How to Setup Load Balancing Servers for Evolve Sites (4288707)

How to Setup Load Balancing Servers for Evolve Sites

Introduction

This document describes the process of deploying a site from one master server to multiple identical servers for the purposes of load-balancing across them.

This process is designed and will work as intended regardless of whether the site is a dynamic or a static one – the only difference is that the process will need to be executed infinitely more frequently in the case of a static site, as it would propagate the content of the site – as opposed to the case for a dynamic deployment, where the process must only be executed whenever a site design change is made.

Prerequisites

Server Setup

In order for load-balancing when using Evolve to work effectively, all servers must be setup and configured in exactly the same way (hardware and software configuration). Evolve must be installed on all servers (regardless of licences available).

Evolve must not be configured on any of the secondary servers in any way.

Access rights

All servers must have exactly the same connectivity to the Casewise database, with the same access rights to the various Active Directory groups etc.as the primary server. Any discrepancy can lead to abnormal behaviour, both during publication of the site and subsequent access by the users.

Customization contents

The following elements must be present in all servers:

• Any folders containing a custom site (the entire folder)
• Any custom theme files
• Any site logos

These should be copied across before any publication and must be placed in exactly the same locations as in the primary server.

For assistance as to which folders contain customization, how they are structured and where they are located, please refer to the Evolve online help by clicking here

Process

Important Note: Sticky sessions is a requirement for the load balancer, this is to ensure that once a user is logged in, their session is always on the same server.

1.On the Primary server you select “Share Data folder”

2.Once ticked click Configure IIS

This will now have configured this share on the server which by default will be called “CwEvolveDatafolder”

3. The next step is on the secondary server where you must select “Use the shared Data folder” this will automatically try to discover the “CwEvolveDatafolder” shared folder on the primary server.

4.Once detected\defined click Configure IIS and once that has completed click save 

5. The secondary Server is now setup to read the data from the primary allowing it to produce the same site\data as primary.