Hanwha Wisenet SSM (Smart Security Manager): The Simplest High Availability Cluster with Synchronous Replication and Failover between Two Redundant Servers
Hanwha Wisenet SSM (Smart Security Manager): The Simplest High Availability Cluster with Synchronous Replication and Failover
Evidian SafeKit
How the Evidian SafeKit software simply implements a Hanwha Wisenet SSM high availability cluster with real-time synchronous replication and failover between two redundant servers without shared disk
Evidian SafeKit brings high availability to Wisenet SSM, the Hanwha CCTV video surveillance system between two redundant servers.
This article explains how to implement quickly a Wisenet SSM cluster without shared disk and without specific skills.
The high availabity module hanwha_ssm.safe and a free trial are offered in the Installation tab below.
Note that you can implement with the same product real-time replication and failover of other applications (database or other): see other examples of mirror modules here.
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 smooth upgrade server by server and human errors (40% of problems) thanks to its simplicity of administration.
On the figure with two redundant servers, the server 1/PRIM runs Wisenet SSM services (any edition). Users are connected to the virtual IP address of the mirror cluster. SafeKit replicates files opened by Wisenet SSM services in real time. Only changes in the files are replicated across the network, thus limiting traffic (byte-level file replication). Names of file directories containing Wisenet SSM data are simply configured in SafeKit. There are no pre-requisites on disk organization for the two servers. Directories to replicate may be located in the system disk. SafeKit implements synchronous replication with no data loss on failure contrary to asynchronous replication.
In case of server 1 failure, there is an automatic failover on server 2 with virtual IP failover and restart of Wisenet SSM services. Then, when server 1 is restarted, SafeKit implements automatic failback with reintegration of data without stopping Wisenet SSM services on server 2. Finally, the system returns to synchronous replication between server 2 and server 1. The administrator can decide to swap the role of primary and secondary and to run Wisenet SSM services on server 1. The swap can also be done automatically by configuration.
Free trial + hanwha_ssm.safe module and step by step installation procedure of SafeKit between two redundant Hanwha Wisenet SSM servers
Installation
Configuration
Troubleshooting
Advanced Configuration
Support
Internals
Installation of a SafeKit / Wisenet SSM high availability cluster with real-time synchronous replication and failover between two redundant servers
Prerequisites
you need Wisenet SSM installed on 2 nodes (virtual machines or physical servers)
on Windows, with Windows services manager, put Wisenet SSM services with Boot Startup Type = Manual on both nodes. SafeKit controls start of Wisenet SSM services in start_prim. Edit start_prim during the configuration to check if you have put all services in Manual boot including the new ones that you can add.
Install the free version of SafeKit on 2 Windows nodes with Wisenet SSM services installed on both nodes
Download the Windows module
The module contains the files userconfig.xml, start_prim and stop_prim described in the internals tab
Put hanwha_ssm.safe under C:\safekit\Application_Modules\demo\ (create the demo directory if it does not exist)
To open the Windows firewall, on both nodes start a command line as administrator, goto C:\safekit\private\bin and type .\firewallcfg.cmd add
For synchronizing SafeKit at boot and at shutdown, on both nodes start a command line as administrator, goto C:\safekit\private\bin and type .\addStartupShutdown.cmd only once
Configuration of a SafeKit / Wisenet SSM high availability cluster with real-time synchronous replication and failover between two redundant servers
Configuration instructions
Important: all the configuration is made from a single browser.
Launch the web console in a browser on one node by connecting to http://localhost:9010 (next image)
Enter IP address of the first node and click on Confirm (next image)
Click on New node and enter IP address of the second node (next image) Then click on the red floppy disk to save the configuration (next image)
In the previous image, the save operation put the IP addresses in the file c:\safekit\cluster\cluster.xml and apply the distributed command c:\safekit\safekit –H "*" -G which configures node 1 and node 2.
So do not redo this operation on the other node.
Check the connectivity and firewall between both nodes for troubleshooting.
In the Configuration tab, click on hanwha_ssm.safe (xxx.safe in the next image) then enter hanwha_ssm as the module name and Confirm (the console finds hanwha_ssm.safe in the "demo/" directory that you previously filled in the Installation tab)
Click on Validate (next image)
After the click on Validate, this new window appears (next image)
On the previous image:
Check that replicated directories are installed on both nodes and contain application data. Replication of data and also logs is required for a database. You can add new directories to replicate if necessary.
