Adding an Agent/Server

Add the system

If the Server names are unique within your Avantra installation, the definition of DNS Domains is not required. In a large environment, DNS Domains may help to identify the server.

You can add new DNS Domains by Selecting Administration  Settings from the top-level menu and switching to the Customizing tab. Then select the DNS Domains tab.

Perform the following steps to define a new Physical Server:

  1. Choose Systems  Servers from the top-level menu and push the New Server button.

  2. Select Physical Server.

  3. Fill in the name of the server in the Physical Server Name field. Use the value that is returned by the Server's hostname command!

    If you do not want to use the value of hostname for the Server Name, the value of hostname must be included in the Host Aliases field (see below).

  4. Select the Customer and a System Role.

  5. Enter the server’s FQDN or IP Address. In case the server has more than one FQDN or IP address configured, use the one that can be connected from the Avantra Server.

  6. Push the OK button.

You may enter any DNS alias eventually assigned to this server in the Host Aliases field. You can fill in more than one alias by separating them with commas. Spaces are not supported.

You may additionally select a DNS Domain from the drop-down list.

If you intend to use Service Level Agreements, you probably want to select a value for the Server TimeZone. If you have already defined Service Level Agreements, you can select one from the Assigned SLA list.

There is also an option to choose an Application Type.

You can also set the Server not operational by defining Operational Since and/or Operational Until.

If you want to assign certain users to be responsible for this server, you may select the corresponding values for the Administrator and Administrator’s Deputy fields in the Responsibilities block.

In case you made any modifications, click the Apply button.

Once additional data has been retrieved by the Avantra Agent, you can also view other metrics, like Performance or availability data.

For Cloud Servers, you also have the option to start and stop the Server.

To open an existing Server, choose Systems  Servers from the menu, select the desired entry from the list and push the Open button (or double-click the selection).

Defining HA-Clusters

In Avantra, a Cluster consists of two or more Physical Servers corresponding to the physical cluster nodes, and one or more Virtual Cluster Servers corresponding to the resource groups switching applications from one physical node to the other.

In order to define a HA-cluster in Avantra, you first have to define the physical servers as outlined in Defining Servers.

The next step is to define the Virtual Cluster Server.

  1. Choose Systems  Servers from the top-level menu and push the New Server button.

  2. Select Virtual Cluster Server.

  3. Fill in the name of the virtual server in the Virtual Cluster Server Name field.

    This has to be the name the virtual server is known by in the outside world. If you have installed SAP Instances on the virtual server, you have to use the name that is used in the instance profiles as well.

  4. Select the Customer and a System Role.

  5. Fill in the Virtual FQDN or IP Address.

    This has to be the IP address that is switched between the cluster nodes by your cluster software, and that uniquely identifies the cluster resource group.

  6. Push the OK button.

  7. Proceed to the section Physical Node Servers and hit Edit.

    From the list of Physical Servers choose the corresponding values using the and buttons.

    You have to select all physical nodes the Virtual Cluster Server may be active on.

    By default, only those Physical Server are listed that share the same Customer as chosen in Customers. If you desire to use the Physical Servers of a different Customer, select the Show Servers of all Customers check box.

  8. Push the Apply button.

You can use Virtual Cluster Servers not only in a HA context but also as an abstraction layer for applications on a single Server.