Cluster in cloud computing: a generic solution for Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google GCP and other clouds

Cluster in cloud computing: all Evidian SafeKit solutions

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Cloud

Real-time replication and failover cluster

Load balancing and failover cluster

Amazon AWS

Microsoft Azure

Google GCP

Generic Architecture

How the Evidian SafeKit software provides a generic solution for cluster in cloud computing (Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google GCP and other clouds)

Evidian SafeKit offer two types of cluster in cloud computing:

This clustering solution is recognized as the simplest to implement by our customers and partners. It is also a complete solution that solves hardware failures (20% of problems) including the complete failure of a computer room, software failures (40% of problems) including software error detection and automatic restart and human errors (40% of problems) thanks to its simplicity.

Cluster in cloud computing: a generic solution for Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google GCP and other clouds

Key differentiators of replication and failover with the Evidian SafeKit mirror cluster

Evidian SafeKit mirror cluster with real-time file replication and failover

Synchronous replication Synchronous replication

Like  The real-time replication is synchronous with no data loss on failure

Dislike  This is not the case with asynchronous replication

After a server failure, fully automated failback procedure Automatic failback

Like  After a server failure and a failover, the replication failback procedure is fully automatic on the failed server and without stopping the application on the only remaining server

Dislike  This is not the case with most replication solutions particularly with replication at the database level. Manual operations are required for resynchronizing a failed server. The application may even be stopped on the only remaining server during the resynchonization of the failed server

All clustering features All clustering features

Like  The solution includes all clustering features: server failure monitoring, network failure monitoring, software failure monitoring, automatic application restart with a quick recovery time, a virtual IP address switched in case of failure to automatically reroute clients. A clustering configuration is simply made by means of a high availability application module. There is no domain controller or active directory to configure on Windows. The solution works on Windows and Linux

Dislike  This is not the case with replication-only solutions like replication at the database level

Dislike  Quick application restart is not ensured with full virtual machines replication. In case of hypervisor failure, a full VM must be rebooted on a new hypervisor with an unknown recovery time

Replication of any type of data

Like  The replication is working for databases but also for any files which shall be replicated

Dislike  This not the case for replication at the database level

File replication vs disk replication File replication vs disk replication

Like  The replication is based on file directories that can be located anywhere (even in the system disk)

Disike  This is not the case with disk replication where special application configuration must be made to put the application data in a special disk

File replication vs shared disk File replication vs shared disk

Like  The servers can be put in two remote sites

Dislike  This is not the case with shared disk solutions

Remote sites Remote sites

Like  With remote sites, the solution works with only 2 servers and for the quorum (network isolation), a simple split brain checker is offered

Like  This is not the case for most clustering solutions where a 3rd server is required for the quorum

Like  If both servers are connected to the same IP network through an extended LAN between two remote sites, the virtual IP address of SafeKit is working with rerouting at level 2

Like  If both servers are connected to two different IP networks between two remote sites, the virtual IP address can be configured at the level of a load balancer. SafeKit offers a health check: the load balancer is configured with a URL managed by SafeKit which returns OK on the primary server and NOT FOUND else. This solution is implemented for SafeKit in the Cloud but it can be also implemented with a load balancer on premise

Like  Virtual IP address is not offered by replication-only solution

Uniform high availability solution Uniform high availability solution

Like  SafeKit implements a mirror cluster with replication and failover. But it imlements also a farm cluster with load balancing and failover. Thus a N-tiers architecture can me made highly available and load balanced with the same solution on Windows and Linux (same installation, configuration, administration with the SafeKit console or with the command line interface). This is unique on the market

Dislike  This is not the case with an architecture mixing different technologies for load balancing, replication and failover

Key differentiators of load balancing and failover with the Evidian SafeKit farm cluster

Evidian SafeKit farm cluster with load balancing and failover

All clustering features All clustering features

Like  The solution includes all clustering features: virtual IP address, load balancing on client IP address or on sessions, server failure monitoring, network failure monitoring, software failure monitoring, automatic application restart with a quick revovery time and a replication option with a mirror module. A clustering configuration is simply made by means of a high availability application module. There is no domain controller or active directory to configure on Windows. The solution works on Windows and Linux

Dislike  This is not the case with other load balancing solutions. They are able to make load balancing but they do not include a full clustering solution with restart scripts and automatic application restart in case of failure. They do not offer a replication option

Remote sites Remote sites

Like   If servers are connected to the same IP network through an extended LAN between remote sites, the virtual IP address of SafeKit is working with load balancing at level 2

Like   If servers are connected to different IP networks between remote sites, the virtual IP address can be configured at the level of a load balancer. SafeKit offers a health check: the load balancer is configured with a URL managed by SafeKit which returns OK on the UP servers and NOT FOUND else. This solution is implemented for SafeKit in the Cloud but it can be also implemented with a load balancer on premise. Thus you can implement load balancing but also all the clustering features of SafeKit including an easy administration of the cluster through the SafeKit web console

Dislike   Load balancers do not implement all the clustering features of SafeKit

Uniform high availability solution Uniform high availability solution

Like  SafeKit imlements a farm cluster with load balancing and failover. But it implements also a mirror cluster with replication and failover. Thus a N-tiers architecture can me made highly available and load balanced with the same solution on Windows and Linux (same installation, configuration, administration with the SafeKit console or with the command line interface). This is unique on the market

Dislike  This is not the case with an architecture mixing different technologies for load balancing, replication and failover

FAQ on Evidian SafeKit [+]