Creating a Generic Application Resource Hierarchy

Use this option to protect an application that has no associated recovery kit.

Before Creating a Resource Hierarchy

1. The first task is to create scripts for the five basic LifeKeeper for Windows action functions:

• Restore

• Remove

• Quick Check

• Deep Check

• Local Recovery

*Note: “Scripts will be run from the LKSVC.EXE and LKRESMON.EXE processes, with the context (including environment variables such as PATH) from the calling process.”
Script types supported: VB Script, Perl and ksh

!Scripts, such as .bat or .cmd, when executed via any of the supported gen app script types (VB Script, Perl or ksh) may run differently under LifeKeeper process context versus how they run as a standalone script. Therefore, some modifications may be required to achieve the desired results.

Perl and VB Script templates are provided for these scripts in $LKROOT\admin\kit\app\templates. Be sure to copy these templates to another directory on the same volume as $LKROOT before customizing and testing them for the application that you wish to protect.

Note: If you want to use optional Create, Extend and Delete scripts, also include them in the folder with your other scripts. The script selection wizard will search for them by these names (and extension) and automatically enter them for you.

Note: A Restore script and a Remove script are required for a Generic Application solution. There is no time limit for the duration of the Restore script or a Remove script to complete. However, there are implications to duration. A resource In-Service operation can not complete until its restore script has completed successfully. A resource switchover operation can not proceed to the standby server until the resource remove script has completed successfully on the active server.

Note: If provided, Quick Check and Deep Check scripts are run at customer designated intervals. To avoid overlaps, the duration of Quick Check and Deep Check Scripts should not exceed those customer designated interval times. A Local Recovery script is also optional. In the case of a Quick Check or Deep Check failure, a Local Recovery script, if provided, should not extend a Quick Check or Deep Check duration beyond the customer designated interval.

2. For applications depending upon other resources such as a volume or IP address, create each of these resources separately before creating your Generic Application resource hierarchy. You can create the appropriate dependencies later using Add Dependency.

Creating Your Resource Hierarchy

Now you are ready to create the Generic Application resource hierarchy using the modified scripts.

1. Select the server, and then select Create Resource Hierarchy from the server context menu or server context toolbar.

2. The Create Protected Application window appears displaying the Primary and Backup Servers in your cluster. If not already selected, choose the appropriate systems to configure. Click Next.

3. A dialog appears with a list of all recognized recovery kits installed within the cluster. Select Generic Application and click Next.

4. The Configuration Wizard will prompt you to enter the following information. Note: When the Back button is active in any of the dialog boxes, you can go back to the previous dialog box. This is especially helpful should you encounter an error that might require you to correct previously entered information. If you click Cancel at any time during the sequence of creating your hierarchy, LifeKeeper for Windows will cancel the entire creation process.

5. After all of the data is entered, the Create Instance button will appear. When you click Create Instance, LifeKeeper for Windows will create and validate your resource hierarchy.

6. After receiving the message that the resource hierarchy has been created successfully, click Next to continue. If LifeKeeper for Windows has detected a problem, an ERROR will appear in the information box, the partially created resource hierarchy will be removed, and the Next button will be disabled. In that case, click Cancel to exit the Wizard.