Testing Your Enhanced Failover Configuration

After you complete your Enhanced Failover configuration, be sure to save your changes in the System Configuration Utility (SCU) on both the primary and secondary nodes. You can now begin to test your changes. Validate each node independently, then validate the pair.

To test your nodes:

  1. Start the Primary node and verify that it's working properly.
  2. After you confirm the Primary node is working properly, shutdown the Primary node.
  3. Start the Secondary node and verify that it's working properly.
  4. After you confirm the Secondary node is working properly, shutdown the Secondary node.
  5. Restart the Primary node.
  6. Restart the Secondary node. This allows the SCADAs to start in the preferred SCADA roles: the Primary as Active, and the Secondary as Standby.
  7. Allow a minute or two for the nodes to connect, ensuring all data & alarms settle out before the Failover status changes.
  8. Confirm that the Primary SCADA starts as the Active node and all driver and PLC communications are good. The iClients should connect to the Primary and have the ability to change and read data. The Secondary SCADA should start up as the Standby node.

Use the following tools to help you monitor the initial status of the Enhanced Failover pair and the network:

  • Windows Task Manager, Networking tab – to see if your networking cards are doing what they are configured to do, and that each adapter is performing appropriately.
  • Windows Task Manager, Processes tab – to verify that ScadaSync.exe and ScadaRoleMgr.exe are listed as running on both SCADAs.
  • SCADA Sync Monitor – to display runtime information about the primary and secondary SCADA Servers.
  • Runtime Information Fields – to display additional runtime information available about your primary and secondary SCADA Servers, that does not already display in the SCADA Sync Monitor. These fields can be added to pictures or EDA applications. For example, these fields allow you to access more information about your data sync transports than you can in the SCADA Sync Monitor.
  • Mission Control – to view the status of the Scan, Alarm, and Control (SAC) program and whether blocks are being processed.
  • NetDiag – to check network communication, particularly if you are using Enhanced Failover with LAN Redundancy.