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Version: v22.0

DxPlus Windows Installation Quick Start Guide

Introduction​

DH2i DxPlus offers you the ability to boost your application's throughput. Simply install the lightweight Agent on each of the application servers, activate and join the Agents together. Once configured, the Agent can then tunnel your application data and boost performance.

This quick start guide describes how to install DxPlus on a Windows server. Using this guide, the user will install DxPlus dependencies and software, then join a second server into the group.

Prerequisites​

  • Two physical or virtual machine running a supported Windows operating system.

  • An availability group

  • A valid DxPlus license. A fully featured Developer Edition is available free for non-production use. To purchase DxPlus software for production workloads, visit the DH2i Store.

  • Ensure the server hostname is set and unique.

  • Set host resolution for all servers that will be participating in the group by adding their entries to the hosts file located at %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

Installation​

This section covers preparing the server and installing DxPlus.

Update Server and Install Dependencies​

  1. Ensure the VM is up-to-date using Windows Update or sconfig.

  2. Install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 if it is not already installed.

  3. Set host resolution for all servers (agents) that will be participating in the group by adding their entries to DNS or the hosts file located at %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

Install DxPlus​

Contact DH2i to acquire a valid DxPlus package for your environment.

  1. Copy the DxPlus .msi to the server.

  2. Double-click the DxPlus setup program.

  3. A welcome screen will be displayed. Click Next to continue with the installation.

    Welcome screen

  4. Select I accept... to accept the software license agreement and click Next to continue.

    DxPlus EULA

  5. OPTIONAL: In the Destination Folder window, select an installation folder for DxPlus.

    Change the installation folder

  6. Select Next.

  7. In the Ready to Install window, select Install.

  8. Select Finish to complete the installation.

    Finish the DxPlus installation

Configure DxPlus Using DxConfiguration Manager​

DxConfiguration Manager is a client tool used to configure first-time DxPlus installations on Windows. After the configuration is completed, administrators can use DxPlus’s Admin Console for group management.

For additional information about DxConfiguration Manager, please see the DxConfiguration Manager Admin Guide.

  1. Start DxConfiguration Manager by double-clicking the desktop shortcut.

  2. At the main screen, select Activate License.

    DxConfiguration Manager license management screen

    a. In the License Management window, enter the DxPlus license key (including dashes) in the license code box, check the Accept EULA box, and select Activate.

    b. After the server successfully activates, close the License Management window to return to the main menu.

  3. Select Set Passkey to open the Passkey Management window.

    Enter a cluster passkey

    a. Enter a passkey for the group and select Submit.

    b. After the passkey is successfully set, select OK to return to the main menu.

  4. OPTIONAL: Prepare the server so that other members can join the group from outside the local network.

    DxPlus can utilize NAT Matchmaking Service to easily connect servers across the internet. If joining agents together using a local network, then skip to step 4 below.

    a. Click Manage OTPK to set a One-Time PassKey for the group that can be used by other servers to join the group via NAT.

    OTPK Management Window

    b. Select New, and a window will appear for setting the expiration time of the OTPK.

    Set the OTPK for the cluster

    c. Choose a time and date for expiration (or leave the default), then select Set to generate the OTPK and close the window.

    d. Save the OTPK for later so it can be used to join additional servers to the group.

Configure Additional Members​

  1. Complete all of the steps in the Installation section above.

  2. Start DxConfiguration Manager by double-clicking the desktop shortcut.

  3. Activate the server using the instructions from step 2 of the previous section.

  4. At the DxConfiguration Manager main menu, select Join Membership.

    Join the VMs into a cluster using membership management

    NAT Joins​

    a. Select the Join via NAT Match Agent checkbox.

    b. Leave the Target Member field with the default value of match.dh2i.com.

    c. In the Pass Key field, paste (or type) the OTPK.

    d. Select OK to join the group via NAT across the internet.

    Local Joins​

    a. In the Target Member field, enter the IP address or hostname of the first server.

    b. In the Pass Key field, enter the group passkey.

    c. Select OK to join the group via the local network.

  5. Close the DxConfiguration Manager window.

Additional Information​