InfoBlox Replacement

Steps needed to bring a replacement unit on-line in different scenarios: standalone / HA Pair / Grid




For replacing a faulty unit, please follow these steps: Adding IP information to the new appliance --Step 1: Connect a serial console cable (null modem cable) to the replacement appliance --Step 2: Access the replacement appliance (default login credentials are username -> admin; password -> infoblox) --Step 3: Configure it with the IP Address, Subnet mask and the Gateway using the command "set network" --Step 4: When prompted to join the grid, say "n" for no. Depending on the model number of the appliance, you may also enter this data by using the LCD/Front panel. You may also access the appliance by connecting a cross over cable from your workstation to the replacement appliance LAN1 interface. Configure the workstation NIC with any IP address in the network 192.168.1.0/24 except 192.168.1.2 (the default IP of the Infoblox appliance). Now access the GUI using a web browser (https://192.168.1.2). The LAN IP Address, Subnet mask and gateway can be configured from the GUI (GRID perspective- >expand members and select the appliance name->right click and select 'Edit Properties'->configure the settings from the ‘Node Properties tab') --Step 5: Verify if the NIOS version on the replacement appliance and the production Grid are the same. If the replacement unit is a single (non-grid, non-HA) device and you need a specific NIOS version installed, you will need to either upgrade, or downgrade the unit. Please refer to the section ‘Upgrading Software on an Independent Appliance or HA Pair’ in the Administrators Guide accessible from the support site [after logging in with your credentials] or the appliance GUI (help -> download admin guide) for upgrade steps. If you are replacing one node of an HA pair, or the device is part of a grid, the code will automatically syncronize when you connect the replacement to teh HA pair, or grid. Now, depending on your scenario please follow the next steps: Scenario 1: Unit is a standalone device Scenario 2: Unit is a part of independent HA pair Scenario 3: Unit is a part of the HA Grid Master Scenario 4: Unit is a standalone Grid Master with multiple members in the Grid Scenario 5: Unit is a part of HA Grid member Scenario 6: Unit is a standalone member in the Grid Scenario 1: Unit is a standalone device: ---------------------------------------- --Step 6: Take the current database backup from the faulty unit. If the unit is off-line and cannot be powered on, you may take the latest dataset backup downloaded prior to taking the unit off-line. --Step 7: Upload the backup to this replacement unit. While force restoring choose the option to obtain IP address from the backup. --Step 8: Remove the network cables running to the defective unit after powering it down. --Step 9: Connect the network cables removed from the defective unit to the replacement unit For instructions on backup and restore, you may please refer to the section 'Backing Up and Restoring a Configuration File' in our Admin Guide. Scenario 2: Unit is a part of independent HA pair ------------------------------------------------- --Step 6: Login to the HA pair and verify if the faulty unit is the ' Active' unit. If it is the Active unit of the HA pair do a 'forced failover' from the GUI to bring the faulty unit as the Passive unit. You will get disconnected from the GUI when doing a forced failover. Login back and confirm whether all the status indicators for the HA pair are green. --Step 7: Bring down [shutdown] the Passive unit from the HA pair --Step 8: Change the LAN configuration[IP address, Netmask, Gateway, Speed and Duplex settings] of the replacement unit to the same LAN configuration as that of the faulty unit --Step 9: Connect the replacement appliance to the network. Please ensure that the switch ports are configured as recommended by Infoblox in the KB articles 10411, 10270 etc. --Step 10: Join the replacement unit to the Grid using the command 'set membership' from the console or 'join Grid' option from the GUI [Grid perspective -> members -> select the grid master -> view option on the top menu -> select Detailed status]. In either case you will have to provide the IP address of the Grid Master, Grid Name & Shared secret [All of these are case sensitive] After the unit joins back, you will be able to view the status of the unit as 'normal' in the GUI and all the indicators for this unit will turn Green Scenario 3: Unit is a part of the HA Grid Master ------------------------------------------------ --Step 6: Login to the production grid and verify if the faulty unit is the 'Active' unit. If it is the Active unit of the HA pair do a 'forced failover' from the GUI to bring this node as the Passive unit. Before doing a failover make a note of all the units which are not on-line as you will have to verify the status of other members after the failover. You will get disconnected from the GUI when doing a forced failover. Login back and confirm whether all the status indicators for the Grid master and the members are green. If there are members are still communicating with the active grid master ( data sync/NTP sync etc), please wait until all the status indicators turn green. --Step 7: Take the faulty unit which the current Passive node of the grid master off-line from the network. --Step 8: Connect the replacement appliance to the network. Preferably use the same switch ports which were used by the defective appliance. Also please ensure that the switch ports are configured as recommended by Infoblox in the KB articles 10411, 10270 etc. --Step 9: Change the LAN configuration[IP address, Netmask, Gateway, Speed and Duplex settings] of the replacement unit to the same LAN configuration as that of the faulty unit --Step 10: Join the replacement unit to the Grid using the command 'set