Marathon keeps Windows running

Marathon Technologies this week is launching high-availability software for Microsoft Windows server environments.

EverRun HA is based on Marathon’s lock-step product EverRun FT, previously

called FTvirtual Server. Although based on EverRun FT, the new product offers greater scalability and support for multisocket and multicore CPUs.

EverRun HA combines a pair of x86 servers into a single unit to eliminate single points of failure. The software creates a virtual environment into which the application is installed, operated and managed. The software runs on one server at a time and uses the redundant software on the second server in the event of a device failure. An EverRun HA server appears as a single server with one identity and IP address.

If an administrator wants to perform maintenance operation on the first server, applications can be migrated to the second server with no interruption of service or loss of application state.

EverRun HA runs on Intel or AMD servers and requires some direct-attached storage. It connects to the Ethernet network. It does not expect Windows applications to be cluster-aware and can run any Windows application without the need for custom coding or scripting. The EverRun server may use IO devices in the second server to eliminate or mask failures from the application.

EverRun HA also has an optional remote availability module. Marathon’s SplitSite enables the geographic distancing of primary and secondary servers. SplitSite was first introduced last year.

EverRun HA can work with direct-attached storage, network-attached storage or storage-area networks.

The software starts at $7,500 and includes one year of 24/7 support.