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I am wondering if it is possible to use the FME Server Failover configuration to set-up a semi-automatic failover system. Rather than sharing a fault tolerant web application server and database between the production and failover FME Server Cores and FME Engines, could the failover web application server and database be created or restored manually when the production environment fails? See the attached architecture that I am proposing.

To put it another way, I would like to use FME Server Configuration backups and FME Database backups to restore our production FME Server environment in a failover environment after the failover has occurred. This would just help us avoid having to request a new FME Server license when we are restoring to a new environment in the event of a server failure.

Hi @frasscot,

 

I presume you're working with FME Server 2017? If so it sounds a little bit like you're wanting something similar to this: http://docs.safe.com/fme/2017.1/html/FME_Server_Documentation/Content/AdminGuide/Planning-Disaster-Recovery.htm with licensed engines ready?

If that's the case I would encourage you to get in touch with your account manager or partner about setting up the licensing structure for it.

Hi @frasscot,

You can certainly use the backup files as a method of fault tolerance, however, there are some caveats. One: the backup files would have to be scheduled, and put in a safe location. (by default the location is the file system share) Two: backups can fail. Special characters and missing items can corrupt a backup. So while this can be especially useful in Express installations, relying on one backup file can mean a single point of failure for a failover.

This article may help bring awareness to some of the considerations in designing your install of FME Server 2017 and older.

Additional thoughts:

A FME Server license for a failover environment can be set up in advance. As Matt suggested I would encourage you to get in touch with your account manager or partner about setting up the licensing structure for it.

FME Architecture is chaining in 2018 there will be built in Fault-Tolerant system which will use a shared database among two active (core/web/engine/queue) machines. Which means licensing will not be an issue. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the new architecture.

Thanks,

Richard

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