Enter a virtual IP address. A virtual IP address is a standard IP address in the same IP network (same subnet) as the IP addresses of both nodes. Clients of the application must be configured with the virtual IP address (or the DNS name associated to the virtual IP address). The virtual IP address is automatically switched in case of failover.
start_prim and stop_prim contain the start and the stop of Wisenet SSM services. Edit the scripts and check that the names of services in these scripts are those installed on your both machines (else modify them in the scripts). You can add new services in the scripts if necessary.
Stop the services configured in start_prim on both nodes.
On Windows and on both nodes, with Windows services manager, put Wisenet SSM services set inside start_prim with Boot Startup Type = Manual on both servers (SafeKit controls start of Wisenet SSM services in start_prim).
Note that if a process name is displayed in Process checker, it will be monitored with the action restart in case of failure. The services will be stopped an restarted locally on the primary server if this process disappears from the list of running processes. After 3 unsuccessful local restarts, the module is stopped on the primary server and the services are restarted on the secondary server.
Click on Validate (previous image)
Click on Configure (previous image)
Check the success green message on both servers and click on Next (previous image).
We assume that node 1 is the referencial with the up-to-date data (otherwise do the following operation on node 2). We assume that the services started automatically by SafeKit in the start_prim script are stopped on node 1. Select node 1 and click on start it to make the first resynchronization in the right direction (previous image). Before this operation, we suggest you to make a copy of replicated directories before starting the cluster to avoid any errors.
Note: in the previous image, if the cluster is in the state WAIT (red) - STOP (red), stop the WAIT server and force its start as primary (click here to see the operation).
We assume that the services started automatically by SafeKit in the start_prim script are stopped on node 2. Start node 2 (previous image) which becomes SECOND green (next image) after resynchronisation of all replicated directories (binary copy from node 1 to node 2).
The cluster is operational with Wisenet SSM services running on the PRIM node and nothing running on the SECOND node (previous image). Only modifications inside files are replicated in real-time in this state.
Be careful, components which are clients of the Wisenet SSM services must be configured with the virtual IP address. The configuration can be made with a DNS name (if a DNS name has been created and associated with the virtual IP address).
Test
Check with Windows Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that the Wisenet SSM services have been started on the primary server by the start_prim script
and stopped on the secondary server by the stop_prim script.
Stop the PRIM node by scrolling down the menu of the primary node and by clicking on Stop.
Check that there is a failover on the SECOND node.
And with Windows Microsoft Management Console (MMC), check the failover of Wisenet SSM services (stopped and started in the stop_prim and start_prim scripts).
Configure boot start (next image on the right side) configures the automatic boot of the module when the server boots. Do this configuration on both servers once the high availability solution is correctly running.
Note that on Windows, with Windows services manager, we assume that Wisenet SSM services are with Boot Startup Type = Manual on both nodes. SafeKit controls start of Wisenet SSM services when starting the module in start_prim.
Note that for synchronizing SafeKit at boot and at shutdown, on both nodes, we assume that a command line has been run during installation as administrator: .\addStartupShutdown.cmd in C:\safekit\private\bin (otherwise dot it now only once).
For reading the SafeKit logs, go to the Troubleshooting tab
For editing userconfig.xml, start_prim and stop_prim, go to the Advanced Configuration tab
Troubleshooting of a SafeKit / Wisenet SSM high availability cluster with real-time synchronous replication and failover between two redundant servers
Module log
Read the module log to understand the reasons of a failover, of a waiting state on the availability of a resource etc... To see the module log of the primary server (next image):
click on the Control tab
click on node 1/PRIM (it becomes blue) on the left side to select the server
click on Module Log
click on the Refresh icon (green arrows) to update the console
click on the floppy disk to save the module log in a .txt file and to analyze in a text editor
Repeat the same operation to see the module log of the secondary server.
Application log
Read the application log to see the output messages of the stat_prim and stop_prim restart scripts. To see the application log of the primary server (next image):
click on the Control tab
click on node 1/PRIM (it becomes blue) on the left side to select the server
click on Application Log to see messages when starting and stopping Wisenet SSM services
click on the Refresh icon (green arrows) to update the console
click on the floppy disk to save the application log in a .txt file and to analyze in a text editor
Repeat the same operation to see the application log of the secondary server.
