Configuring settings for high availability

To set up a high availability configuration, you create two nodes, each of which defines the other’s NetScaler Gateway IP address as a remote node. You can start by logging on to one of the two NetScaler appliances that you want to configure for high availability and add a node. Specify the other appliance’s NetScaler Gateway IP address as the address of the new node. Then, log on to the other appliance and add a node that has the NetScaler Gateway IP address of the first appliance. An algorithm determines which node becomes primary and which becomes secondary.

Before you configure the appliances, add a high availability node. This node represents either the first or second NetScaler Gateway in the high availability pair. To configure high availability, you first create the node and then you configure the high availability settings.

Important:

• To ensure seamless high availability and uninterrupted HDX insight functionality, it’s crucial that both nodes operate on the same software version. Version mismatches during upgrades can disrupt the collection of essential session data, leading to potential service interruptions and the generation of “skip code 143” error after failover. Therefore, HDX insight data is not populated for existing ICA connections during or after the upgrade.

• When data synchronization between the primary and secondary nodes is incomplete, the secondary node might lack sufficient information to seamlessly resume connections. This can result in NetScaler Gateway being unable to retrieve essential HDX insight data, leading to a “skip code 169” error. Therefore, HDX insight support might be temporarily disrupted during failover scenarios.

To add a high availability node

1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System > High Availability.
2. In the details pane, on the Nodes tab, click Add.
3. In the Create HA Node page, in the Remote Node IP Address text box, type the NSIP address of the NetScaler that is to be added as the remote node. If the NetScaler Gateway IP address is an IPv6 address, select the IPv6 checkbox before entering the address.
4. If you want to add the local node to the remote node automatically, select Configure remote system to participate in High Availability setup. If you do not select this option, you have to log in to the appliance represented by the remote node and add the node that you are currently configuring.
5. Click to enable Turn off HA Monitor interfaces/channels that are down.
6. If the remote appliance has a different user name and password, in Remote System Logon Credentials, click Login credentials for the remote system are different from the self-node.
7. In User Name, type the user name of the remote appliance.
8. In Password, type the password of the remote appliance.
9. Click OK.

To enable or disable the secondary node

You can disable or enable the secondary node only. When you disable a secondary node, it stops sending heartbeat messages to the primary node, and therefore the primary node can no longer check the status of the secondary node. When you enable a node, the node takes part in the high availability configuration.

1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System and then click High Availability.
2. In the details pane, on the Nodes tab, select the local node and then click Open.
3. In the HA Configure Node dialog box, in High Availability Status, select ENABLED (Do not participate in HA).
4. Click OK. A message appears in the status bar, stating that the node has been configured successfully.

To configure settings for high availability

1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System > High Availability.
2. In the details pane, on the Nodes tab, select a node, and then click Edit.
3. In the HA Configure Node dialog box, in ID, type the number of the node identifier. ID specifies the unique node number for the other appliance.
4. In IP Address, type the system IP address and then click OK. The IP Address specifies the IP address of the other appliance.

Note: The maximum ID for nodes in a high availability pair is 64.