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When installed on a cluster, the Processing Server uses file storage for temporary files. If that file storage fails, the entire cluster goes down. Making the file storage fail-safe keeps the cluster running. DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication are one way to achieve this. DFS Namespaces builds a virtual directory from folders on different servers, so the directory stays reachable even if one server fails. DFS Replication tracks changes to the ServerSettings.xml files and copies them to a backup folder.
The file storage that holds document images and captured data needs a hardware solution, such as RAID disks. Software-based distributed storage solutions are not supported for it.
For more information about the file storage, see ABBYY FlexiCapture architecture.

Prerequisites

  • A computer running Windows Server 2012 or later that is not used as a cluster node or for file storage
  • The DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication roles set up on that computer
  • The DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication roles set up on all of the nodes
  • A shared folder, with full control permissions for the node1admin and node2admin users, that serves as a backup when the main shared folder becomes inaccessible
These instructions use a host server named DCsrv. Any computer with the DFS roles set up will do.

Add the DFS roles

1

Start the Add Roles and Features Wizard

Open Server Manager and click Add Roles and Features.
2

Select the DFS roles

At the Select server roles stage, expand File and Storage Services and select DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication.
Screenshot of the Add Roles and Features Wizard at the Select server roles stage, with DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication selected under File and Storage Services.

Create shared folders

The shared folder must meet three conditions:
  • It replicates data from the cluster only.
  • It sits outside the cluster nodes and outside the file storage.
  • Every node can reach it.
To create it, open Server Manager, click File and Storage Services → Shares, and then click Tasks → New Share…. Then complete steps 2 through 14 of Create a shared folder for the Processing Server service.

Create a namespace

You create and configure namespaces in the DFS Management console. There you select a server, grant access permissions, and set the namespace type.
1

Open the New Namespace Wizard

Open Server Manager and click Tools → DFS Management. In the DFS Management snap-in, click New Namespace….
Screenshot of the DFS Management console with Namespaces selected and the New Namespace command available in the Actions pane.
2

Name the host server

Specify the name of the server that will host the namespace and click Next.
Screenshot of the Namespace Server step of the New Namespace Wizard with DCsrv entered as the server that will host the namespace.
3

Name the namespace

Specify a name for the namespace and click Edit Settings….
Screenshot of the Namespace Name and Settings step of the New Namespace Wizard with DFS entered as the namespace name and the Edit Settings button available.
4

Grant permissions on the shared folder

In the Edit Settings dialog box, select Use custom permissions and click Customize…. Grant full control permissions for the shared folder to the node1admin and node2admin users.
Screenshot of the Edit Settings dialog box for the DFS namespace shared folder with the Use custom permissions option selected and the Customize button available.
5

Choose the namespace type

At the Namespace Type stage, select Domain-based namespace, select Enable Windows Server 2008 mode, and then click Next.
Screenshot of the Namespace Type step of the New Namespace Wizard with Domain-based namespace selected and the Enable Windows Server 2008 mode option checked.
6

Review the settings and create the namespace

Check that the settings are correct and click Create.
Screenshot of the Review Settings and Create Namespace step of the New Namespace Wizard summarizing the domain-based namespace settings before creation.
7

Close the wizard

Click Close.
Screenshot of the Confirmation step of the New Namespace Wizard reporting that the Create namespace task completed with a Success status.

Add the shared folders to the namespace

Add both the main and the backup shared folder to the namespace.
1

Start a new folder

In the DFS Management snap-in, click New Folder….
Screenshot of the DFS Management console showing the cluster2016.com DFS namespace with the New Folder command highlighted in the Actions pane.
2

Name the folder

Specify a name for the folder and click Add…. This name appears in the namespace of the distributed file system.
The folder name must differ from the name of every replicated folder.
Screenshot of the New Folder dialog box with FC12ClusterTemp entered as the folder name and an empty Folder targets list with the Add button available.
3

Add the main shared folder

Specify the path to the shared folder and click OK.
Screenshot of the Add Folder Target dialog box with the path to the shared folder target entered in the Path to folder target field.
4

Add the backup folder

Click Add… again and specify the path to the backup folder. Both folder targets appear in the Folder targets list. Click OK.
Screenshot of the New Folder dialog box with the main and backup shared folder paths listed in the Folder targets list.
5

Accept the offer to create a replication group

A message offers to create a replication group. Click Yes to create one and start setting up replication.
Screenshot of the Replication message box asking whether to create a replication group to synchronize the folder targets, with Yes and No buttons.