Advanced configuration of a SafeKit / Wisenet SSM high availability cluster with real-time synchronous replication and failover between two redundant servers
In Advanced Configuration tab (next image), you can edit internal files of the module: bin/start_prim and bin/stop_prim and conf/userconfig.xml (next image on the left side). If you make change in the internal files here, you must apply the new configuration by a right click on the icon/xxx on the left side (next image): the interface will allow you to redeploy the modified files on both servers.
For an example of userconfig.xml, start_prim and stop_prim, go to the Internals tab
Support of a SafeKit / Wisenet SSM high availability cluster with real-time synchronous replication and failover between two redundant servers
For getting support on the call desk of https://support.evidian.com, get 2 Snaphots (2 .zip files), one for each server and upload them in the call desk tool (next image).
<!DOCTYPE safe>
<safe>
<service mode="mirror" defaultprim="alone" maxloop="3" loop_interval="24" failover="on">
<!-- Heartbeat Configuration -->
<!-- Names or IP addresses on the default network are set during initialization in the console -->
<heart pulse="700" timeout="30000">
<heartbeat name="default" ident="flow">
</heartbeat>
</heart>
<!-- Virtual IP Configuration -->
<!-- Replace
* VIRTUAL_TO_BE_DEFINED by the name of your virtual server
-->
<vip>
<interface_list>
<interface check="on" arpreroute="on">
<real_interface>
<virtual_addr addr="VIRTUAL_TO_BE_DEFINED" where="one_side_alias" />
</real_interface>
</interface>
</interface_list>
</vip>
<!-- Software Error Detection Configuration -->
<errd polltimer="10">
<!-- Samsung SSM process -->
<proc name="pg_ctl.exe" atleast="1" action="restart" class="prim" />
<proc name="ServiceManager.exe" atleast="1" action="restart" class="prim" />
<!--
<proc name="HAServerService.exe" atleast="1" action="restart" class="prim"/>
-->
</errd>
<!-- File Replication Configuration -->
<!-- Adapt with the directory of your PostgreSQL database and logs
-->
<rfs async="second" acl="off" nbrei="3">
<replicated dir="C:\PostgreSQL\9.1\data" mode="read_only">
<notreplicated path="pg_log"/>
<notreplicated path="postmaster.pid"/>
</replicated>
<replicated dir="C:\Program Files (x86)\Samsung\SSM\SystemManager\MapFile" mode="read_only"/>
</rfs>
<!-- User scripts activation -->
<user nicestoptimeout="300" forcestoptimeout="300" logging="userlog" />
</service>
</safe>
start_prim.cmd
@echo off
rem Script called on the primary server for starting application services
rem For logging into SafeKit log use:
rem "%SAFE%\safekit" printi | printe "message"
rem stdout goes into Application log
echo "Running start_prim %*"
set res=0
rem TODO: set to manual the start of services when the system boots
net start "postgresql-9.1 - PostgreSQL Server 9.1"
if not %errorlevel% == 0 (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "PostgreSQL (postgresql-9.1 - PostgreSQL Server 9.1) start failed"
goto stop
) else (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "PostgreSQL (postgresql-9.1 - PostgreSQL Server 9.1) started"
)
net start "SSM System Manager"
if not %errorlevel% == 0 (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "SSM System Manager start failed")
goto stop
) else (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "SSM System Manager started"
)
net start "SSM Watch Services Manager"
if not %errorlevel% == 0 (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "SSM Watch Services Manager start failed"
goto stop
) else (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "SSM Watch Services Manager started"
)
rem net start "HA Server Service"
rem if not %errorlevel% == 0 (
rem %SAFE%\safekit printi "HA Server Service start failed"
rem goto stop
rem ) else (
rem %SAFE%\safekit printi "HA Server Service started"
rem )
if %res% == 0 goto end
:stop
set res=%errorlevel%
"%SAFE%\safekit" printe "start_prim failed"
rem uncomment to stop SafeKit when critical
rem "%SAFE%\safekit" stop -i "start_prim"
:end
stop_prim.cmd
@echo off
rem Script called on the primary server for stopping application services
rem For logging into SafeKit log use:
rem "%SAFE%\safekit" printi | printe "message"
rem ----------------------------------------------------------
rem
rem 2 stop modes:
rem
rem - graceful stop
rem call standard application stop with net stop
rem
rem - force stop (%1=force)
rem kill application's processes
rem
rem ----------------------------------------------------------
rem stdout goes into Application log
echo "Running stop_prim %*"
set res=0
rem action on force stop
if "%1" == "force" (
%SAFE%\safekit printi "Force stop: kill processes of Samsung SSM application"
%SAFE%\safekit kill -name="watchservices.exe" -level="terminate"
%SAFE%\safekit kill -name="java.exe" -argregex=".*systemmanager.*" -level="terminate"
%SAFE%\safekit kill -name="pg_ctl.exe" -level="terminate"
%SAFE%\safekit kill -name="postgres.exe" -level="terminate"
