Reload for GroupWise Disaster Recovery Configuration

see also How to Set Up Reload Disaster Recovery

Reload's Disaster Recovery Mode allows the Reload server to take over the duties of the domain, MTA, GWIA and/or one or more POs. This takes substantial time, while it could be done during a disaster it would be best to configure Disaster Recovery prior to an actual disaster, when loss of communications may be an issue.

When designing your disaster recovery plan there are, basically, two types of disasters to prepare for:

• Server failure
• Site failure

A Server failure is just that: the server fails. The power supply or hard drive system fails and the server goes down and doesn't come back up. A system update goes bad or malware got through.

A Site failure is the server room is no longer functional. There is a power failure, or perhaps the sprinkler system went off by accident or the site was hit by a tornado.

Configure Disaster Recovery

This step takes some time to setup, so it is best to do this before the disaster. While it can be done during the disaster it is much harder and longer. If done correctly it will take only seconds to be live on the Reload server.

DNS

Configure DNS A Records

You will need to set several A Record names in your DNS. This is the one setting you'll have to change outside of Reload during a disaster.

• GroupWise Server. For example, gw100.company.com 10.1.1.100
• Domain. For example, gwdom.company.com 10.1.1.100
• Post Office. For example, gwpo.company.com 10.1.1.100
• MTA. For example, gwmta.company.com 10.1.1.100

GroupWise

Configure Live GroupWise to Use Domain Names

• Set GroupWise Clients to connect using a domain name. For example, gwpo.company.com. This allows you to change the DNS A Record for the Post Office and the users will not notice a difference. If this is not set then during a disaster you will be trying to contact all users and telling them what address to connect to.

POA

• Set the POA to use the hostname, in Groupwise Administration | Post Office Agents | <poa> | Agent Settings | Network Address | TCP/IP Address
• Disable "Bind exclusively to TCP/IP Address"
• Confirm that the MTP port is specified, by default 7101. MTP communication is not only a faster means of communication between MTAs and POAs, but it is essential disaster recovery purposes.

MTA

• Set the MTA to use the hostname, in Groupwise Administration | Message Transfer Agents | <mta> | Agent Settings | Network Address | TCP/IP Address
• Disable "Bind exclusively to TCP/IP Address"
• Confirm that the MTP port is specified, by default 7100. MTP communication is not only a faster means of communication between MTAs and POAs, but it is essential disaster recovery purposes.

GWIA

• Set the GWIA to use the hostname, in Groupwise Administration | Message Transfer Agents | <gwia> | Agent Settings | Network Address | TCP/IP Address
• Disable "Bind exclusively to TCP/IP Address" and Save.

Reload

Configure Domain

• Browse to the Reload Web Administration Console and select the Domain profile
• Under the Configure tab, open the Disaster Recovery {FAILOVER] section
• The TCI/IP Address should be pre-set to the Reload server
• Configure the profile settings to match those of the live GroupWise domain

If you have multiple domains you will want to set this to separate addresses bound to the network card.

Configure Post Office

• Browse to the Reload Web Administration Console and select the Post Office profile
• Under the Configure tab, open the Disaster Recovery {FAILOVER] section
• The TCI/IP Address should be pre-set to the Reload server
• Configure the profile settings to match those of the live GroupWise domain

If you have multiple post offices you will want to set this to separate addresses bound to the network card.

• Outbound Message Transfer Port ( Domain MTA ) (MTP) Address

Testing Disaster Recovery

Disaster Recovery can be tested without downing the production GroupWise server.

Post Office Test

The simplest test is to enable Disaster Recovery mode and see if a client can connect.

• Close the GroupWise client if it is open
• Browse to the Reload Web Administration Console
• Click on the Post Office profile ambulance to engage Disaster Recovery Failover Mode
• Open the GroupWise client and instead of logging into the production Post Office, enter the IP address of the Reload server.
• Send a message internally to someone inside the same Post Office
• Send a message externally to someone on the internet

From time to time, a full-scale test should be run that does down the production server with attempts to send and receive from external email systems so all parts are tested and mail flows properly.