Disaster recovery for OutSystems Platform servers
Once you design your OutSystems infrastructure, your servers must be considered as a part of your disaster recovery plans.
The following sections describe how you can use the specific features of each server role to your advantage, to handle and recover from failure events.
Front-end
The Front-end server has no specific backup needs.
When a new server replaces an affected one, applications are deployed there without the need for any user interaction.
It is almost an effortless task to install a new OutSystems Front-end since all application information is in the database.
In virtualized environments, keeping a previous snapshot of the server is a good backup strategy.
Deployment Controller
The Deployment Controller has no cluster capabilities.
Using virtualization, a server snapshot will reduce downtime in case of a disaster event, since all the compiled code is stored in the disk.
You can elect any other server to act as Deployment Controller while recovery actions are ongoing, for example a Front-End. To do so follow these instructions.
Important: Promoting a new Deployment Controller generates a new Serial Number for the environment which invalidates the previous license. You need to you need to request a new license file from Licensing Portal upon a Serial Number change.
Since the Deployment Controller server handles the license validation, it has a major impact on the OutSystems Platform when involved in an disaster event.
Scheduler
The ability to activate the Scheduler in any server role ensures its continuous uptime. E-mail, Timers and BPT processes will execute on the available healthy machines configured with this role.
LifeTime
All the data about registered environments and development cycles is in the database. Therefore, to recover from a disaster event in the LifeTime component, connect a new server to the same database.
Important: Promoting a new Deployment Controller generates a new Serial Number for the environment. If the affected server is also acting as Deployment Controller, in a multiple Front-end design, you need to request a new license file from Licensing Portal upon a Serial Number change.
Database
Specific archiving policies from database vendors apply to define how the database itself recovers from a failure event. Check your vendor documentation for detailed information.
As a simple example for database backups you can consider the following:
- Weekly: Full backups.
- Daily: Incremental backups.
- Hourly: Transaction log / Archive log backups.
More Information
To learn more about how to set up your OutSystems Platform check the Designing OutSystems infrastructures guide.
Important: The information in this article applies only to OutSystems Platform on-premises or private cloud deployments.