Product FAQs
everRun MX
What is everRun MX?
Marathon announced a major technology breakthrough in availability: everRun MX, the world’s first software-based fault tolerance solution that supports multi-core and multi-processor applications. everRun MX turns standard, off-the-shelf servers into a fault-tolerant platform that prevents application downtime even in the event of failures.
What are the new features of everRun MX?
• Support for fault tolerant protection of symmetric multiprocessor and multi-core workloads
• Snapshots – the ability to take a point in time backup of a protected workloads
• SNMP Alerts now integrated into everRun – workload level monitoring and alerting
• Support for Intel Extended Page Table (EPT) Feature – reduces the virtualization overhead, improving overall workload performance
• Multi-Pool management everRun Availability Center (eAC) can be used to manage multiple everRun pools from a single console
Does everRun MX require identical servers?
everRun MX requires Intel VT-enabled servers with similar processor models and stepping. For a complete and updated list, please contact a Marathon representative at 1.888.682.1142.
Is there a list of qualified servers that everRun MX can be run on?
For a complete and updated list of qualified servers and server specifications, please contact one of our application availability consultants at 1.888.682.1142.
Does everRun require a SAN?
No, everRun does not require a SAN, but SAN storage can be utilized with everRun.
everRun offers two storage configuration options; mirrored storage and a shared storage model. When using mirrored storage, everRun will synchronously mirror all storage between paired hosts; this includes the OS, the application, data, etc. This does not require similar storage vendors or types. One host can have SAN-attached storage while the other has local SCSI storage.
In a shared-storage configuration, the everRun paired hosts must be connected to the same storage device with access to the shared LUNs. In this configuration, everRun does not mirror the data or protect against failures within the storage subsystem. Because of this, it is critical that you ensure proper configuration of the storage devices to protect against failures.
Do I need to have identical storage on each host?
No. everRun can mirror between dissimilar storage devices.
Does everRun MX require customization for my various Windows applications?
No matter what the application is, there is no additional configuration required, thus allowing you to protect any Windows application within minutes and without manual configuration, setup, testing, or ongoing maintenance. Because of the unique everRun architecture, there are no restrictions on the Windows applications that can be protected. everRun sits below the OS layer, and therefore can support any standard or home-grown Windows applications.
Do I need to have identidcal resources on the paired or secondary host?
To help reduce costs, everRun MX allows you to allocate fewer resources on the secondary host, thus reducing the amount of RAM and CPU required. Note, however, that should that secondary host be promoted to primary, your application will be running with fewer resources. Consideration should be given to this fact to ensure your application performs adequately when running on the secondary host.
What is the difference between everRun HA/FT and everRun MX?
everRun MX is the next generation of everRun HA and FT, enabling multiple levels of protection within a single solution. While there are a number of new capabilities within everRun MX, one of the most significant enhancements is the ability to protect multiple Windows workloads on a single pair of servers, with the option of those workloads leveraging multiple processors while utilizing Fault Tolerant protection. With everRun HA and FT, only a single Windows workload could be protected on a pair of servers. everRun MX allows multiple workloads to be protected on the same pair of servers to help reduce hardware costs and take advantage of more powerful servers. From a supported platform standpoint, everRun HA and FT support Windows Server 2003 32-bit Standard and Enterprise. everRun MX supports Windows Server 2003 32-bit and 64-bit Standard and Enterprise as well as Windows Server 2008 64-bit Standard and Enterprise.
How many application licenses are required once I protect them with everRun?
As all applications and license agreements can vary, we recommend that you consult the specific license agreements for the applications you wish to protect.
How many operating system licenses are required for each application environment I want to protect?
Windows Server licensing requirements vary depending on the edition being used. However for each protected application environment within everRun MX, two Windows licenses are required. Windows Enterprise and Datacenter editions allow for fewer licensing requirements within a multi-workload environment. Please review Microsoft’s licensing guidelines for their Server operating systems for details.
What version of Windows does everRun MX support?
everRun MX supports Windows Server 2003 SP2 Standard and Enterprise Editions, 32-bit and 64-bit, as well as Windows Server 2008 Standard and Enterprise Editions, 64-bit.
Does everRun MX support non-English Windows editions?
Yes.
Does everRun MX support Windows Small Business Server?
everRun MX supports both Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 Small Business Server Edition.
Can the physical servers be separated geographically?
Yes. everRun MX can be paired with everRun SplitSite which will allow you to place the everRun MX servers in different locations.
How far can the physical servers be separated?
Distance is determined by the network latency so distance will vary with each environment. Please feel free to contact one of our Application Availability Experts.
