High Availability Dedicated Server Configuration Designs For Start Up Success

Innovation / Development Phase

Innovation / Development Phase indicates the initial stage of your product development. You have the core idea or the sandbox / basic version of your product is under progress or ready. This stage involves frequent iterations, some times custom modules, third party tools to be installed and tested. There won’t be much of user access to your portal or application other than Developers or for presentation.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 1: Application layer [ codes ], Database layer, Files & Images are all hosted in a single dedicated server hosting. This is best suited for initial stages of hosting your applications in the web. As all the components are hosted in a single dedicated server hosting, chances of downtime and performance latency are very high. However it is the cheapest option to begin with.

The server design should be in such a way that it could take moderate user visits as well heavy or unoptimized application running.

Advantages:

1. Both Application and Database Layers run in the same dedicated server hosting. Hence easy to manage.
2. Very Cost Effective

Critical Points:

1. If the server fails, then the entire application as well as database layers goes down
2. No fall back and hence till the dedicated server issue is rectified, users cannot reach the server
3. Cannot handle load spikes effectively
4. DDOS kind of attacks might severely affect server availability

Live / Production Phase

In Live / Production Phase your product is ready for users and has completed serious testing and bug fixing. Your application must be stable and secure as user experience becomes very important from this phase onwards. Product / Portal functionality and reliability is very important. Access must be faster and more stable to attract new users.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 2: Application layer [ codes ], Files & Images are hosted in Apps Layer and Database is hosted in Database layer. There will be minimum two dedicated hosting servers, one for application, files and one for database connected via 1 Gbps Private VLAN. For highest security a Virtual Private Network can be introduced between the Application Dedicated Server and Database Dedicated Server. This is best suited for starting level live / production phase. The stability and security will be high when compared to a stand alone node. Speed of access will be higher with decent stability. Most important of all, it allows easy scalability in future by adding more apps layer.

The servers design should be in such a way that it could take user load spikes, higher number of simultaneous users at peak time, handle heavy applications.

Advantages:

1. Both Application and Database Layers are separate and run in different servers. Hence each are isolated from each other’s load and other issues.
2. Database layer is secured as it is not accessible directly. It can be accessed only via application layer through a private VLAN.
3. Future expansion is easy with just adding application layers alone at will without affecting the existing servers
4. As a work around you can run application layer also in the database layer for some time if in case there is a problem in the actual application layer

Critical Points:

1. If the application layer fails, then the users cannot access the application even though the database layer is working. [ But as a work around you can run application in database layer too ]
2. No fall back and hence till the server issue is rectified, users cannot reach the application layer server.
3. DDOS kind of attacks might severely affect server availability

Expansion Phase

In Expansion Phase your product / portal users are steadily increasing and load spike due to number of users and peak time traffic is unavoidable. Your focus must be on scaling your hosting infrastructure smoothly so that user experience is not compromised. The scaling must be in such a way that it maintains the same level of speed of access and security.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 3: Arrow Global Load Balancer is the user / internet facing Device. Application layer [ codes ], Files & Images are hosted in Multiple Apps Layer and Database is hosted in Database layer. There will be minimum two application servers, and one for database connected via 1 Gbps Private VLAN. The two application servers will behind Arrow Global Load Balancer. This is best suited for Expansion Phase. Higher stability, rapid scalability and high security will be there when compared to single node servers. Speed of access will be higher with very high stability. Most important of all, it allows running apps and database layers in multiple locations any where in the world.

Arrow Load Balancer must be able to route traffic to multiple locations and the servers design should be in such a way that it should offer a very stable and high speed access to the portal / product with very high security.

Advantages:

1. Arrow Load Balancer will automatically route traffic to next application layer if the primary one fails.
2. Both Application and Database Layers are separate and run in different server. Hence each are isolated from each other’s load and other issues.
3. Database layer is secured as it is not accessible directly. It can be accessed only via application layer
4. Future expansion is easy with just adding application layers alone at will without affecting the existing servers
5. Arrow Load Balancer can take care of moderate level DDOS attack effectively

Critical Points:

1. If the main Load Balancer fails then the application becomes in accessible

Monetization Phase

In Monetization Phase you have started monetizing your product / portal and have started generating revenue from your services. Your focus must be on standardizing your hosting environment, creating snap shot of your environment for easy replication, Implementing DMZ [ De Militarized Zone ] for very high security. Any revenue generating business must have a very robust hosting infrastructure so that your services are always up and running.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 4: With Enterprise Any Cast DNS in the front and Arrow Load Balancer to route load among Application layers, Codes, Files & Images are all hosted in mulitple application servers in multiple locations and databases in database server. This is best suited for applications that require very high stable, secure and mission critical hosting 24 X 7 Enterprise Any Cast DNS will take any level of DDOS attacks on DNS and hence the entire setup will be mission critical ready to host your enterprise applications.

