Cluster | Qntrl | Bridge | Online Help | Overcome failures in Bridge using Cluster Module

Cluster

The Cluster module allows multiple bridges in a Qntrl account to work together with shared responsibilities. This group of bridges provides fail-over protection, ensuring continuous functionality even if one of the bridges faces any real-time network limitations. Additionally, the Bridge Cluster can evenly distribute tasks amongst all available Bridges, ensuring smooth task execution and improved system reliability.
Clusters provide two types of services to ensure the smooth operation of bridges as per the process automation requirement:

  • Failover protection

  • Load balancing

Failover protection 

In a Failover Cluster, multiple bridges are grouped to overcome task failures caused by a bridge downtime. This ensures uninterrupted task execution, even in the event of unexpected power outages, machine restarts, network issues, and more. If one bridge fails, another Bridge within the cluster seamlessly takes over the responsibilities of the failed bridge.

Independent operation of Bridge within a Fail-over Cluster
Each bridge within a fail-over cluster operates independently and does not share the load with other bridges in the same cluster. This independent operation ensures that each Bridge handles its tasks efficiently without being affected by the other bridge's workloads in the cluster.

Example: When a message request is sent to Bridge B, the system checks if Bridge B is active. If it is, the task is assigned and executed using Bridge B. If Bridge B is not active, the system looks at the Clusters it's part of.
Let's say Bridge B is part of the following Clusters:
Cluster 1 - Bridge A (load 20) and Bridge B ( load 20)
Cluster 2 - Bridge B (load 20),  Bridge C (load 10) and Bridge D (load 30).
Currently, only Bridge A and Bridge C are active.
The system then selects the available active Bridges from the Clusters, which are Bridge A, and Bridge C and the task is assigned to Bridge C because it has the lower load.



Load Balancing 

Load-balancing clusters distribute task execution across multiple bridges based on their current load. When a task is executed using a bridge within a load balancing cluster, the task is assigned to the bridge with the least load by default. Load here refers to the number of tasks (message executions) currently assigned to each Bridge in the cluster.

Automatic Fail-over Support in Load Balancing Clusters  
A Bridge added to a Load Balancing Cluster automatically receives fail-over support. If a bridge within this cluster fails, another bridge in the same cluster will take over its responsibilities, ensuring continuous task execution.

Example: When a message request is sent to Bridge B. The system checks at all the Bridges in the Cluster where Bridge B is a part of.
Let's say Bridge B is a part of three Load Balancing Clusters:
Cluster 1 - Bridge A (load 20), Bridge B (load 20)
Cluster 2 - Bridge B (load 20), Bridge C (load 10)
Cluster 3 - Bridge B (load 20), Bridge C (load 10), and Bridge D (load 40).
Currently, only Bridge B and Bridge C are active.
The system then gives the task to the active Bridge with the least load. In this example, Bridge C has the least load (10), so the task is given to Bridge C. This ensures that tasks are spread out efficiently among the bridges that are available.



 

Combining Fail-Over protection and Load Balancing 

You can add a bridge to both types of clusters simultaneously, allowing it to be configured for load balancing and fail-over protection concurrently. This provides an optimal balance between workload distribution and system reliability. However, it's important to ensure that all bridges grouped in the cluster are associated with the same task to enable a seamless task handover process.

  1. If all the bridges in the cluster are down, the task will get aborted or task execution will be failed.
  2. The Cluster operates only before a task is executed. If the bridge encounters issues after the task is assigned, the cluster concept does not apply. 

Prerequisite

  • To configure a Bridge in a Cluster, we must add bridges that are associated with the same tasks and should have the same capabilities.

  • All bridges assigned to a cluster must belong to the same network. 

Create a Cluster  

To create a new cluster:
  1. Click the settings gear icon   at the left pane.

  2. Navigate to Advanced >> Bridge, then choose Cluster.

  1. Click New Cluster.

  2. Fill in the new cluster details: 
    1. Name: Provide a unique name for the cluster.
    2. Type: Select the type of cluster.
      1. Failover
      2. Load Balancing
    3. Bridge Name: Select the bridge names that are to be added to the cluster from the multi-select list. 
  1. Click Save.



Edit a Cluster    

To update the details of an existing cluster:

  1. Navigate  to(settings)>> Advanced >> Bridge, then select Cluster.

  1. In the list page loaded, hover over the name of the cluster, click the action menu  and select Edit.

  1. Make necessary modifications and click Save.

  

Delete a Cluster    

To remove a cluster from Qntrl:

  1. Navigate to(settings) >> Advanced >> Bridge, then select Cluster.

  1. Hover over the name of the Cluster you want to delete, click the action menu, and select the Delete.

  1. Confirm the delete action.

 

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