Is everRun 2G still available?
Yes, everRun 2G will continue to be available and will continue to be supported for existing customers who chose not to upgrade. If you have questions or concerns relating to product availability please feel free to contact a Marathon representative at 1.888.682.1142.
everRun MX Extend
What is everRun MX Extend?
everRun MX Extend is a single product offering that builds upon the company’s fault tolerant SMP solution, everRun MX, and integrates CA Technologies’ ARCserve® replication technology to deliver unmatched end-to-end application availability. Combining fault tolerance and disaster recovery into one solution provides comprehensive business continuity by protecting organizations from both localized system failures and catastrophic site disasters.
What does everRun MX do?
It prevents downtime due to localized failures (fault tolerance) and protects against outages from sitewide catastrophies (disaster recover). All this is fully automated.
What are the new features of everRun MX Extend?
• Total protection. Delivers end-to-end application availability and data protection while protecting against both localized failures and catastrophic site disasters.
• Complete automation. Responds transparently to localized failures and, for broader disasters, automatically and invisibly switches over to a hot site with both data and applications ready.
• Unmatched price performance. Is economically compelling without availability trade-offs and allows any organization, regardless of budget and staffing constraints, to have world class availability – anywhere, anytime.
• Power with flexibility. Allows organizations to choose their own hardware, their own hot site, and their own continuity expectations without sacrificing protection.
• Unified application availability. Can easily bring dispersed and remote locations into an integrated application availability infrastructure.
• Real performance. Has the architecture and intelligence designed to ensure that applications run unimpeded while being fully protected.
everRun VM for XenServer
Does everRun VM for XenServer support the Free version of XenServer?
Yes, everRun VM for XenServer supports the Free version of XenServer as well as Essentials for XenServer Enterprise and Platinum Editions.
What is the benefit of running just a single VM? I thought the benefit of XenServer was to consolidate servers?
The value of everRun is in protecting critical applications from downtime. Consolidation is a tremendous benefit of XenServer however there are times when performance requirements dictate that an application should be run on its own server or with just a few others. With everRun, multiple single-VM XenServer hosts can be configured with all of them protected to a single XenServer host with multiple VM’s, thus providing a many-to-1 configuration.
This architecture also offers simplified manageability and ease of provisioning and maintenance with a common platform for all applications.
If I already have XenServer installed, can I install everRun high availability software on top of it or do I need to reinstall XenServer?
everRun can easily be installed on an existing XenServer installation. Please check the technical product requirements for supported versions of XenServer.
Does everRun high availability software require customization for my specific applications, including some that are home-grown?
No, everRun is completely transparent to the application and can support any and all Windows applications without any modifications, customizations, or scripting.
everRun HA & FT
What operating systems are supported with everRun HA and everRun FT?
Windows Server 2003 32-bit Standard and Enterprise
When will everRun HA and FT support Windows Server 2008 and 64-bit applications?
everRun HA and FT will not be updated to support the latest Windows operating environments. Our latest generation fault tolerant solution, everRun MX, does support these operating environments.
Do I need to have identical servers to run everRun HA or FT?
everRun HA does not require identical servers, however similar processors is recommended. everRun FT does require some likenesses, including processor and motherboard.
How many operating system licenses are required to run everRun HA or FT?
everRun HA and FT utilize 4 separate Windows environments, although only 3 installations (and license key entries) are required. (everRun mirrors one of the copies to the second host). Windows Enterprise Edition provides benefits to reduce licensing costs. Please reference your Windows licensing information for details on the actual number of ‘legal’ copies of Windows you will require.
Does everRun HA and FT support Windows Small Business Server?
No, however everRun MX does support Windows Small Business Server.
How does Marathon qualify Windows security patches?
Because of their critical nature, we screen and test Microsoft Security Updates that apply to Windows 2003 and are posted on Microsoft’s automatic update website area. In the majority of cases, Windows security updates are fully compatible with Marathon products. In the rare cases where an issue is found, we post an advisory on our support website knowledgebase and provide an update to resolve the issue.
Do everRun HA and FT support a shared-storage environment whereas only a single copy of the data is maintained?
No, everRun HA and FT maintain redundant storage on each host and synchronously mirror data between them. This does not mean that a shared storage environment such as a SAN cannot be used. You will, however, be required to have storage on both hosts to allow the mirror to occur.
everRun MX supports both mirrored storage and shared-storage/shared-LUN configurations.
Do everRun HA and FT support non-English versions of Windows?
No. However everRun MX does support non-English Windows environments.
RELATED INFORMATION
