Storage failover procedures

This article details the required changes in the Verba configuration to overcome any issues caused by a storage failure.

The failover process requires manual changes in the configuration settings of the Verba Storage Management service.

If your system has multiple redundant storage facilities and Verba uses them for storing the media files of your recorded calls, they are usually referenced in Verba by a UNC path. When a failover occurs between the redundant storages, Verba has to be pointed to the backup storage by changing the configuration at every point where the failed storage location is referenced. These points are in most cases the media folder setting of the media repository server and the upload target of the recording servers. If you have archiving Data Retention Policies, which target the failed storage, the storage target folder of those policies have to be changed as well.

Below you can find step by step guides on how to change each of these settings.

Changing the media folder

The media folder is where the Verba web interface and player looks for the media files for playback and downloading. Please note that on servers with only the 'Recording Sever' role and uploading enabled, the media folder is only used for storing the media files temporarily, until they are uploaded to the configured storage location.

Follow the steps below to change the media folder path:

Step 1. In the Verba web interface click on Administration > Verba Servers and select your Media Repository server.

Step 2. Click on the Change Configuration Settings tab.

Step 3. Expand Directories and change the Media folder field to the path of the backup storage.

Step 4. Click the Save icon to save your settings

Step 5. The system will notify you that the changes need to applied to the server by restarting the involved services. Execute the required tasks. (Note: restarting the Storage Management service will not impact the operation of call recording in any way)

Changing the upload location

The recording servers upload the recorded media files to the media repository or a separate storage location. Follow the steps below to change the path to this location in case you move the recording directly to the storage infrastructure. In case you upload to the Media Repository server, you do not need to change anything in on the Recording Server(s).

Step 1. In the Verba web interface click on Administration > Verba Servers and select your Media Repository server.

Step 2. Click on the Change Configuration Settings tab.

Step 3. Under Storage Management expand Upload

Step 4. Change the value of the Upload Server IP Address or Hostname field to the path of the backup storage.

Step 5. Click the Save icon to save your settings 

Step 6. The system will notify you that the changes need to applied to the server by restarting the involved services. Execute the required tasks. (Note: restarting the Storage Management service will not impact the operation of call recording in any way)

If you have multiple Verba servers of the same role in your architecture, use configuration profiles to change the settings of all the servers of the same role at the same time. To do this, Click on Administration > Configuration profiles, select the server role you want to configure. From this point the steps are the same as the regular server configuration steps above. After making your changes, saving and executing them, all the servers of the same role will be updated to reflect your changes in the configuration.

Changing a storage target folder path

Storage target folders are used by archiving Data retention policies to specify the archive location. If your recording system has one or more archiving policies where the storage target folder is located on the failed storage equipment, you will need to change them to point to the backup storage.

Please follow the steps below to change a Storage target folder.

Step 1. In the Verba web interface click on Administration > Storage target folders.

Step 2. Select the storage target folder that has to be changed.

Step 3. Change the value of the Path field to the path of the backup storage.