Enterprise Any Cast DNS

Enterprise Any Cast DNS is a DNS service which is spread across multiple locations for better stability. Enterprise Any Cast DNS runs in servers located in diverse geographical locations which provides better stability in DNS resolution even in case of an issue in one of the location.

Advantages:

1. Any Cast DNS will provide robust DNS service even in case of a DDOS attack. This maks the entire setup more stable. Arrow Load Balancer will automatically route traffic to next application layer if the primary one fails.
2. Both Application and Database Layers are separate and run in different server. Hence each are isolated from each other’s load and other issues.
3. Database layer is secured as it is not accessible directly. It can be accessed only via application layer
4. Future expansion is easy with just adding application layers alone at will without affecting the existing servers
5. Arrow Load Balancer can take care of moderate level DDOS attack effectively

Critical Points:

1. If the Load Balancer fails, apps layer becomes in-accessible

Success Phase

In Success Phase you are monetizing your product / portal in full throttle and ramping up the number of users. You have revenues and users increasing in multi-folds from your services. Your focus must be multi-location hosting, multi-zone application and database layer, Implementing DMZ [ De Militarized Zone ] for very high security.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 5: Any Cast DNS with Active Fail Over in the front and multiple Arrow Load Balancers to route load among Application layers in multiple locations and databases in a database servers with are replicated for high availability. The application layers and database layers are sync regularly and hence files and database are replicated instantly. This is best suited for applications that require very high stable, secure and mission critical hosting 24 X 7.

Arrow DB Sync – Multi-Zone DB Replication

Arrow DB Sync is a flagship database syncing app which allows syncing of databases between two servers. The syncing is so precise that whatever is updated in the master is synced in the secondary server also without setting up any replication. Arrow DB sync works in such a way that you can choose to enable secondary when the primary is under maintenance or failure.

Advantages:

1. Any Cast DNS with Active Fail Over will provide robust DNS service even in case of a DDOS attack. This makes the entire setup more stable. Active Fail Over will route traffic to another Arrow Load Balancer if the primary fails. The same way and Arrow Load Balancer will automatically route traffic to next application layer if the primary one fails.
2. Both Application and Database Layers are separate and run in different server. Hence each are isolated from each other’s load and other issues.
3. Database layer is secured as it is not accessible directly. It can be accessed only via application layer
4. Future expansion is easy with just adding application layers alone at will without affecting the existing servers
5. Arrow Load Balancer can take care of moderate level DDOS attack effectively
6. Mulitple Load Balancers prevent any downtime due to one load balancer failure
7. With Multiple Arrow Global Load Balancer, any number of servers can be added at any time from different location making it more stable than any other configuration.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 5: Any Cast DNS with Active Fail Over in the front and multiple Arrow Load Balancers to route load among Application layers in multiple locations and databases in a database servers with are replicated for high availability. The application layers and database layers are sync regularly and hence files and database are replicated instantly. This is best suited for applications that require very high stable, secure and mission critical hosting 24 X 7.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 5: Any Cast DNS with Active Fail Over in the front and multiple Arrow Load Balancers to route load among Application layers in multiple locations and databases in a database servers with are replicated for high availability. The application layers and database layers are sync regularly and hence files and database are replicated instantly. This is best suited for applications that require very high stable, secure and mission critical hosting 24 X 7.

Recommended Configuration For Mile Stone 5: Any Cast DNS with Active Fail Over in the front and multiple Arrow Load Balancers to route load among Application layers in multiple locations and databases in a database servers with are replicated for high availability. The application layers and database layers are sync regularly and hence files and database are replicated instantly. This is best suited for applications that require very high stable, secure and mission critical hosting 24 X 7.