ISPConfig3 Cluster question

Discussion in 'General' started by SilkBC, Dec 23, 2017.

  1. SilkBC

    SilkBC Member

    Hello,

    I want to setup an ISPConfig3 cluster, following the helpful HOWTOs for doing so on HOWTOForge. It all seems fairly straightforward I will have dedicated servers for e-mail DNS, database, and web. At this time, only the web servers will be clustered (load balanced), though I will likely set the mail server up in such a fashion that it too could be clustered if the need arises in the future. All storage (e-mail database, and website files) will be on a central backend storage (instead of syncing via Unison or GlusterFS)

    The ISPConfig cluster HOWTO goes through setting up a master server and slave server for the web. It seems that the master server hosts the ISPConfig interface and the slave server would just serve up websites. I am wondering if it would be possible (or even feasible) to instead put the IPSConfig interface on a different server in the cluster and have the web servers serving up just websites? I would want to be able to have either of the web servers go down (maintenance, failure, etc.) without affecting my ability to continue to manage things.

    If this is indeed possible, how would be the best way to go about this? I am thinking something along the lines of:

    • ISPConfig server:
    1. Install packages for running web server (apache, php, MySQL, etc.)
    2. Run ISPConfig3 installer in expert mode
    3. choose to only install Apache and choose to install ISPConfig interface
    • Web1 and Web2 servers:
    1. Install packages for running web server (apache, php, MySQL, etc.)
    2. Run ISPConfig3 installer in expert mode
    3. Choose "Yes" to adding to existing cluster
    4. Configure only Apache and select "No" to installing ISPConfig interface
    5. Setup MySQL databases for master-master replication, per ISPConfig3 cluster HOWTO
    Once the above is done, do I set both Web1 and Web2 to be slaves of the ISPConfig server, or would I have Web1 as a "master" and Web2 (and any subsequent web servers) as slaves of Web1?

    Thanks, in advance, for your insight.​
     
  2. till

    till Super Moderator Staff Member ISPConfig Developer

    ahrasis likes this.
  3. SilkBC

    SilkBC Member

    Thanks for the link. It does shed some light on things. Just to make sure I understand things:

    • The ISPConfig control panel can be it's own dedicate server (or cluster). While it does have the web server "role" on it, it does not have to server up client web sites
    • The web server(s) do not have to host the ISPConfig control panel role
    • Slave servers do not have to have their DBs replicated. For example, if I have Web1, Web2, and Web3 (all with *just* with web server role), I would make Web2 and Web3 slaves of Web1. When I create a site, ISPConfig sets it up on Web1, but the configs for the sites, FTP users, etc. then get pushed out to the slaves. As long as all three servers have the same content, then any one of them can be hit for any site and it will come up (i.e., they can be part of a load balanced "cluster" via haproxy or similar). It is not necessary to setup any sort of DB replication between them
    • Setting up dedicated mail servers would work the same way
    • Setting up the master-master DB replication would only be necessary for clustered servers using the ISPConfig control panel role, or the database server role

    Does the above sound about right? Thanks, in advance, for your insight!
     

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