Configure a Meridian Enterprise Server Cluster

Configuring a Meridian Enterprise Server cluster is very similar to configuring a single Meridian Enterprise Server computer except that some of the tasks are performed on all of the computers in the cluster.

To configure an Meridian Enterprise Server cluster:

1. Install Meridian Enterprise Server on each computer in the cluster as described in Install Meridian Enterprise Server. Of the Publisher components, you may install only what will be used by that computer.

   For example, on the rendering nodes, install only the components that are required for the jobs that will be processed by that node:

   • Meridian Enterprise Server
   • Rendering modules
   • Post-rendering tools
   • Native applications used by any rendering modules. Exclude the website components and system links on the secondary nodes, they aren't needed.
2. Set the Meridian Enterprise Server service account on each node to the same user. This Windows user account must also be associated with a Meridian Enterprise user account as described in Create And Edit User Accounts.
3. Configure Meridian Enterprise Server on the primary node as described in Create the Configuration Database.
4. Register the nodes in the cluster as described in View And Edit the Connectivity Settings.

5. Create and configure all of the publishing jobs on the primary node that will be processed by any node in the cluster. In the source system options of the publishing job, in the Computer option, specify the name of the node where the job should be run. For more information about creating and editing publishing jobs, see Create a Publishing Job.

   Note:

   To dedicate one node to a specific vault, create a publishing job with only that vault as the source and assign the node to that job.

6. Ensure that the server for the configuration database can accept remote connections. The cluster nodes must be able to access the database. If they cannot, Publisher will generate the error Database has not been initialized. For example, remote connections are disabled by default in Microsoft SQL Server Express.
   1. In Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, in the Server Properties dialog box, on the Connections page, enable Allow remote connections to this server.
   2. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, in the SQL Server Services branch, in the SQL Server Browser Properties dialog box, on the Log On page, enter appropriate account credentials. On the Service page, set the Start Mode option to Automatic.
   3. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, in the SQL Server Network Configuration branch, for Protocols for <InstanceName>, enable TCP/IP and Named Pipes.
   4. If Windows Firewall is enabled on the database server computer, create an exception rule that allows communication by sqlservr.exe and by sqlbrowser.exe.