High Availability with wXcked Eye

  • Updated on Feb 14, 2025
  • Published on Jul 24, 2023
  • 4 minute(s) read
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Navigating to the High Availability tab

The High Availability tab is located in the Settings page on wXcked Eye. To learn how to navigate there, please review the Configure cloudSwXtch with wXcked Eye article. 

The High Availability tab is organized into 3 functions:

In this article, we will discuss each tab and how it offers a user additional control over their cloudSwXtch network. 

High Availability Command-Line Alternatives

In addition to configuring your high availability through the wXcked Eye UI, users can also swXtch specific commands in their terminal. To learn more, please visit the High Availability article under Configuring cloudSwXtch.

Create HA

  1. Click the "Create" button in the cloudSwXtch you wish to include in your high availability configuration. A pop-up will open. 

  2. Name your HA configuration. In this example, the HA is named v1_v2_ha.

  3. Name the first path. The IP address of the cloudSwXtch you are currently on will populate. Enter IP addresses for any additional relevant cloudSwXtches. 

  4. Name the second path and enter the IP addresses for the relevant cloudSwXtches. Note: You must have more than 1 path in order to have a working HA flow.

  5. Assign a color for both paths. Here, the user selected Red for V1-CS1-Red and Blue for V2-CS2-Blue. 

     

    1. OPTIONAL: Add an additional cloudSwXtch to a Path by clicking "Add SwXtch." In this example, the user assigned 2 cloudSwXtches to V2-CS2-Blue. 

  6. Click "Create." A new High Availability flow has been created. 

With High Availability now configured, users can switch between different cloudSwXtches in their HA, refresh the HA page and see the members listed with their associated paths. For example, if a user were to look at the wXcked Eye for cloudSwXtch 10.0.1.9 instead of the above 172.31.64.14, they will see the same My High Availability member list. 

From any of the connected cloudSwXtches, users can destroy their HA configuration. 

Renaming High Availability and Path Names 

To rename the high availability configuration or paths, users will need to destroy the HA and reconfigure.

Destroy HA

To destroy an HA configuration, a user will need to go to the HA page of any associated cloudSwXtches. 

  1. Click "Destroy HA." A new prompt will appear, asking you to confirm the action. 

  2. Select "Confirm." 

    Your HA is now destroyed. All associated cloudSwXtches will show a blank list for HA and your Cluster page will be empty. 

Removing a cloudSwXtch from an HA configuration 

To remove a cloudSwXtch from a user's HA configuration, they will need to delete and recreate their HA cluster without that cloudSwXtch. 

Configuring HA for Multiple Multicast (MMc) and Source Specific Multicast (SSM)

wXcked Eye enables users to group multiple multicast IP addresses with the same traffic under a singular multicast group IP. The xNIC, or application at the end point, is then tasked with listening for the multicast group IP and deduplicating the data from the two paths. This is what we call a multiple multicast, or MMc, high availability configuration.

In addition, users can also configure their path streams for source specific multicast (SSM). This is a method for delivering multicast packets in which the only packets that are delivered to the receiver are those originating from a specific source IP address.

  1. Go to the High Availability tab on the wXcked Eye Settings page.

  2. Click Add Stream.

  3. Enter the Stream (Parent IP address and Port), followed by the Path Streams.

    1. In the example below, the user assigns the parent and port as 224.2.2.2:8400 with the two path streams as 224.2.2.3:8400 for V1-CS1-Red and 224.2.2.4:8400 for V2-CS2-Blue.

    2. Alternatively, users can also select an existing parent from the dropdown menu. Considered a Group in the wXcked Eye Settings page, choosing a parent will automatically populate the path streams. For this to work, the group name must be the Parent IP:Port (224.3.2.2:8400).

      Adding a new Parent IP address and its path streams will create a new Group.

  4. If you require Source Specific Multicast, you may follow the next steps. If not, you can leave them blank and continue to Step 5.

    1. For each stream path, select Include in the SSM Filters dropdown menu.

    2. Enter the Override Source IP address into one of the Source IP fields.

    3. Enter the second Source IP for the second path.

  5. If you would like to exclude xNICs from your HA Streams configuration, enter the IP addresses in the Exclude xNICs field. If not, continue on to Step 6.

  6. Select Update Config to apply your changes.

Exporting HA Streams Config

Users can export their HA streams configuration as a JSON file from the wXcked Eye UI. This allows for easy setup in future configurations.

To accomplish this:

  1. Navigate to the High Availability Tab in the wXcked Eye Settings page.

  2. Select Export HA Streams Config.

    1. Note: This will only work is you have an existing HA Streams config populated as shown below.

  3. An ha_streams_config.json should automatically download onto your machine.

Importing HA Streams Config

Users can import their HA Streams configuration JSON file into wXcked Eye to automatically populate their high availability settings page.

To accomplish this:

  1. Navigate to the High Availability Tab in the wXcked Eye Settings page.

  2. Select Import HA Streams Config.

    1. The File Explorer will open.

  3. Select and open the ha_streams_config.json file you would like to use. Note: The file name may be different if the user reassigned it during export.

    1. The HA Streams Config section should populate with the contents of the JSON file.

  4. Click Update Config to apply your changes.