membership' from the console or 'join Grid' option from the GUI [Grid perspective -> members -> select the grid master -> view option on the top menu -> select Detailed status]. In either case you will have to provide the IP address of the Grid Master, Grid Name & Shared secret [All of these are case sensitive] After the unit joins back, you will be able to view the status of the unit as 'normal' in the GUI and all the indicators for this unit will turn Green Scenario 4: standalone Grid Master with a Grid Master Candidate in the Grid --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --Step 6: Check whether you have a Grid Master Candidate. If there is a Grid Master Candidate, then promote this member as a Grid Master by using the command 'set promote_master'. To get access to the GUI you need to connect to the VIP address of the new Grid Master. --Step 7: Remove the defective Grid Master from the network. --Step 8: Join the replacement unit to the Grid using the command 'set membership' from the console or 'join Grid' option from the GUI [Grid perspective -> members -> select the Grid Master -> view option on the top menu -> select Detailed status]. In either case you will have to provide the IP address of the Grid Master, Grid Name & Shared secret [All of these are case sensitive] --Step 9: If you want to make the replacement unit as the Grid Master again, you may please issue the command 'set promote_master' from the CLI of the Grid Master Candidate. --Step 10: Login to the Grid using the IP address of the new Grid Master and verify if all the members are online and services are up. Scenario 5: Standalone Grid Master with no Grid Master Candidate configured --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5A) Grid Master is not completely down. --------------------------------------- Method 1: --Step 6: You may connect to the GUI and configure a member as a Grid Master Candidate (refer admin guide to GMC configuration). Ensure that the member being configured as a GMC has the same or better hardware platform than the Grid Master. Making the unit a GMC will force it to drop off the Grid and join back. --Step 7: You may refer to Scenario 4 for promoting the GMC as the Grid Master and replacing the Grid Master --Step 8: If required you may uncheck the option of Grid Master Candidate from the promoted Grid Master after bring it back as the Grid Master Candidate. Method 2: Configure the Grid Master as an HA pair. --Step 6: Join the replacement unit as the Passive of that HA pair. [Please refer admin guide for instructions to form an HA pair]. --Step 7: Once the replacement appliance joins as node 2, do a Forced Failover. This will bring the defective unit as the Passive unit. --Step 8: Now remove the defective appliance from the network. You can remove the HA configuration now. 5B) The Grid Master is completely down. --------------------------------------- In scenarios where you don't have a GMC and the Grid Master failed completely the only option left is to upload the latest backup file to the replacement appliance. --Step 6: Upload a backup to the replacement appliance. Please make sure to select the 'Obtain IP address from backup file' option and not to retain the existing IP address. The replacement appliance should have the same IP address as the grid master. Members will attempt to connect to this IP address. --Step 7: Remove the Grid Master from the network and connect the replacement appliance to the network. --Step 8: Launch the grid manager and verify that all the members are online. Scenario 6: Unit is a part of HA Grid member -------------------------------------------- --Step 6: Login to the production grid and check whether the node[of the member] to be replaced is the Active unit. If it is the Active unit, then do a forced failover (right click the member name -> select Forced failover) to bring this node as the Passive unit. Check the detailed status of this node and confirm that the node to be replaced has become the Passive unit. --Step 7: Remove the Passive unit of the grid member from the network. --Step 8: Change the LAN configuration [IP address, Netmask, Gateway, Speed and Duplex settings] of the replacement unit to the same LAN configuration as that of the faulty unit --Step 9: Connect the replacement appliance to the network. Please ensure that the switch ports are configured as recommended by Infoblox in the KB articles 10411, 10270 etc. --Step 10: Join the replacement unit to the Grid using the command 'set membership' from the console or 'join Grid' option from the GUI [Grid perspective -> members -> select the Grid Master -> view option on the top menu -> select Detailed status]. In either case you will have to provide the IP address of the Grid Master, Grid Name & Shared secret [All of these are case sensitive] After the unit joins back, you will be able to view the status of the unit as 'normal' in the GUI and all the indicators for this unit will turn Green Scenario 7: Unit is a standalone member in the Grid --------------------------------------------------- --Step 6: Remove the defective appliance from the network. --Step 7: Change the LAN configuration [IP address, Netmask, Gateway, Speed and Duplex settings] of the replacement unit to the same LAN configuration as that of the faulty unit. --Step 8: Connect the replacement appliance to the network. --Step 9: Join the replacement unit to the Grid using the command 'set membership' from the console or 'join Grid' option from the GUI [Grid perspective -> members -> select the Grid Master -> view option on the top menu -> select Detailed status]. In either case you will have to provide the IP address of the Grid Master, Grid Name & Shared secret [All of these are case sensitive] After the unit joins back, you will be able to view the status of the unit as 'normal' in the GUI and all the indicators for this unit will turn Green