problem with start vcenter after install heartbeat

[baber]

Hi. i have installed vmware vcenter 5.5 . then installing vcenter server heartbeat 6.6  and after restart sytem and rename primary node during the restart system after sytem is boot som of vcenter service can not run for example Vmware Virtualcenter server Service can not start thus i can not connet to vcenter with vsphere client and can not start in manually now what do i have to do ?

i have only installed primarynode and just get clone from primary node

both of my nodes are virtual

please help me

[baber]

thanks for your answers now i installed heartbeat and vmware virtualcenter server has started and vcenter can run but when i type nslookup this output appear i have attached pic

is this ok ?

[dmihaescu]

yes, this is ok. Now at the prompt that appears after typing nslookup ">", type "fvcenter" and check that the correct IP 10.0.3.197 is returned, then type primaryvcenter and check 10.0.3.205 is returned and also for secondaryvcenter, 10.0.3.206 is returned.

[baber]

very thanks but please help me step by step so thanks.

thanks all nslookup were ok

now , Has finished my work on primaryvcenter?

now i have to install and config on secondaryvcenter ? before turn on secondvcenter (cloned) do i have to any on primaryvcenter(fvcenter) ?

[dmihaescu]

just perform the steps from the install guide in the order that they are listed there.

[baber]

thanks but please help me i have installed heartbeat more than 20 times but with many errors and not work and now need your help please

1- my work on primaryvcenter has finished?

2- when do i have to do this step : open the vCenter Server Heartbeat Console (right click on the HB system tray and select Manage Server and then add a connection to the vCenter server - localhost). Go to the Application -> Summary tab and click the Start Applications button.  (is this step after install heartbeat on secondaryvcenter ?)

[dmihaescu]

if you followed all the steps from the install guide that are listed for the primary, that means it has finished. You can start with the Secondary server. After HB is installed on the secondary and the machine is rebooted, you should see the two servers connect and get in sync. At that point you will be able to failover between the servers

[baber]

when do i have to do this step : open the vCenter Server Heartbeat Console (right click on the HB system tray and select Manage Server and then add a connection to the vCenter server - localhost). Go to the Application -> Summary tab and click the Start Applications button.  (is this step after install heartbeat on secondaryvcenter ?)

[dmihaescu]

you DO NOT have to do this anymore, now your applications are started, as you said above, vCenter is working.

[baber]

So thanks.

i Have instaled vcenter heartbeat on both of nodes successfully now what configs do i hvae to do on primaryvcenter and secondaryvcenter to work autofail over and auto failback ?

[dmihaescu]

The failover works by default, no configuration are needed. However you should check the install guide for the post-install configurations, page 43.

[baber]

failback is also work by default? or Have i to do manually failover and failback?

[baber]

My main question is Vcenter hearbeat  can do Autofailover and Autofailback  Automatically ?

because in most heartbeat  vmware documents thats best practice is do it manually is this correct ?

[dmihaescu]

HB does both manual and automatic failover.

For example, starting with Primary/Active -> Secondary Passive:

You can make the secondary active if you want to do some maintenance on the primary => manual failover

In the case the Primary/Active looses power, the Secondary automatically becomes active => automatic failover

For failback in the case above when you recover the Primary it will connect the servers and you will end up having Secondary/Active -> Primary/Passive. HB does not make the Primary active again after an automatic failover, but will continue to protect the application, and in the case that you loose the Secondary it will automatically failover again to Primary/Active.

[baber]

is that necessary have 2 different ip ranges?

these are my ip adrees

domain controler = 10.0.3.250

pvcenter = 10.0.3.197

primaryvcenter=10.0.3.205

secondaryvcenter = 10.0.3.206

primary vmchannel = 10.0.3.207

secondary vmchannel = 10.0.3.208

but i use 2 vswitch on each host for example primaryvcenter has 2 nic one nic is on vswitch1 and the other is on vswitch2

also secondaryvcenter

[baber]

i am so confused please help me

[dmihaescu]

Hi baber, please read the install guide.

For your configuration with multiple NICs you have the following in the install guide (page 31):

"VMware Channel - connection(s) configured on a separate dedicated NIC with a static IP address in a different subnet than the Secondary Public IP or Management IP address and with a different IP address than the Primary VMware Channel IP address and network mask."

and in the install section (page 34, step 24) you have an explanation for this:

"Important If using multiple NICs, you must specify all VMware Channel IP addresses in subnets outside of the normal Public IP addressing schema so that VMware Channel traffic routing uses the VMware Channel network card rather than the Public network card."

[baber]

so thanks .

now i test my heartbeat with run nfavt from this patch (C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat\R2\bin)

it work excellent without no problem but this test was manualy failover and failback now i want now will all these features Autmaticlly ( automatic failover and automatic failback will work excellent?)

if i turn off my primaryvcenter (will vcenter heartbeat work Automatically?)

[dmihaescu]

In the case you do a a shutdown/restart of the active server (controlled shutdown from windows) NO failover will happen.

In the case that the active server looses power (hard shutdown) the failover will be performed automaticaly.

[baber]

Is your means that if i power off competely my primaryvcenter server(Hard power off)  secondaryvcenter server will automaticaly manage my vcenter will move from my first server (primaryvcenter) to second server(secondaryvcenter) ?

[baber]

i am so waiting your answer

Is your means that if i power off competely my primaryvcenter server(Hard power off)  secondaryvcenter server will automaticaly manage my vcenter will move from my first server (primaryvcenter) to second server(secondaryvcenter) ?