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      Steps for Setting Up an HA Cluster Between Two Milestone All-in-One Installations

      In a Workgroup environment

      1. Install the Milestone Surveillance Suite and Activate It
        • Install the Milestone Surveillance Suite on both systems following the official installation guide.
        • Activate the software on both systems using the provided licenses.
      2. Create a Cluster Using the Management Server Cloning Wizard
        • Launch the Management Server Cloning Wizard on the primary system.
        • Configure the wizard to create a cluster between the two management servers.
        • Assign a Shared IP Address for cluster communication and access.
      3. Manually Add SQL Shared Databases to the Registry
        • On the shared SQL server, manually edit the registry to include entries for the shared databases.
          (Note: This step addresses a known bug where the databases are not added automatically.)
      4. Register the Secondary System to the Shared IP
        • On the secondary system, initiate the registration process.
        • Connect the secondary system to the Shared IP Address configured on the primary system.
        • It is absolutely required for the date/time stamp between the two servers is the same

          (This method has been successfully tested in specific in-house deployment.)
      5. Optional: Pre-Synchronize Databases
        • Before attempting registration, synchronize the databases manually between the primary and secondary systems.
        • Verify the synchronization and proceed with testing the registration process.

          (Note: During a prior troubleshooting attempt, after initial failures to register the secondary system directly to the primary system, we used the UI to synchronize the databases while resolving the issue. Testing these steps again in a controlled environment could provide further insights.)
      6. Set Up an HA Cluster for the Recording Servers
        • From the primary system, initiate the process to create an HA cluster for the recording servers.
        • Ensure the secondary recording server is visible in the primary system’s database after registration.
        • Use the Server Cloning Configuration Wizard to create the HA cluster, but uncheck the option to restart the primary recording server during the process.
      7. Synchronize Databases
        • Perform a full synchronization of the databases between the primary and secondary systems.
      8. Restart Services on the Secondary System
        • Stop all Milestone services and IIS on the secondary system.
        • Restart the services to ensure the secondary management server connects successfully to its local database.
          (The recording server should connect to the management server on the primary system.)
      9. Update Configuration for the Primary System’s Recording Server
        • Adjust the configuration of the primary recording server to ensure it connects to the management server via the Shared IP Address.
        • Restart the primary recording server for the changes to take effect.
      10. Verify the Setup
        • Use the Management Client and Smart Client to verify that all components are functioning as expected:
          • Check management server connectivity.
          • Test failover scenarios for both management and recording servers.
          • Confirm that all systems are operational and synchronized.