1. Knowledge Base
  2. Simple Failover v. 2.0
  3. KB article #212

New in Simple Failover v. 2.0

  1. Faster!
    The Simple Failover engine has been redesigned using modern programming tools and principles. Asynchronous programming techniques throughout the program allows it to continuously monitor and failover protect a much larger number of servers than previous versions.

  2. Support for latest Windows versions
    Runs on Windows Vista / Server 2008 and later - including 64 bit Windows.

  3. IPv6
    Full support for IPv6 - polling, DNS updating, etc.

  4. IDNs (Internationalized Domain Names)
    Enter host names with native international characters.
    Screenshot

  5. Serve DNS requests directly
    You can use Simple Failover as your Internet facing DNS server. Any DNS request received that Simple Failover does not have data for is forwarded on to your real DNS server.
    This eliminates the need to update DNS records on the DNS server (still supported).
    Screenshot

  6. Weighted Round Robin
    Balance the traffic sent to your servers.
    (only available when serving DNS requests directly / through extended forwarding) 
    Screenshot

  7. Polling history recorded for each server
    For quick review of each server's history and evidence of server reliability.
    Can be exported to disk in csv format.
    Screenshot

  8. Enhanced server monitoring / polling methods
    For example HTTP GET with check for specific return value (earlier versions only supports HTTP HEAD).
    It can also monitor SSL web-sites (https://...).
    The "TCP connect" polling method can now also check for configurable value in server greeting response.
    And It will possible run your own or 3rd party custom polling code through a new "execute command line" polling method.
    Screenshot

  9. New notification methods / options
    In addition to e-mail / Windows Event Log notification, you can send problem notification via a HTTP GET/POST - for example to a SMS / text messaging service API, or by executing a custom command line.
    You can also select which type of events you want to be notified about.
    Screenshot

  10. Notify multiple e-mail addresses / receivers per server set
    Screenshot

  11. New DNS update methods
    We have added 2 new DNS update methods: "Execute command line" (replaces "Scripting") and "Microsoft DNS server (dnscmd.exe)" (see below)
    Screenshot

  12. Update Microsoft DNS servers securely without WMI.
    A new DNS update option uses "dnscmd.exe" to update Microsoft DNS servers - local or remote - without any of the configuration / authentication problems associated with the WMI method used in v. 1.x.

  13. Support for wildcard host names (*.hostname.tld)
    No need to enter a long list of sub-names.
    Screenshot

  14. "All fail" server IP address option
    If all servers are down (as seen by Simple Failover), send traffic to a specific server IP address.
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  15. Option to poll a different server IP address than the IP address set in DNS
    For monitoring servers behind same NAT router as Simple Failover, you can now specify both public and private IP addresses for a server.
    Screenshot

  16. Web-server polling host name independent of DNS host name
    This makes it possible to update a different host name in DNS than the host name sent in the HTTP "host" header when monitoring/polling a web-server.

  17. Force individual servers off-line (disable)
    For example during maintenance.
    Screenshot

  18. Automatically pause a server set if specific server(s) fail
    To prevent auto failback.
    Screenshot

  19. REST / JSON based HTTP API
    The HTTP API has been redesigned according to REST principles and the JSON data format.

  20. Other new features and improvements

    • Separate engine (Windows service) and user interface processes enables remote desktop (RDP) access without any special settings etc.
    • Always runs as Windows Service (no need to enable this first).
    • Send e-mail notifications via SSL / TLS (SMTP).
    • Built-in logging to disk.
    • New TSIG-algorithms SHA1, SHA256, SHA384, and SHA512 for signing dynamic DNS updates.
    • Option for how often DNS records are re-checked (not necessary to check after every server poll).
    • Optional notification when a server comes back online (after previous failure) and for other events.
    • All configuration files / data in JSON format.
    • DNS servers can now also be configured using host names instead of just IP addresses.
    • New option to play a user specified sound file when a problem is detected.
    • Based on Microsoft's .NET Framework 4.5.
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