Using Multiple Schedulers
It is possible to configure SureSync to use multiple SureSync Schedulers which are located on multiple machines. This provides some redundancy in case a Scheduler service is down for some reason. It also allows you to launch jobs on multiple machines from one SureSync installation which allows you to distribute workload across multiple machines easily.

Installing and Configuring Multiple Schedulers

To configure multiple SureSync Schedulers do the following:

 

  1. SureSync should already be installed on a machine with a database configured and a Scheduler service installed. Details on this process can be found in the Evaluator's Guide and Installing the Scheduler topics.
  2. On the additional machines which will be running a SureSync Scheduler install the SureSync installer (SureSyncSetup.exe).
  3. Launch SureSync on each machine which will run a SureSync Scheduler and open the database which contains the jobs you're going to run. For the additional Schedulers you're adding this database will be on a remote machine.
  4. Once you have the database open go into Tools | Schedulers and add the Scheduler for the additional machine(s). This can be done by clicking on 'Install' if you don't already have the SureSync Scheduler installed on the machine. If you already have the SureSync Scheduler installed you can add it by clicking on the '...' button, browsing to the name of the machine in question, and then clicking 'Add'.
  5. After you have added the other Scheduler(s) make sure they all report '(Running)'. If any report '(Stopped)' click on the Scheduler name and then click 'Start' to start that Scheduler.
If you are using a SQL database each machine running a SureSync Scheduler must be able to open that SQL database. If you're using an Access database the same rule applies. In this instance if the Access database is stored on a local drive on the main SureSync machine then you will need to configure a share on the folder which contains the database so that the other SureSync installations can open that Access database via UNC path.

 

 

When you are using multiple SureSync Schedulers it is important to note that [local agent] refers to the machine which is running the Scheduler that launches the job. For example, assume that 9PGGCG1-JEFFK is the main SureSync machine in your installation and contains data which you're mirroring to MACHINE1. If you use [local agent] for the paths on 9PGGCG1-JEFFK and then have the NETTEST Scheduler run the job the path which is used for the source is then the path on NETTEST, not the path on 9PGGCG1-JEFFK. Due to this fact, when you're planning to use multiple Schedulers it is strongly recommended that you always used named Agents. For example, instead of using [local agent] C:\Data you would use 9PGGCG1-JEFFK C:\Data to ensure that the correct path is always used.

Enabling Multiple Schedulers for a Job

On the Options tab of a Schedule is an option which says 'Run Schedule on'. This option allows you to define which Scheduler should run that Schedule. By default the option is set to '(Any Scheduler)'. This allows SureSync to use any active Scheduler to run the job. SureSync will use the local Scheduler if it is available and if it is not then it will move on to the next one in the list. The same option is available on the Options tab of a Real-Time Monitor but is named 'Computer that should execute this Monitor'.

 

You can also force a Schedule or a Real-Time Monitor to use a specific Scheduler by selecting the name of the Scheduler from the 'Run Schedule on' or 'Computer that should execute this Monitor' drop down lists. SureSync will then always launch the job using that Scheduler. This will result in that job always being launched on the machine which is running the selected Scheduler.

 

The 'If the specified server is unavailable, use any server running the Scheduler service' option is checked by default and will allow SureSync to select a different Scheduler from Tools | Schedulers if the defined Scheduler is not available for some reason. If you want the job to always run on that one Scheduler (and therefore machine) then uncheck this option. However, please note that if that one Scheduler goes down then the job will not be run until the Scheduler is started again.