Ensuring redundancy for my web server

[southbeach]

I have 5 static IP address, T1 and our web server behind a Sonicwall firewall.

I want to ensure accessibility to my site. How can I do this?

Say that my IP block ranges 92.92.9.1 through 92.92.9.5. I am using 92.92.9.1 as my primary IP and it is the one where my site is accessed. If something happens, how can I then make sure that site is accessible through any of the other IPs?

Am I making sense? I am a bit confused and I am not sure if I am asking this the right way ...

Thanks,

 

[elgrandeperro]

I am not sure that will give you good redundancy, given you have a single network connect. The most likely candidate (without extensive rework of your network) is to either cluster or multi-home the BACKEND web server. If you multi IP the front end, I don't think this buys you much and just gives you worse connectivity when one goes down. Browse TCP/IP stacks aren't as forgiving as say SMTP when presented multiple IPs.

So if the sonic has any load balancing or application serving awareness, and your web server isn't too dynamic, then that is what I would investigate.

 

[lgarner]

A failure of one of your IP addresses is probably the least likely problem. Either your link will fail, or the server will.

The answer to the server problem is another server. Set up a heartbeat pair with a virtual IP address, point your website to that address, and as long as one server is running your site should be available.

The answer to a link failure is another link, from a completely different provider.

Also, your sonicwall is another point of failure if you have only one.

 

[Kozusnik]

See here...

http://www.howtoforge.com/high_availability_nfs_drbd_heartbeat

Mark