CF2016 MultiServer Install

[weezerboy]

I have been tasked with migrating an existing application from a version that is currently running on 2 web servers Microsoft cluster with a SQL DB. One is running a JRUN deployment version : C:\JRun4\servers\cfusion and the other is running ColdFusion, the application,and the MSSQL server.

So now we are migrating to a redundant environment which includes 2 Kemp load balancers connected to 2 Cold Fusion servers (active/active) which connect to 2 SQL DB servers (always on, with replication).

I have read the documentation but still have questions.

Where do I start and what order do I deal with installations?

I understand that I install CF on Server1 using the multiserver selection.

What's next do I install CF on Server2?

Then set up the SQL DBs.

Do I setup the load balancing/cluster at the end?

Do I need to do a Jrun version like the current setup?

Does the application need to be on BOTH servers?

• Is there any CF documentation on this type of install ?
  2 web/cf servers
• 2 sql dbs
• 2 load balancers

and how to integrate these all together?

[BKBK]

Coldfusion is only incidental to your question. What you ask is basically on software architecture. That is, on design. As such, the starting point should be what you want your application to do, the requirements.

Software requirements form together the problem you wish to solve. Software design is the solution.

Could you therefore first tell us something about the requirements of your software application? Irrespective of whether it is built on Coldfusion, JSP, PHP or Python.

[weezerboy]

The application is currenlty running CF2005 on 2 servers.

One is JEE and the other is a standard CF install

Currenty there is one 2008sql db on the same server as the standard CF install.

So now we are upgrading to

• 2 web(CF) servers - This is my issue should I keep this the same as current, One is JEE and the other is a standard CF install

Or just make them both standard CF install

• 2 MSSQL servers

• 2 Load balancers

My understanding is that the 2 web (CF) servers need to be identical

Ive been looking at duplicating the existing environment but I think now I need to look at doing the setup differently.

So I was looking for some guidance on what you would think the best way to proceeed is.

PS I can provide more info if need be.

You have helped me on other issues over the years.

Thank you

Patrick Hutchinson | Office: 804-370-6873

<mailto:patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com> patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com | <https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?locale=en_US&trk=prof-0-sb-preview-primary-button> LinkedIn

[BKBK]

weezerboy wrote:

CF2005

CF2005? Are you sure about that? As far as I know, Adobe Coldfusion versions before 2016 were 11, 10, 9, and so on.

In any case, why did you implement the technologies in duplicate?

What did it enable the software to do? When I asked about the software requirements of your application, I was thinking about what you might call the -abilities, for example:

• Availability (Is it critical for the application to be up and running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is there high traffic?)
• Reliability (Is it crucial for the application to perform under specific conditions without failure?)
• Recoverability (Is there a component in your application that must instantly be restored back to its operational state after failure?)
• Maintainability (Is it important to your application that remedial or preventative maintenance can easily and quickly take place?)

Unless you can justify your application's requirements in these terms, your current set-up would be over-design. After all, you can, with one Coldfusion 2016 Enterprise license on one machine and with one web server, create a cluster of Coldfusion server instances for load balancing.

Some references you might want to check out:

https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/configuring-administering/using-multiple-server-instances.html

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/coldfusion/articles/coldfusion_scalability.html

[weezerboy]

Actually you are correct the current version is CF version 10 & SQL Server 2008.

Patrick Hutchinson | Office: 804-370-6873

<mailto:patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com> patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com | <https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?locale=en_US&trk=prof-0-sb-preview-primary-button> LinkedIn

[weezerboy]

More info

I guess my main question is on the 2 web servers where I install CF.

Do I need to run standard CF install on both? My understanding is that the 2 webservers need to be identical for the load balancing to work correctly?

[BKBK]

weezerboy wrote:

I guess my main question is on the 2 web servers where I install CF.

Do I need to run standard CF install on both? My understanding is that the 2 webservers need to be identical for the load balancing to work correctly?

One web server is sufficient. For load-balancing, you may perform two identical installations of your application on two separate instances of Coldfusion 2016 Enterprise.