Set up replication

The Replicate Folder Wizard walks you through the replication group, the primary server, the connection topology, the schedule, and the bandwidth.
1

Accept or edit the suggested names

The wizard suggests names for the replication group and the replicated folder. Edit them if you need to, and then click Next.
Screenshot of the Replication Group and Replicated Folder Name step of the Replicate Folder Wizard with suggested names for the replication group and the FC12ClusterTemp replicated folder.
2

Check folder target eligibility

The wizard reports whether the folder targets can take part in replication. Review the Eligibility column and click Next.
Screenshot of the Replication Eligibility step of the Replicate Folder Wizard showing both folder targets marked Add as DFS Replication member in the Eligibility column.
3

Select the primary member

Select the server that holds the data to be replicated to the folder targets and click Next.
Screenshot of the Primary Member step of the Replicate Folder Wizard with FC12ProcServer selected as the primary member that holds the content to be replicated.
4

Select the topology

Select Full mesh and click Next.
Screenshot of the Topology Selection step of the Replicate Folder Wizard with the Full mesh topology option selected.
5

Set the schedule and bandwidth

Select Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth. In the Bandwidth drop-down list, select Full, and then click Next.
Screenshot of the Replication Group Schedule and Bandwidth step of the Replicate Folder Wizard with Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth selected and Bandwidth set to Full.
6

Review the settings and create the group

Check that the settings are correct and click Create.
Screenshot of the Review Settings and Create Replication Group step of the Replicate Folder Wizard summarizing the replication group folder, members, and primary folder target before creation.
7

Close the wizard

After the replication group is created, click Close.
Screenshot of the Confirmation step of the Replicate Folder Wizard reporting that all replication group creation tasks completed with a Success status.
8

Dismiss the replication delay message

If a Replication Delay warning appears, click OK.
Screenshot of the Replication Delay information message warning that replication will not begin until the configuration is picked up by the replication group members.

Test replication

Test replication to confirm that it works. Open the DFS Management snap-in, select the new replication group, and click Create Diagnostic Report.
Screenshot of the DFS Management console with the FC12ClusterTemp replicated folder memberships selected and the Create Diagnostic Report command highlighted in the Actions pane.
In the Diagnostic Report Wizard that opens, select Propagation test and follow the wizard. Keep the default settings. The wizard displays a diagnostic report when the diagnostic finishes.

Set up priorities for the folder targets

Priorities on the folder targets reduce the risk of malfunction. The following steps show one possible setup. Other setups may suit your needs better. For more information, see Set target priority to override referral ordering in the Microsoft documentation.
1

Open the properties of the shared folder

Open your namespace, and then open the properties of the shared folder.
Screenshot of the DFS Management console showing the FC12ClusterTemp folder targets with the Properties command highlighted for the selected folder target in the Actions pane.
2

Override the referral ordering

Click Advanced, select Override referral ordering, and then select First among all targets. Users are then always directed to that folder target while it is accessible.
Screenshot of the Advanced tab of the folder target Properties dialog box with the Override referral ordering option enabled and First among all targets selected.

Configure the ABBYY FlexiCapture Processing Server service

These settings keep the cluster that hosts the ABBYY FlexiCapture Processing Server service running even if the file storage fails.
If the file storage fails, data about the sessions open at the time of the failure may be lost.
1

Point the service at the settings file in the namespace

Complete steps 1 through 4 of Set up the ABBYY FlexiCapture Processing Server service. In step 1, change the path to the file that holds the Processing Server settings, so that the command reads as follows:
Type this command manually. Copying and pasting it can introduce redundant new line characters, which makes the command fail.
2

Repoint the %appdata% variable

Change the %appdata% variable in the Windows registry to \\cluster2016.com\DFS\FC12ClusterTemp. For more information, see Change the %appdata% variable.