcher.

WebSphere Transformation Extender is installed on each node that is part of the cluster network. Each computer must have MSCS running on a Windows server. Only one node is active at a time. When a failure occurs, the Resource Monitor notifies the MSCS Resource DLL. The MSCS Resource DLL then relays a shutdown message to the Launcher.

The Launcher dynamic-link library (eventsrv.dll) is installed in the same directory as the other program files in WebSphere Transformation Extender products. This DLL must be registered with MSCS. To do this, configuration and removal batch files are installed (configes.bat and removees.bat), respectively. During the setup process, the batch files are modified to define the installation directory and service name of the Launcher.

The configes.bat is used to execute several cluster commands to register the Launcher resource DLL with MSCS.

After configes.bat runs successfully, the Launcher can be used as a cluster resource. You can see the resource type, group, and resource entries for the Launcher in the Cluster Administrator application.

Syntax:

Configes <cluster name> <preferred node name>

Troubleshooting problems:

Error message:
System error 1722 has occurred.
The RPC server is unavailable.

Cause:
Invalid cluster name provided.

Error message:
System error 5042 has occurred.
The cluster node was not found.

Cause:
Invalid preferred node specified.

Error Message:
System error 183 has occurred.
Cannot create a file when that file already exists.

Cause:
Launcher already registered.


The removees.bat batch file serves as the Windows Cluster registration removal. This program removes the WebSphere Transformation Extender Launcher from the Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS).

Syntax:

removees <cluster name>

Troubleshooting problems:

Error message:
System error 1722 has occurred.
The RPC server is unavailable.

Cause:
Invalid cluster name provided.

Error:
System error 5007 has occurred.
The cluster resource could not be found.

Cause:
No registry entry found for cluster name.


Common Issues:

1. Configues.bat fails with system error 183. There may be a Launcher from a previous release of WTX still registered. Run the removees.bat command from the old release to delete the Launcher from MSCS.

2. Configues.bat fails with system error 183, followed by system error 5007 from removees.bat. A partial registration may be present on your Windows system.

Issue the following commands from the DOS prompt:

1. cluster <cluster name> resourcetype "<wtx-serv-name>" /delete

2. cluster <cluster name> group "<wtx-serv-name>" /delete

3. cluster <cluster name> resource "<wtx-serv-name>" /delete

where <wtx-serv-name> is:

WTX 8.1 - dtx81_launcher
WTX 8.2 - dtx82_launcher
WTX 8.3 - dtx83_launcher
WTX 8.4 - dtx84_launcher

4. Run Configues.bat.