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Installing ExtraFax Server (Server mode) on Domino Cluster Server

In the past, if the Domino Server is down, ExtraFax will compel to out of services too. But now, ExtraFax support Domino Cluster Server environment,
if one of the domino servers is down, ExtraFax will automatically failover to another ExtraFax Post Office replica to provide fax services continuously.
Thus this feature highly increases the reliability of your Fax Server.


Prerequisite
1. Domino Cluster Servers are set up and running properly.

(Details of setting up Cluster Server, please refer to Lotus Domino Administration Guide)

2. Configure all the connection documents related to connection between cluster servers as follows:

a. Open Names.nsf -> Servers -> Connection
b. Open one of the Connection document in edit mode.
c. Open "Replication/Routing" tabe
d. Under "Replication" section, enable the "Replication task" and configure the setting as follows:
e. Open "Schedule" tab
f. Set the "Scheduled Connection" details as follows:
g. Save & Close to make effective of the changes.
h. Repeat the steps b to g to configure all the connection documents related to connection between cluster servers.



ExtraFax Server mode installation




Figure 1
ExtraFax Installation Procedures
(The installation procedures is base on the environment in Figure 1)

1. Install the first ExtraFax on Domino ServerA
(Details of installing ExtraFax on Domino Server, please refer to "Installing ExtraFax Server on a Domino Server" in this Installation Guide.)

2. Add the following parameters to ServerA’s Notes.ini

$ExtraFaxDomain=extrafax
$ExtraFaxPO=ServerA/Extracomm!!extrafax.nsf
$ExtrafaxClusterList=ServerA/Extracomm,ServerZ/Extracomm
$ExtrafaxClusterRetryCount=3
$ExtrafaxClusterRetryInterval=15000




Environment variable	Description
$ExtraFaxDomain	This Notes.ini variable is used to determine the name of the FaxDomain.
$ExtraFaxPO	This Notes.ini variable allows you to designate a specific ExtraFax PostOffice database to be used by ExtraFax server *All ExtraFax servers should always point to the same PO, e.g ServerA/Extracomm!!extrafax.nsf.
$ExtrafaxClusterList	This Notes.ini variable is used to set a list of Cluster Server, E.g.: $ExtrafaxClusterList=ServerA/Extracomm,ServerZ/Extracomm If "ServerA/Extracomm" is down, then ExtraFax will shift to use the ExtraFax PostOffice replica on "ServerZ/Extracomm".
$ExtrafaxClusterRetryCount	This Notes.ini variable is used to determine the number of attempts to connect to an ExtraFax Post Office when cluster is configured. (default value = 3)
$ExtrafaxClusterRetryInterval	This Notes.ini variable is used to set the time interval (in milliseconds) for each connection retry. (default value =15000)



3. Add the following 4 Domain Documents in ServerA’s Address Book



4. Launch ExtraFax on Server A by typing "load extrafax" on Server A’s Domino Server Console.

5. Shut down ExtraFax on Server A

6. Add LocalDomainServers and all Cluster Servers to the ACL list of ExtraFax Post Office, and set their permission as follows:



7. Create a New Replica of ExtraFax Post Office on all other Cluster Server (i.e. ServerZ/Extracomm in this example)

8. Install ExtraFax on all other Cluster Servers (i.e. ServerZ/Extracomm in this example)
(Details of installing ExtraFax on Domino Server please refer to ExtraFax installation Guide.)

9. Add the following parameters to all Cluster Server’s Notes.ini
(Same as Step 2)

$ExtraFaxDomain=extrafax
$ExtraFaxPO=ServerA/Extracomm!!extrafax.nsf
$ExtrafaxClusterList=ServerA/Extracomm,ServerZ/Extracomm
$ExtrafaxClusterRetryCount=3
$ExtrafaxClusterRetryInterval=15000

Where each Cluster Server’s ExtraFax Post Office Database should point to the same PO server (i.e ServerA/Extracomm in this example)

10. Launch ExtraFax on the first Server (i.e. ServerA/Extracomm)

11. Launch all other ExtraFax on each Cluster Server (i.e. ServerZ/Extracomm) by typing "load extrafax" on domino server console.

12. ExtraFax server mode installation on Domino Cluster server is completed.
(Please refer to ExtraFax Administration Guide for further configuration.)


Notes:
If there is any server failure, it is recommended to do the following:
- Update the Notes.ini manually, so that all ExtraFax are pointing to the same PO Server.
(In fact, ExtraFax will restart automatically to point to the active PO server if it found itself is not pointing to the active server,
however, in the meantime of the processes, it is probably that ExtraFax(s) are not pointing to the same PO and duplicate faxes
may be sent in this period. Thus it is recommended that to do this process manually after server failure.)
- Synchronize all ExtraFax POs before starting up ExtraFax, otherwise, duplicate faxes may be sent.

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