Adobe ColdFusion 10 * Enabling clustering for load balancing and failover

[weezerboy]

Well I understand what you are saying and I have done that type of install many times.

But the client wants to use 2 Kemp load balancers connected to 2 Cold Fusion servers (active/active) which connect to 2 SQL DB servers (always on, with replication).

So does this shed any light on how best to proceed?

Thank you again for following up with me.

Patrick Hutchinson | Office: 804-370-6873

<mailto:patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com> patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com | <https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?locale=en_US&trk=prof-0-sb-preview-primary-button> LinkedIn

[BKBK]

weezerboy wrote:

But the client wants to use 2 Kemp load balancers connected to 2 Cold Fusion servers (active/active) which connect to 2 SQL DB servers (always on, with replication).

So does this shed any light on how best to proceed?

Things are quite clear now. The client is King, people say.

With 2 Coldfusion servers, 2 web servers and 2 database servers, my guess is that the -ability you want to achieve is scalability. First and foremost, find a substitute for JRun as web server. It has long past end-of-life.

The design you describe seems to be good: load-balancing the web servers in a cluster and the database servers by means of replication (likely as master+slave).

I am sorry to say that I have yet to do an installation like this one. (Like you, I am limited to load-balacing with server instances and web servers). Nevertheless, I am available as a sounding board, should you need one.

Good luck

[weezerboy]

Would you suggest that I do a standard ColdFusion Install on both web servers?

[BKBK]

If I had a choice I would go for Coldfusion Enterprise on both servers. Without hesitation. It is more versatile and more scalable.

[Priyank Shrivastava.]

Hi,

So what your client is asking is to use the external load balancer then ColdFusion, because you cannot create a cluster in Standard edition. You can install ColdFusion on two different servers and then create a connector with IIS/Apache, further, you can add load balancer which can connect to these two servers. However, ColdFusion will not handle any replication, so you can choose load balancer sticky on.

On the other hand, if what BKBK is suggesting is something that you are looking for, then you must go for Enterprise edition and use ColdFusion cluster, rest of the setup is still the same.

A simple diagram that I build is like this with CF enterprise.

Thanks,

Priyank

[weezerboy]

I think were on the right track here.

Thank you and BKBK for helping me out.

We will be using Coldfusion Enterprise 12.

Questions :

I need to do a JEE deployment and a standard cf installation.

Would I have 2 instances on each server, one JEE and the other regular CF install?

So in your diagram Instance 1 could be the JEE Install and Instance 2 would be regular CF install?
There would be no Instance 3.

Also in your diagram you have CF cluster. Would I still cluster this way even with the load balancer at the end?

What is SAN in the diagram?

Also I have ColdFusion Builder 3.1 how does that factor in? When is that deployed/installed?

Can I install ColdFusion on 2 servers this way with one just license?

Thank you again for your help.

[Priyank Shrivastava.]

Hi,

Please ignore the SAN(for storing the code)

Which Application server you are using for J2EE installation? If you are going for J2EE installation, then you don't need to install ColdFusion as a standard installation.

Example, suppose you are using WebSphere as an App server, you can create ColdFusion EAR package and then deploy it in WAS, create WAS instance and then deploy CF package in separate instances, further, you can create a cluster and use the load balancer in front.

ColdFusion Builder is an IDE to build your application, it is for development purpose. You can install it on your desktop with the license that you receive when you procured ColdFusion.

No, you cannot install ColdFusion on two production server with the same license

Thanks,

Priyank

[weezerboy]

So since the client has only one CF12 Enterprise license.

How do I proceed with the 2 servers?

Patrick Hutchinson | Office: 804-370-6873

<mailto:patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com> patrick.hutchinson2@gmail.com | <https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?locale=en_US&trk=prof-0-sb-preview-primary-button> LinkedIn

[Priyank Shrivastava.]

Hi,

Please procure another license, else you can deploy EAR packages on the same server on separate Application server instances.

Thanks,

Priyank