Pre-installation tasks for PI AF in a failover cluster

Perform the tasks in this section before you install PI AF server in a failover cluster for the first time.

1. Review the Microsoft documentation on Windows Failover Clusters for your operating system. See Failover Clustering in Windows Server.

2. Install and configure these failover clustering features on the machines that you use for PI Asset Framework:

   Note: It is important that you install Microsoft Failover Clustering before you install the SQL Server Cluster.

   • Microsoft Failover Clustering. Create one failover cluster for the machines on which the SQL Server Cluster will be installed. Create a separate failover cluster for the machines on which the PI AF application services will be installed.

   • SQL Server Cluster. Install SQL Server Cluster on the machines that are used for the PI AF database only.

3. Review PI AF security.

   1. Verify that both an AFServers and an AFQueryEngines domain user group have been created and that they contain the correct members. Both user groups should contain the PI AF Application Service account.

      For details on how to create a domain user group, see Configure domain group for the PI AF Application Service.

   2. Review and verify that the failover cluster environment that you use for PI Asset Framework is configured as described in Security considerations for the PI MDB to AF Link feature.

4. On each SQL Server Cluster node, verify that the correct ports are open between each computer.

   See Firewalls and PI AF security for details.