Welcome back to the second part of the blog where we talk about implementing SIOS DataKeeper Cluster Edition, this blog will show you how to configure & set up DataKeeper.

Part 1: Installing SIOS DataKeeper

Step 1: Install SIOS DataKeeper on your servers, ensure it’s installed on all devices.

Make sure you have chosen the correct version of the DataKeeper setup.

Step 2: click on the DataKeeper Setup, and go through the wizard. This is just the wizard to configure setting DataKeeper up, once you have completed it, you will no longer use this unless you need to repair or modify DataKeeper.

Step 3: Review and set up the service logon account to your preference. Choose between a domain server account or a LocalSystem Account. We recommend using a domain account for this instance.

Step 4: Your userID will appear automatically on the next page. Enter a password to use for logging in.

After completing the wizard, open the SIOS license key manager, click “Install License File,” open the license file browser, and select your license.

Please note: licenses can be obtained from the portal or to get in touch (contact form link) to discuss trial licenses.

After choosing your license, view the details and expiry date. Then, load into DataKeeper. Click ‘exit’, and a pop-up will offer the choice to restart immediately or later. Complete this step on all servers.

Part 2: Connecting to servers & create a job.

Step 1: Once you have installed DataKeeper, open it up, and you will see the main screen & click connect to a server, it will bring up this pop-up where you will enter the IP address, server name or FQDN (fully qualified domain name) of the server you want to connect to.

On the right hand side, you will see Actions, you can see multiple options here if they don’t show up in the middle.

Step 2: Once you have entered the IP address, select on the main page again Create A New Job, which will open this pop-up, enter the information such as name & description & create job, and it will take you through the New Mirror wizard.

Please note: Check that both disks are to be identical in size and be online and formatted. You can check this in Disk Management.

If the options are empty when selecting a source or mirror target, then it is a sign that there is no disk suitable for replication, this might be due to disk size differences, offline disks, page files, or corrupted file systems, you will need to investigate to resolve this.

Step 3: Once happy, click next to Choose A Target, check the details but all should be correct, click next to configure details & complete the wizard. Once you have, this pop-up will show about auto-registering for WSFC, click yes.

Step 4: Once select yes, it will take a minute to create the job, then inside DataKeeper GUI you will see your jobs. You can see the information of the Name, description, job states whether it’s mirroring or paused etc.

The DataKeeper Volume can now be assigned to a role, ensure the dependencies are correctly configured for the role then test the failover in both directions to ensure everything is configured correctly.

Creating a Windows Server Failover Cluster involves navigating a labyrinth of technical complexities and ensuring DR for critical applications. The process demands a deep understanding of Windows Server environments, network settings, shared storage configurations, and more. Our team is dedicated to simplifying your journey, even when facing complex challenges. With our expertise, we’re here to guide you through, ensuring your systems are resilient against failures.