%SAFE%\safekit kill -name="HAServerService.exe" -level="terminate"
%SAFE%\safekit kill -name="systemanager.exe" -level="terminate"
goto end
)
rem %SAFE%\safekit printi "Stopping HA Server Service"
rem net stop "HA Server Service"
%SAFE%\safekit printi "Stopping SSM Watch Services Manager"
net stop "SSM Watch Services Manager"
%SAFE%\safekit printi "Stopping SSM System Manager"
net stop "SSM System Manager"
%SAFE%\safekit printi "Stopping PostgreSQL (postgresql-9.1 - PostgreSQL Server 9.1)"
net stop "postgresql-9.1 - PostgreSQL Server 9.1"
del C:\PostgreSQL\9.1\data\postmaster.pid
rem Wait a little for the real stop of services
"%SAFEBIN%\sleep" 10
if %res% == 0 goto end
"%SAFE%\safekit" printe "stop_prim failed"
:end
SafeKit High Availability Differentiators against Competition
Key differentiators of a mirror cluster with replication and failover
Evidian SafeKit mirror cluster with real-time file replication and failover
A SafeKit cluster runs on Windows and Linux without the need for expensive shared or replicated disk bays
SafeKit includes
all clustering features:
synchronous real-time file replication, monitoring of server/network/software failures, automatic
Wisenet SSM restart, virtual IP address switched in case of failure to reroute clients
This is not the case with replication-only solutions like replication at the database level which implements only replication
The cluster configuration is very simple and made
with the hanwha_ssm.safe module.
There is no domain controller or active directory to configure as with Microsoft cluster
Other services and other replicated directories can be added to the
hanwha_ssm.safe
module to complement the SafeKit / Wisenet SSM high availability solution
SafeKit implements quick
Wisenet SSM restart in case of failure: around 1 mn or less (see RTO/RPO here)
Quick
Wisenet SSM 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 a recovery time depending on the OS reboot as with VMware HA or Hyper-V cluster
After a failure when a server reboots, the replication failback procedure
is fully automatic and the failed server reintegrates the cluster without stopping
Wisenet SSM on the only remaining server
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.
Wisenet SSM may even be stopped on the only remaining server during the resynchonization of the failed server
All SafeKit clustering features are working for 2 servers in remote sites. Performances of replication depends on the interconnect latency for real-time synchronous replication and on the bandwidth for resynchronizing data on a failed server
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
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
The secondary server is not dedicated to the restart of the primary server. The cluster can be active-active by running 2 different mirror modules
This is not the case with a fault-tolerant system where the secondary is dedicated to the execution of the same application synchronized at the instruction level
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 be 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
This is not the case with an architecture mixing different technologies for load balancing, replication and failover
Key differentiators of the SafeKit high availability technology
Application HA supports hardware failure and software failure with
a quick recovery time
(RTO around 1 mn or less). Smooth upgrade of application and OS possible server by server (version N and N+1 can coexist)
Full virtual machines HA supports only hardware failure with a VM reboot and a recovery time depending on the OS reboot. Smooth upgrade not possible
No dedicated server with SafeKit.
Each server can be the failover server of the other one. Software failure with restart in another OS environment. Smooth upgrade of application and OS possible server by server (version N and N+1 can coexist)
Secondary server dedicated to the execution of the same application synchronized at the instruction level. Software exception on both servers at the same time. Smooth upgrade not possible
No dedicated proxy servers and no special network configuration are required in a SafeKit cluster for virtual IP addresses
Special network configuration is required in other clusters for virtual IP addresses. Note that SafeKit offers a health check adapted to load balancers
Customers of SafeKit High Availability Software in all Business Activities
Sébastien Témoin, Technical and Innovation Director, NOEMIS, value added distributor of Milestone solutions:
"SafeKit by Evidian is a professional solution making easy the redundancy of Milestone Management Server, Event Server, Log Server. The solution is easy to deploy, easy to maintain and can be added on existing installation. We have assisted integrators to deploy the solution on many projects such as city surveillance, datacenters, stadiums and other critical infrastructures. SafeKit is a great product, and Evidian provides great support. Happy to help if you have any questions."
