topic Questions to QlikView Clustering in QlikView

Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:19:17 GMT

Hello Forum,

i want to add a new Server to my QlikView Environment and create a cluster.

I know i Need a clustering licence. i will buy an "Additional Enterprise Edition Server License".

Now i have some questions regarding the planning and Installation.

1) Do anyone has up to date documentation about Installation of Clusters

-> i checked the Help Site but there is not much information

2) Do i Need to install the Services in a Special order?

2.1) my plan is to install the first Server with the following services

- QlikView Server

- QlikView Distribution Service (Publisher)

- QlikView Web Server

- QlikView Directory Connector Service

- QlikView Management Service

2.2) then install the next Server with following services

- QlikView Server

- QlikView Web Server

- QlikView Directory Connector Service

2.3) given that Information. What will happen if..

2.3.1) one of the Server nodes will shut down?

2.3.2) one of the Clustered Services (QVWS, QVS, QDCS) will fail?

3) Any Recommendations?

Thanks in advance. Any help is appreciated.

Regards

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Daniele_Purrone — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 16:50:05 GMT

Hi!

1) I would still start by the dedicated page on the help site. QlikView clustering is actually not that complex to implement, and the page covers the basics

2) When you install QlikView on a node , the installer install the services in the correct order. It might be a good idea to install first the node where you have the Managament Service, but that's not strictly necessary

2.3.1) The services that exclusive to that node will not be available. So, if node 1 goes down you won't be able to access the QMC and tasks won't run.

2.3.2) you might might have a partially working environment, or not. The first issue would be with the webserver, and that depends on how users are accessing the system. Will there be a load balancer in front of the two webservers and will that be the point of access for the users? Will the loadbalancer check that the webservers are responding? As for the QVSes, it depends. A single QVS might be able to keep working when not much is happening, but it might fail if the load is high. So, if you plan to have clustering for resilience purposes you'll have to make sure that the system is properly dimensioned so that one node can handle all the weight, if necessary.

You might also want to read this to understand how load balancing in QlikView works: https://support.qlik.com/articles/000048280

I hope this helps!

Daniele

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 08:01:32 GMT

Thank you for your Response.

2.3.1) The services that exclusive to that node will not be available. So, if node 1 goes down you won't be able to access the QMC and tasks won't run.

-> That means if node1 goes down QDS and QMS are not availabe. But the users can still work? (open Access Point and open the user documents?)

-> There is no load balancer in front.

Option A:
As described above there are 2 QVWS that are pointing to one Access Point.
There should be reliability if one Service goes down. The Server specification are well defined. More Performance than actually needed so that should be good.

Option B:

What about Outsourcing the QVWS into a virtual machine and Forward the users to the Access Point. Is that possible? Do know if there are documents or any Information about that?

regards

tim

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Daniele_Purrone — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 12:31:26 GMT

-> That means if node1 goes down QDS and QMS are not availabe. But the users can still work? (open Access Point and open the user documents?)

They will be able to reach the access point and the document on the other node. If they'll be able to work, that depends on the load that that node will have. If it becomes overloaded, the performance will be degraded, and, eventually, users won't be able to work.

As for setting up an external QVWS, that's definitely a good option. You will have to install the service separately and then just add it as a webserver in the Management Console: https://help.qlik.com/en-US/qlikview/November2018/Subsystems/QMC/Content/QV_QMC/QMC_System_Setup_QlikViewWebServers.htm

You might also want to setup Access Point load balancing (i.e.: not just loadbalancing when opening a document, but also when opening the access point) according to this article: https://support.qlik.com/articles/000043753

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 12:37:04 GMT

Thank you very much for your help

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 12:44:04 GMT

on last Thing.

If i want to set up a virtual machine as webserver:

- do i Need an additional license?

- Any Experience Values how to size this Webservice VM?

Regards

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Daniele_Purrone — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 14:29:34 GMT

Thanks to you!
No additional license needed. As for the sizing, the Webserver doesn't require much usually. I would go with the basic system requirements and then go up if necessary. Make sure that the resources are statically assigned, and not on demand

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Brett_Bleess — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 21:06:13 GMT

One more key point here, you do NOT need another QlikView Server Enterprise License, what you need is to add an additional node to your current license, this will show up in the License Enabler File as the NUMBER_OF_CLUSTER_NODES option, and in your case there would be a 2 after that.

