Some ePO customers require that if their primary data center fails, a backup data center with a running ePO server comes online within one hour. This article clarifies how we support ePO systems when you've paid the support fees and if the licenses and product support entitlements haven't expired.

There are two components involved in an SQL database mirroring process:

• The operation of the backup ePO system that might come online on the mirrored database
• The mirroring process itself

We support a backup ePO system, in accordance with Technical Support policies. Identified issues are submitted to Technical Support following the existing notification processes.

The suggested process for SQL database mirroring below is provided by us for ePO customers on a best-effort basis. This process is designed to make a current copy of the ePO database available in the backup data center. It also lessens the time and effort needed to bring up a backup ePO server at that site.

NOTE: This SQL database mirroring process hasn't been tested as part of the official product testing efforts. It doesn't form part of the Product Specifications.

We've performed initial testing of the backup and recovery of an ePO system, which shows this process to be functional. Technical Support provides support if problems arise. But, the SQL database mirroring process itself remains the responsibility of the customer using ePO.

Recommended Mirroring Plan

ePO Server
Perform the appropriate procedure below, depending on the situation:

• Sudden prolonged network disconnectivity
• Sudden primary server crash—Rebuilding primary SQL Server
   

Sudden prolonged network disconnectivity:

1. Go to the Mirror SQL Server and run the following command:
   
   ALTER database_name SET PARTNER FORCE_SERVICE_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS
   
   NOTE: Replace database_name with the actual ePO database name.
    
2. Stop the ePO server services:
   1. Click Start, Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
   2. Right-click on each of the following services and click Stop:
      
      McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator x.x.x Server
      McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator x.x.x Application Server
      McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator x.x.x Event Parser
       
3. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to https://epo_server:port/core/config
   
   NOTE: Replace epo_server:port with the actual ePO server name and port.
    
4. Point to the Mirror SQL Server in the Database server name field.
5. Start the ePO server services:
   1. Click Start, Run, services.msc, and then click OK.
   2. Right-click on each of the following services and click Start:
      
      McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator x.x.x Server
      McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator x.x.x Application Server
      McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator x.x.x Event Parser
       
6. After the primary SQL Server is back online, do the following:
   1. Stop the ePO server services.
   2. Click Resume on the Mirror server.
   3. After the database is synchronized, click Failover or run the following command to fail over the database back to the primary SQL Server:
      
      ALTER DATABASE database_name SET PARTNER FAILOVER
      
      NOTE: Replace database_name with the actual ePO database name.
       
   4. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to https://epo_server:port/core/config
      
      NOTE: Replace epo_server:port with the actual ePO server name and port.
       
   5. Point to the primary SQL Server in the Database server name field.
   6. Start the ePO server services.

Sudden primary server crash—Rebuilding primary SQL Server:

1. Go to the Mirror SQL Server and run the following command:
   
   ALTER DATABASE database_name SET PARTNER FORCE_SERVICE_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS ALTER DATABASE database_name SET PARTNER OFF​
   
   NOTE: Replace both instances of database_name with the actual ePO database name.
    
2. Stop the ePO server services.
3. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to https://epo_server:port/core/config
4. Point to the Mirror SQL Server in the Database server name field.
5. Start the ePO server services.
6. After rebuilding the primary SQL Server, do the following:
   1. See this Microsoft document on preparing a database for mirroring.
   2. Stop the ePO server services.
   3. After the database is synchronized, click Failover or run the following command to fail over to the primary SQL Server.
      
      ALTER DATABASE database_name SET PARTNER FAILOVER
      
      NOTE: Replace database_name with the actual ePO database name.
       
   4. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to https://epo_server:port/core/config
      
      NOTE: Replace epo_server:port with the actual ePO server name and port.
       
   5. Point to the primary SQL Server in the Database server name field.
   6. Start the ePO server services.

Agent Handler
After performing the changes above on your ePO server, all remote Agent Handlers will continue to try to connect to the failed DB server. To resolve this problem, undertake an Agent Handler installation repair.

If there's a problem with the mirroring process, or if Technical Support determines that a submitted ePO issue is caused by the mirroring process, the customer using ePO must work directly with their Support Account Manager to address the issue through other means. Some situations might require the customer to engage Professional Services to fix or enhance the SQL database mirroring process.