What is this?

This knowledgebase contains questions and answers about PRTG Network Monitor and network monitoring in general.

Learn more

PRTG Network Monitor

Intuitive to Use. Easy to manage.
More than 500,000 users rely on Paessler PRTG every day. Find out how you can reduce cost, increase QoS and ease planning, as well.

Free Download

Top Tags


View all Tags

My cluster is messed up. How can I start over?

Votes:

0

While configuring my cluster, I got lost somehow. Is there a way I can start over and set up my cluster configuration anew?

cluster configuration failover master prtg

Created on Oct 4, 2012 11:47:24 AM by  Daniel Zobel [Product Manager]

Last change on Feb 25, 2020 8:28:46 AM by  Brandy Greger [Paessler Support]



5 Replies

Accepted Answer

Votes:

1

This article applies as of PRTG 22

Clean up a cluster configuration

If you got lost while configuring a cluster, this article will help you renew your cluster configuration.

If you cannot get a connection between your cluster nodes, you can follow the steps in this article as well to reset the individual cluster ID (GUID) and start over.

Note: When following the procedures described in this article, the monitoring configuration on your master node will remain. However, any monitoring data on your failover nodes will be lost.

Note: You must activate PRTG before you create a cluster.

Step 1: Revert all PRTG installations to standalone

It is very likely that you are currently running several PRTG core server installations, possibly some in failover mode, and one or more in master mode.

In the PRTG web interface of your master node,

  1. Select Setup | System Administration | Cluster from the main menu bar.
  2. Manually delete all possible cluster entries from the list (clear all input fields).
  3. Save your changes.

On every single PRTG core server system, on the master node as well, go through the following steps:

  1. Open the PRTG Administration Tool.
  2. Select the Service Start/Stop tab.
  3. Stop the PRTG core server service by clicking the Stop Service button.
  4. Select the Cluster tab.
  5. Click the Revert to Standalone button.
  6. When asked if you want to revert this cluster node to a standalone installation, confirm with Yes. Do not forget to REVERT YOUR MASTER NODE to standalone as well.
  7. Click OK to close the PRTG Administration Tool.
  8. When asked if you want to start the PRTG core server service, click No. This will stop the service.
  9. After reverting a failover node to Standalone mode, manually delete the data folder of the failover node. Do NOT delete this folder on the former master node.

Note: When you revert a PRTG installation to Standalone mode, the cluster probe remains in the device tree to keep your device and sensor setup. If you want to completely remove the cluster probe from the device tree, you must delete it manually.

Step 2: Set up your master node

Locate the PRTG core server installation that will be your master node. The monitoring configuration of this cluster node will be kept; the configuration on all other cluster nodes will be replaced with this configuration later.

On your master node:

  1. Open the PRTG Administration Tool.
  2. Select the Cluster tab.
  3. Click the Create a Cluster button.
  4. When asked if you want to convert this PRTG installation to the master node of a cluster, confirm with Yes.
  5. Follow the procedure to create a new master node by confirming the cluster port and cluster access key. Leave all other settings as they are.
  6. Write down the settings for cluster port, cluster access key, and the IP address of the machine that runs the master node, as you will need this information later.
  7. Exit all windows by clicking the OK buttons.
  8. When asked if you want to (re)start the PRTG core server service, click Yes.

This PRTG installation is now your master node. Log in to its PRTG web interface to set up and change the monitoring configuration. All devices created under the cluster probe will later be monitored by all cluster nodes.

Step 3: Set up your failover nodes

On each of your failover nodes:

  1. Open the PRTG Administration Tool.
  2. Select the Cluster tab.
  3. Click the Join a Cluster button.
  4. Follow the procedure to create a new failover node and use the information you wrote down earlier to insert the IP address of the master node, cluster port, as well as the correct cluster access key.
  5. Close all windows by clicking the OK buttons.
  6. When asked if you want to (re)start the PRTG core server service, click Yes.

This PRTG installation is now a failover node. It will connect to the master node and receive its configuration. Repeat the procedure in this step for each of your failover nodes.

For more details, see PRTG Manual: Failover Cluster Configuration.

More

Created on Oct 4, 2012 12:07:29 PM by  Daniel Zobel [Product Manager]

Last change on Jan 3, 2023 8:05:31 AM by  Brandy Greger [Paessler Support]



Votes:

0

Hello! My Failover Node restart Windows Service "PRTG Probe Service" from time to time and save this Events in Windows Server Application Log:

  • Trying to restart PRTG Core Server Reason: Cluster: Restarting Core Server
  • Core Server will shut down now (running for 6 d 6 h 47 m since 04.10.2018 13:43:19) ID: -1000
  • Starting 18.3.43.2323
  • Startup: Starting Core Server: PRTG Network Monitor 18.3.43.2323 x64 ID: -1000

In PRTG Cluster Log i have:

  • Cluster: Lost connection to node

Regarding Events time - Failover Node initiating this restart, and next goes PRTG log event.

Next 5-6 days no any events and Cluster works well.

So, this is normal situation? Because about a month ago a have to remake my PRTG cluster and didn't revert Master Node to Standalone Mode, i revert Failover Node to standalone mode and reconnect it to Master.

Need i revert both nodes to standalone and remake all cluster from scratch if i have no another errors?

Created on Oct 10, 2018 6:07:47 PM

Last change on Oct 11, 2018 4:52:10 AM by  Luciano Lingnau [Paessler]



Votes:

1

Hello Vasiliv,

Could you please forward a support bundle via the Setup > Contact Support menu from the web interface of the master node as well as of the failover node? Wait until you receive the automatic reply after sending the first bundle so that both log files are appended to the same internal case.

Thanks in advance!


Kind regards,
Felix Saure, Tech Support Team

Created on Oct 11, 2018 10:43:05 AM by  Felix Saure [Paessler Support]



Votes:

0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. After reverting a failover to standalone, manually delete the data folder of the failover. Do NOT delete this folder on the former master node!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have a qeustion about your sentence. '~ delete the data folder ' means deleting the entire data folder ? (%programdata%\Paessler\PRTG Network Monitor)

If the data folder are deleted, can't PRTG start ?

Created on Feb 9, 2020 3:31:02 PM



Votes:

1

Hello,

Regarding 9.): Yes, please delete the entire data folder (%programdata%\Paessler\PRTG Network Monitor). However I recommend to not just delete it but to backup those files before.

If you delete this folder, PRTG will still be able to start afterwards. Those files will be generated anew (which means new configuration etc.). If you follow "Step 2: Set Up Your Master Node" and "Step 3: Set Up Your Failover Nodes" those files should be recreated (synced from the master node) and you should be able to start your failover node with the correct configuration.

Created on Feb 10, 2020 10:17:46 AM by  Timo Dambach [Paessler Support]




Disclaimer: The information in the Paessler Knowledge Base comes without warranty of any kind. Use at your own risk. Before applying any instructions please exercise proper system administrator housekeeping. You must make sure that a proper backup of all your data is available.