LifeKeeper Single Server Protection for Linux Introduction

LifeKeeper Single Server Protection (SSP) allows for application monitoring in a single node configuration (i.e., no cluster requirements or restraints). Single node environments may be physical or virtual (vSphere, KVM, Amazon EC2). LifeKeeper SSP is built on the proven and stable architecture of SIOS LifeKeeper. LifeKeeper SSP provides superior application monitoring and can perform recovery of failed applications and system infrastructure items (e.g., NFS share, IP address, File System). If an application cannot be recovered for some reason, LifeKeeper SSP will initiate a restart of the node via a system reboot or via a VMware HA restart for VMware virtual machines configured for VM and Application Monitoring.

*Note: Because LifeKeeper SSP is built using the SIOS LifeKeeper technology, you will see references to LifeKeeper throughout the documentation as well as references to information found in the LifeKeeper for Linux documentation for topics common to both products. When referencing these common topics the following subject items do not apply to LifeKeeper SSP:

• Clustering

• Communication Paths

• Shared Storage (requirements, configuration, …)

• Extending / Unextending resource hierarchies

• Storage Kits (DR, DMMP, HDLM, LVM, MD, PPATH and NEC SPS)

*Note: Without the underlying storage kits in LifeKeeper SSP, steps must be taken to ensure the devices required to mount protected file systems are activated during system boot (e.g. if the file system is mounted on a logical volume the volume must be in the active state before LifeKeeper SSP starts)

• Resource/Machine failovers (by default with LifeKeeper SSP these result in a node restart)

• Resource switchovers

• Switchable IP Addresses (with LifeKeeper SSP Switchable IP addresses are required for some protected applications but since there is only a single node no switching actually takes place)

*Note: When operating on Amazon EC2, assign a secondary private IP address to the NIC using the Amazon EC2 Management Console prior to creating the IP resource. Next, create the IP resource as the private IP address on the NIC that is using the LifeKeeper GUI client. An Elastic IP can now be associated with the IP resource

For more information on the SIOS LifeKeeper product, on which LifeKeeper SSP is built, please see the LifeKeeper for Linux documentation for the common release number. This documentation will provide detailed information on resource hierarchy creation, resource types, states and relationships, Graphical User Interface (GUI), as well as common and advanced tasks.