Harmonic is using SafeKit as a software OEM high availability solution and deploys it with its TV broadcasting solutions over satellites, terrestrials, cable, IPTV.
Over 20 SafeKit clusters are deployed on Linux and Windows with Oracle.
Testimonial of Fives Syleps:
"The automated factories that we equip rely on our ERP. It is not possible that our ERP is out of service due to a computer failure. Otherwise, the whole activity of the factory stops.
We chose the Evidian SafeKit high availability product because it is an easy to use solution. It is implemented on standard servers and does not require the use of shared disks on a SAN and load balancing network boxes.
It allows servers to be put in remote computer rooms. In addition, the solution is homogeneous for Linux and Windows platforms. And it provides 3 functionalities: load balancing between servers, automatic failover and real-time data replication.”
Tony Myers, Director of Business Development says:
"By developing applications for air traffic control, Copperchase is in one of the most critical business activities. We absolutely need our applications to be available all the time. We have found with SafeKit a simple and complete clustering solution for our needs. This software combines in a single product load balancing, real time data replication with no data loss and automatic failover. This is why, Copperchase deploys SafeKit for air traffic control in airports in the UK and the 30 countries where we are present."
20 SafeKit clusters are deployed on Windows and Linux.
Stéphane Guilmin, RATP, Project manager says:
"Automation of line 1 of the Paris subway is a major project for RATP, requiring a centralized command room (CCR) designed to resist IT failures. With SafeKit, we have three distinct advantages to meet this need. Firstly, SafeKit is a purely software solution that does not demand the use of shared disks on a SAN and network boxes for load balancing. It is very simple to separate our servers into separate machine rooms. Moreover, this clustering solution is homogeneous for our Windows and Linuxplatforms. SafeKit provides the three functions that we needed: load balancing between servers, automatic failover after an incident and real time data replication."
And also, Philippe Marsol, Atos BU Transport, Integration Manager says:
“SafeKit is a simple and powerful product for application high availability. We have integrated SafeKit in our critical projects like the supervision of Paris metro Line 4 (the control room) or Marseille Line 1 and Line 2 (the operations center). Thanks to the simplicity of the product, we gained time for the integration and validation of the solution and we had also quick answers to our questions with a responsive Evidian team.”
Over 30 SafeKit clusters are deployed on Windows with SQL Server.
Marc Pellas, CEO says:
"SafeKit perfectly meets the needs of a software vendor. Its main advantage is that it brings in high availability through a software option that is added to our own multi-platform software suite. This way, we are not dependent on a specific and costly hardware clustering solution that is not only difficult to install and maintain, but also differs according to client environments. With SafeKit, our firefighter call centers are run with an integrated software clustering solution, which is the same for all our customers, is user friendly and for which we master the installation up to after-sales support."
"Our production team implemented the SafeKit solution without any difficulty on 14 Windows and Linux clusters. Our critical activity is thus secure, with high-availability and load balancing functions. The advantages of this product are easy deployment and administration of clusters, on the one hand, and uniformity of the solution in the face of heterogeneous operating systems, on the other hand."
Demonstrations of SafeKit High Availability Software
SafeKit Webinar
This webinar presents in 10 minutes Evidian SafeKit.
In this webinar, you will understand:
mirror and farm clusters
cost savings against hardware clustering solutions
best use cases
the integration process for a new application
Microsoft SQL Server Cluster
This video shows a mirror module configuration with synchronous real-time replication and failover.
The file replication and the failover are configured for Microsoft SQL Server but it works in the same manner for other databases.
SafeKit Modules for Plug&Play High Availability Solutions
Network load balancing and failover: click on the blue buttons
Farm modules
Windows
Linux
IIS
-
Apache
New application
Amazon AWS farm
Microsoft Azure farm
Google GCP farm
Cloud generic farm
Real-time file replication and failover: click on the blue buttons
Mirror modules
Windows
Linux
Microsoft SQL Server
-
Oracle
MySQL
PostgreSQL
Firebird
Hyper-V
-
Milestone XProtect
-
Hanwha Wisenet SSM
-
Nedap AEOS
-
New application
Amazon AWS mirror
Microsoft Azure mirror
Google GCP mirror
Cloud generic mirror
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A SafeKit cluster runs on Windows and Linux without the need for expensive shared or replicated disk bays
This is not the case with replication-only solutions like replication at the database level which implements only replication
