High Availability

Last Updated: August 10, 2026

High availability is a configuration that keeps Virtual Appliance operational when a Virtual Appliance instance becomes unavailable. Instead of relying on a single Virtual Appliance, high availability uses multiple Virtual Appliance instances that share the same external database and network storage. If one instance fails, the others continue serving print jobs without interruption.

Key Points

  • High availability requires two components: An external MySQL database and a Network File System (NFS) network share.
  • All Virtual Appliance instances connect to the same external MySQL database and the same NFS share, which keeps their data consistent.
  • High availability reduces downtime for end users and lets you perform maintenance on one Virtual Appliance instance without taking the entire print environment offline.
  • High availability is distinct from a standard single Virtual Appliance deployment, in which the Virtual Appliance manages its own internal database.

How High Availability Works

In a high availability deployment, each Virtual Appliance instance in a load-balanced group reads from and writes to the same external MySQL database. The NFS share provides a common storage location for files that all instances must access. When you add a second or additional Virtual Appliance instance, you point it to the existing database and NFS share rather than creating a new data set.

Customers with an existing Virtual Appliance will configure a new primary and secondary Virtual Appliance separate from their production instance. Once the HA setup is complete and tested, the final change is directing network traffic from the current production environment to the HA environment. This allows for the current production environment to run uninterrupted until the final cut over.

Requirements

Before you configure high availability, make sure you have the following:

  • A server to host the external MySQL database. Review the compatibility chart for compatible Host / MySQL versions.
  • An NFS share running NFS version 4.1 with anonymous UID and GID set to 0.
  • A Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) that matches the Virtual Appliance license file.
  • Administrative access to the Admin Console.
  • MySQL Workbench installed on the database server.
  • The Virtual Appliance license file and the FQDN you plan to use for the deployment.
  • SSL certificate (.crt) and key (.key) files, if applicable.
  • Record all passwords you create during this procedure. You will need them at multiple steps.

Next Steps

Refer to the following: