You can test your IP resource hierarchy by initiating a manual switchover. This will simulate a failover of a resource instance from the primary server to the backup server.
Performing a Manual Switchover from the GUI
You can initiate a manual switchover from the LifeKeeper GUI by selecting Edit, then Resource, then finally In Service from the dropdown menu. For example, an in-service request executed on a backup server causes the application hierarchy to be placed in service on the backup server and taken out of service on the primary server. At this point, the original backup server is now the primary server and original primary server has now become the backup server.
If you execute the Out of Service request, the application is taken out of service without bringing it in service on the other server.
In a manual switchover, the IP Recovery Kit removes the address from service on the active server before adding it to the backup server.
After switchover, the IP resource has a different hardware (MAC) address because it is associated with a different LAN interface. Before user systems can reconnect, the user systems’ TCP/IP software must determine this new address mapping. The IP Recovery Kit automatically informs all connected servers that they must update their ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) tables to reflect the new mapping.
User systems running full TCP/IP implementations are updated immediately. User systems with less sophisticated implementations may have delayed update or may require routers as addressing intermediaries.
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