LifeKeeper Service Log On ID and Password Selection

During a new LifeKeeper installation setup, the user will be prompted for a LifeKeeper Service Log On ID and Password.

The LifeKeeper Service uses authenticated connections to perform volume switchovers and make mirror role changes across multiple servers. The Log On ID account chosen to run the LifeKeeper Service will determine how much authority and permission is available to establish connections between servers and perform volume switchovers, especially when server or network disruptions occur.

Several types of Service Log On ID accounts are available as follows:

• A Domain Account with administrator privileges, valid on all connected servers in the domain (not recommended)

• A Server Account with administrator privileges, valid on all systems (same username and password). (recommended)

• The Local System Account (not recommended)

Note: A Server Account is recommended because when a Local System or a Domain user account is used, and the domain controller is not reachable, communication between the services on separate nodes is not possible.

Note: Group Managed Service Accounts(GMSA) are supported, but during the initial install you have to choose a Domain Account and then later you can switch it to a GMSA account.

Note: For Workgroups, use the Server Account option and use the server name \ administrator on each system as the Service Account for LifeKeeper. You should also log on to all servers using this same Log On ID and Password (see related Known Issue).

Note: The domain or server account used must be added to the Local System Administrators Group. The account must have administrator privileges on each server that LifeKeeper is installed on.

Please note that the Local System account cannot be authenticated properly in a domain when network connectivity with Active Directory is lost. In that situation, connections between servers cannot be established with the Local System account causing LifeKeeper volume switchover commands, via the network, to be rejected. IT organizations requiring fault tolerance during disaster recovery, including network disruptions, should not use the Local System account.

*If the Computer Name includes lowercase letters, LifeKeeper fails to start. Before proceeding to LifeKeeper installation, change the computer name to upper case if it contains any lower case letters.

LifeKeeper Service Logon:

If the LifeKeeper Service has previously been configured with a Service Log On ID and Password, the setup program will omit the Service ID and Password selection dialogs. However, at any time, an administrator can modify the LifeKeeper Service Log On ID and Password using the Windows Service Applet. Be sure to restart the LifeKeeper Service after changing the Log On ID and/or Password.

The following table outlines these requirements: