High availability for Application Files

[Tom]

Hello everyone,

i'm new to AX and i installed a few systems all with AOS and Application
Files on one Hardware. This week i wanted to install at a customer this two
servers on seperate hardware. I thought that the Application File Server only
has to be a File Share for example on a SAN, nothing more!!! Soon i realized
that this thought was wrong, cause i cannot install the files on a share,
only local paths (Full Qualified Path) was possible. So if i want to separate
the two Servers i have to have really two servers.
Is this true, or is there a way to lay this files just on a Share which is
high available?
Or can i use a mapped network drive when installing Application Files? Do
all the AOS Services need this mapped drive too in this way? How can i
gurantee that when nobody is logged in?

I couldn't find a HA whitepaper for AX 2009, just for AX4. Is there an
offical one? What are the possibilitys for HA for Application Files?
1.) Install Application Files on every AOS-Computer - means i have to keep
it updated
2.) Windows Cluster with two hardware-servers - expansive and what liceneces
i do need?

Thank you for suggestions,
Tom

[Klaas Deforche]

Hi Tom,

It's possible that you can not install the Application files directly on a
shared folder, but if you install it locally, you can then move them to an
other location. (copy/move the complete Application folder, incuding
bin/log/share folder, etc), eg, a share.

After you moved the files to a new location, simply change the AX Server
configuration:
Application file location:
\\your_server\yourshare\anysubfoldersyoulike\Application
Application instance: select your application from te list

We use shares for application folders all the time, so it shouldn't be a
problem.

Hope this helps!
Best regards,
Klaas.
------------------
http://www.artofcreation.be

[Tom]

Hello Klaas,

thank you for your answer. I tried this today and it worked without a
problem. But why is this not officially described by MS. Do they want to sell
some Enterprise Editions to make a windows cluster of the application File
Server? Or are there any disadvantages with this solution?

Thank you,
Tom

[Klaas Deforche]

Hi Tom,

From my experience, a cluster won't do much good.
If the AOS loses connection with the Application for just a short time (wich
probably would be the case if the cluster would switch from one application
to an other), you have to restart the AOS for it to work again.

I don't know for sure if there is a solution (like clusters) that work (=
keeps AX running during a failure on your file server), you should ask MS for
confirmation on that.

I'm glad the share-way worked for you :)

Klaas.