Disaster Recovery Support

DZS Cloud Orchestration now supports disaster recovery. This process restores a fresh new DZS Cloud Orchestration instance to exactly same working state as the former DZS Cloud Orchestration instance that went faulty. The new functional instance is populated with all the configurations and operational data of the former instance. This procedure provides a seamless last resort option for the operator when all the other existing resiliency options such as Geographic Redundancy are no longer viable.

A user with a platform role such as platform-admin, platform-oper or super-admin can save and backup Launchpad configuration and operational data at any point of time. Then, the operator imports the backed-up data into the new Launchpad instance

Export a File

Launchpad exposes an RPC that enables easy exporting of Launchpad data to an archive file. Once the archive file is created, the user can download that file and store it anywhere. The archive file includes the key dataset required to restore a Launchpad instance to a new Launchpad instance as well as the key configuration and the operational state data. The data is converted to an XML format using the schema and saved to multiple XML files (configuration, operational data).

The exported file includes the following data items as well as complete Launchpad configuration information:

  • Launchpad artifacts (descriptors)

  • Selected environment data

  • Version file

  • Project specific configurations like catalogs, accounts, datacenters, etc

  • Launchpad artefacts used by a specific instance

  • Platform configuration excluding Launchpad instance specific configurations

  • Federation ID

  • Operational data and configuration entries from Redis

The following data is not exported:

  • System configuration

  • Launchpad instance specific configurations like system ID

  • License configuration

  • Certificates

  • HA-GR configuration

Note: The system might be slow during an export job.

Set up a Cron Job to Export a File

Configure a cron job to take a timely snapshot of the system state. Store the archive backup file locally. Creating a backup archive file is a critical step to restore your system.

Recover Launchpad

Note: If the system is in a Geographic Redundancy (GR) state, then the operator must restore a single instance of Launchpad on an existing ACTIVE Launchpad in a GR Paired node state. It is necessary to keep the STANDBY instance down so that it will not takeover during the import process of the ACTIVE Launchpad. Once the new Launchpad comes back up as ACTIVE, then the operator can start the STANDBY node.

Launchpad allows an operator to restore a failed Launchpad to a new instance of Launchpad. There are two RPCs to restore Launchpad using backed up archive files. There is one RPC to upload and validate a previously saved archive file and another RPC to execute the recovery process using that file. The recovery process involves restarting Launchpad.

UI Enhancements

Disaster recovery operations now allow users to manually export a backup file to restore the DZS Cloud OrchestrationLaunchpad on a new instance of Launchpad. After exporting a file, a user can then import that file to bring Launchpad back to a previously saved running state.

  • Export File

  • Import File

Export File

This release introduces a new Export Launchpad State button in the DZS Cloud OrchestrationLaunchpad UI. Users should periodically export a zip file to have a current backup copy.

  1. On the Launchpad menu, click ADMINISTRATION > SYSTEM.

  2. On the SYSTEM page, click to export an archive file that can be used to recover from a system down condition.

    Note: An operator must be a super user with super-admin roles to open this URL.

    The Export State screen appears. The most recent export file appears with a timestamp. The timestamp is expressed as export-Day, Date Month Year Time.

  3. Click . The SYSTEM page displays that the export is in progress.

  4. When the export is complete, the SYSTEM page includes a link to the export file.

    Click the link to download the file. Only one export request can be processed at a time. If an export is in progress, then DZS Cloud Orchestration rejects any additional export requests.

    Note: The last 10 archive files are available to download.

  5. On the Configuration page, click and the Service Instantiation wizard appears. Fill in the appropriate details for the specific service

  6. Click Save. See Create and Instantiate a Network Service for more information on how to instantiate a network service.

Import File

This release introduces a new Prepare Launchpad Recovery button in the DZS Cloud OrchestrationLaunchpad UI.

  1. On the SYSTEM page, click to import a backup file.

    The Prepare Launchpad Recovery screen appears. The timestamp is a default string (export-Day, Date Month Year Time GMT). The IMPORT NAME is customizable. This name appears in the link after the imported file is uploaded and validated. Browse to your import file.

  2. Click . The DZS Cloud Orchestration UI verifies that the file is generated by another DZS Cloud OrchestrationLaunchpad. This process could take a considerable amount of time depending on the size.

    In order to complete the Prepare Launchpad Recovery process your file and Launchpad must adhere to the following requirements.

    • The maximum size of the importing archive is restricted to 1GB.

    • The importing Launchpad release version must match with the archive release version (For example: 9.1.0.x.x).

    • The importing Launchpad must have matching or better system configurations to the exporting system at archive creation such as lcm worker count and lcm config worker count.

    • The importing Launchpad must have a valid Launchpad license.

  3. When the import is complete, the SYSTEM page includes a link to complete the recovery.

    Click the link to finish the Launchpad recovery process. If the system is successfully restored, then the state of the new DZS Cloud OrchestrationLaunchpad instance is exactly the same as the failed Launchpad.

    If the import fails, then the UI displays an error message.