Architecture for PI AF in a failover cluster

The installation instructions in this chapter demonstrate how to install the PI AF SQL Server database feature on a SQL Server Cluster and the PI AF Application Service on a separate Windows failover cluster. The process requires you install the PI AF SQL Server database in a SQL Server Cluster with at least two machines and then install the PI AF Application Service on a separate cluster made up of at least two machines that use Windows Failover Clustering.

Some reasons for NOT installing the AF Application Service and AF SQL Server database on the same node in a clustered production environment follow:

• If the AF Application Service fails, it would force a failover of the AF SQL Server database, which is not optimal.

• If there are other database applications, the other applications will be disrupted if the AF application server forces a failover.

• If there is a database administrator (DBA) on site, the DBA is unlikely to allow this configuration.

We recommend that you run the PI AF Application Service account under a domain group account in a failover cluster. For details, see Configure domain group for the PI AF Application Service.