Running WinSyslog on a Windows Cluster Server#

Question#

Can WinSyslog run on a Windows Cluster Server, and are there any particular issues to be aware of?

Answer#

Yes. WinSyslog runs on a Windows Cluster node without problems. However, WinSyslog does not include built-in cluster failover support. If a node fails, you must start the WinSyslog service on another node manually or through a cluster script. The steps below explain how to prepare the cluster for this scenario.

Step 1: Set the Service Startup Type#

On every cluster node except the primary node, set the WinSyslog service startup type to Manual:

  1. Open the Windows Service Manager (Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services).

  2. Locate the service named AdisconWINSyslog.

  3. Right-click the service and select Properties.

  4. Set Startup type to Manual.

  5. Click Apply, then OK.

On the primary node, leave the startup type set to Automatic so that WinSyslog starts automatically after a reboot.

Step 2: Mirror the Configuration Between Nodes#

WinSyslog stores its configuration in the Windows registry. To replicate a working configuration from one node to another, export it as a registry file and import it on each secondary node:

  1. Open the WinSyslog Configuration Client on the primary node.

  2. Go to the Computer menu.

  3. Select Export Settings to Registry File.

    • Choose the standard registry format (do not select a binary format).

    • Select the correct architecture (Win32 or x64) for your system.

  4. Save the .reg file to a network share or removable media.

  5. On each secondary node, double-click the .reg file to import the configuration.

After importing, the secondary node has the same configuration as the primary node. When a failover is needed, start the WinSyslog service on the secondary node using the Services Manager or from the command line:

net start "AdisconWINSyslog"

Best Practices#

  • Keep configurations in sync. After every configuration change on the primary node, re-export and re-import the registry file on all secondary nodes.

  • Test failover regularly. Verify that the WinSyslog service starts correctly and processes messages on each secondary node.

  • Use automation. Consider a cluster resource script or a scheduled task that starts the WinSyslog service on a secondary node when the primary node becomes unavailable.

  • Verify firewall rules. Ensure that syslog ports are open on all cluster nodes so that traffic can reach the secondary node after failover.