Installing Double-Take Availability automatically

The Double-Take Availability installation program can accept command-line parameters which allow you to automate the installation or upgrade process by running an unattended, or silent, installation. The automatic process allows you to pass parameters through to the installation program instead of entering information manually during the installation or upgrade.

Since the automated process does not prompt for settings, the settings are manually defined in a configuration file called DTSetup.ini. By default, DTSetup.ini contains two sections. The second section can be duplicated as many times as necessary. The first section, [Config], applies to any server not defined in the second (or duplicate of second) sections. The second (or duplicate of second) section, [MachineName], allows you to specify unique settings for individual servers. You have to modify the heading name (case-sensitive) to identify the server.

Sample DTSetup.ini

[Config]

DTSETUPTYPE=DTNT

DTACTIVATIONCODE=123456789012345678901234

DOUBLETAKEFOLDER="C:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take"

QMEMORYBUFFERMAX=128

DISKQUEUEFOLDER="C:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take"

DISKQUEUEMAXSIZE=UNLIMITED

DISKFREESPACEMIN=50

DTSERVICESTARTUP=1

PORT=6320

SET_FWPORT=Y

[Alpha]

DTSETUPTYPE=DTNT

DTACTIVATIONCODE=123456789012345678901234

DOUBLETAKEFOLDER="C:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take"

QMEMORYBUFFERMAX=128

DISKQUEUEFOLDER="C:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take"

DISKQUEUEMAXSIZE=UNLIMITED

DISKFREESPACEMIN=50

DTSERVICESTARTUP=1

PORT=6320

SET_FWPORT=Y

[Beta]

DTSETUPTYPE=DTNT

DTACTIVATIONCODE=123456789012345678901234

DOUBLETAKEFOLDER="C:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take"

QMEMORYBUFFERMAX=128

DISKQUEUEFOLDER="C:\Program Files\Double-Take Software\Double-Take"

DISKQUEUEMAXSIZE=UNLIMITED

DISKFREESPACEMIN=50

DTSERVICESTARTUP=1

PORT=6320

SET_FWPORT=Y

In the sample DTSetup file, the server Alpha would use the parameters defined under the [Alpha] heading. The server Beta would use the parameters defined under the [Beta] heading. All other servers would use the configuration under the [Config] section.

Note:

Do not leave any parameter blank in the Config or MachineName sections. Otherwise, a hard-coded default stored in a Double-Take Availability .dll file will be used.

Review the following table to understand the different parameters available in DTSetup.ini.

Parameter	Valid Values
DTSetupType	DTNT—Both the Double-Take Availability server and client components will be installed. DTCO—Only the Double-Take Availability client components will be installed. DTSO—Only the Double-Take Availability server components will be installed.
DTActivationCode	A 24 character, alpha-numeric activation code which applies the appropriate license to the server. Multiple activation codes can be separated by a semi-colon.
DoubleTakeFolder	Any valid path specifying the location of the Double-Take Availability files
QMemoryBufferMax	Any integer representing the amount of system memory, in MB, to use for memory-based queuing
DiskQueueFolder	Any valid path to the location of the disk-based queue.
DiskQueueMaxSize	Any integer representing the amount of disk space, in MB, to use for disk-based queuing or the keyword UNLIMITED which will allow the queue usage to automatically expand whenever the available disk space expands
DiskFreeSpaceMin	Any integer representing the amount of disk space, in MB, that must remain free at all times
DTServiceStartup	Y or 1—Start the Double-Take service automatically N or 0—Do not start the Double-Take service automatically This parameter is not applied if your DTSetupType is DTCO.
Port	Any integer between 1024 and 65535 that identifies the Windows Firewall port used for Double-Take Availability.
Set_FWPORT	Y or 1—Set the Windows Firewall port for Double-Take Availability N or 0—Do not set the Windows Firewall port for Double-Take Availability

Installing or upgrading automatically to a local machine

Create a temporary directory on the server. For example, create c:\dtinstall.
On the CD, locate the files in a subdirectory under \setup\dtsw that is appropriate for your architecture, either i386, x64, or IA64. Copy the files from that subdirectory to the temporary directory.
From a command prompt, remove the read-only attributes from the files in the temporary directory by using the command attrib *.* -r.
Make a backup copy of the default DTSetup.ini file in the temporary directory.
Edit DTSetup.ini as needed using the values described in the previous table.
Determine the exact file name of your setup file by using the command dir setup*.* from the temporary directory command prompt. Depending on how you received your software (CD or web), your setup file name will be named setup.exe or setup_xxxx.exe where xxxx is four numbers that specify the build number. For example, your setup file might be called setup.exe or setup_1352.exe.
Run one of the following case-sensitive commands from the temporary directory, depending on if you have setup.exe or setup_xxxx.exe where xxxx is a four digit build number.

setup /s /v"DTSETUPINI=\"c:\dtinstall\DTSetup.ini\" /qn"

setup_xxxx /s /v"DTSETUPINI=\"c:\dtinstall\DTSetup.ini\" /qn"

Note:

The command must be run from the directory where the temporary files are located as well as specifying that directory for the .ini file.

Spacing is critical with this command. A space should precede /s, /v, and /qn but should not appear anywhere else for the command to work correctly.

Installing or upgrading automatically to a remote machine

Create a temporary directory on the primary site server. For example, create z:\dtinstall.
Share the temporary folder.
On the CD, locate the files in a subdirectory under \setup\dtsw that is appropriate for your architecture, either i386, x64, or IA64. Copy the files from that subdirectory to the temporary directory.
From a command prompt, remove the read-only attributes from the files in the temporary directory by using the command attrib *.* -r.
Make a backup copy of the default DTSetup.ini file in the shared folder.
Edit DTSetup.ini as needed using the values described in the previous tables.
From each server where you want to install Double-Take Availability, map a drive to the temporary directory that you created in step 1. For example, you might map your m: drive to the share.
Determine the exact file name of your setup file by using the command dir setup*.* from the mapped drive command prompt. Depending on how you received your software (CD or web), your setup file name will be named setup.exe or setup_xxxx.exe where xxxx is four numbers that specify the build number. For example, your setup file might be called setup.exe or setup_1352.exe.
Run one of the following case-sensitive commands from the mapped drive, depending on if you have setup.exe or setup_xxxx.exe where xxxx is a four digit build number.

setup /s /v"DTSETUPINI=\"m:\DTSetup.ini\" /qn"

setup_xxxx /s /v"DTSETUPINI=\"m:\DTSetup.ini\" /qn"

Note:

The command must be run from the shared folder as well as specifying that directory for the .ini file.

Substitute your mapped drive for m:\.

Spacing is critical with this command. A space should precede /s, /v, and /qn but should not appear anywhere else for the command to work correctly.

C:\>net use m: \\server_name\share

The command completed successfully

C:\>M:

M:\>setup_1352 /s /v"DTSETUPINI=\"m:\DTSetup.ini\" /qn"