Regarding web server resources, generally, it somewhat depends upon how busy things will be, but for a small environment would probably recommend 4 cores and 8 gig and for a larger one 8 cores and 16 gig.

Regards,
Brett

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 06:09:09 GMT

thank you very much for that Information. i think that will be much cheaper than another Enterprise licence.

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 08:52:39 GMT

@Brett_Bleess & @Daniele_Purrone

Is there a predefined Appliance or VM-Image that i can use for outsourcing the web service.

Alternatively i would try to install that by myself on an VM.

thanks in advance.

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Brett_Bleess — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:56:02 GMT

Not of which I am aware, you would have to run the install on one of your VMHosts and then use that as a template etc. Shout if I missed something here, but I think this is what you wanted to know, we do not have any VM templates that we provide...

Cheers,
Brett

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 13:05:17 GMT

Hello there,

its finally time to migrate the System. Before i start i want to go safe about the following question:

What is Happening if my old Server (CAL XYZ) and the new one (CAL XYZ) are running simultaneously with the same licence?

-> do they try to Cluster?

-> is there a way that i can prevent that?

some more Background:

first i wanted to shut down the old Server.
Then install the 2 new ones (Node 1 and 2) to go safe that new and old will not Cluster.

i cannot do it like this cause of internal reasons.

Now i Need to migrate step by step while the old PROD Server is still active.

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Brett_Bleess — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 15:06:26 GMT

Hey Tim, what are you doing as far as your Root Folder and Folder Mounts in QVS? Those will need to be UNC paths with the cluster, and that poses a bit of a chicken and egg situation! 🙂 What I would probably do in this case is if you have your new folders all ready to go and the apps all copied over etc., switch the existing server to those folders, that will update the Settings.ini file etc. So if that works, then you can go ahead and do your install on your two new nodes and start things to be sure things look good, but be sure you stop the old QVS service at this point and use the existing QVS resource you already have configured in the QMC to point to the new servers by changing the existing QVP address on the General tab settings to one of the new nodes, and once that node is up, then you can add the other node. Oh, I forgot to ask if we modified your existing QVS license, or did we give you a new one, if we modified existing, check the license in QMC to be sure you see ClusterNodes and a 2 in the LEF. If that is good, then I think you are good with the above. Sorry this does not flow very well, have a read and shout back if anything is too confusing and I can try to clarify for you, but hopefully this makes sense.

Regards,
Brett

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 08:15:14 GMT

Thanks for your input.

Yes i have the UNC Path's ready.
I dont know if the LEF file is modified or not
- Here is the line for cluster nodes
  - NUMBER_OF_CLUSTER_NODES;1;;

the current server should be still alive as long i'm installing the new nodes that the users can still work.

After the installation of the two new nodes, i will shut down the current server and remove that one.

Is there a possibility that i give the current Server my TEST Server licence just to make sure there are no problems happening while installing?

regards

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Brett_Bleess — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 11:24:05 GMT

Hey Tim, ok, so the LEF you dropped shows you just have a single node on that license, that is not going to work for your new environment. If you did get a new license for that environment, then that would be good, as that means you can leave the old one running while you get the new environment up and running etc... You are looking for a 2 in the Number of Cluster Nodes line, that is what will allow you to properly configure things, so be sure you have that on the license you are going to use in the new environment, otherwise I would let Orders or your account manager know things are not right.

Since you do have a Test license, that should mimic prod as well, so if you have two nodes allowed in prod, I believe you should get nodes in Test as well, but I am not certain on that one, need to check with your account manager for sure there. I know the CALs should be a replica though, whatever you have in Prod, you should have exactly the same on your Test key...

The real trick is to not run the same license in more than one environment, that is how you avoid any issues, so as long as you keep that in mind, I think everything will be good, oh, well, one other thing would be to not have two different environments using the same file shares. I think the safe bet is to leave existing environment pointed where it is and have new environment use new shares, and you get the new all pointed to the right places etc., and then you should be good to go.

Where is your QMS and QDS/Publisher or Reload Engine running, is that moving as well, or are you just adding the two new QVS nodes and everything else stays where it is? If the latter, then things are pretty easy, when you shut down the old QVS and bring the new ones online, just modify the existing QVS resource in the QMC by changing the QVP service URL to point to one of the new servers and then add the second node via the green + button etc. Hopefully this is all making sense, but I think from what you have been saying you have a decent plan in place, shout if you have further questions.

Regards,
Brett

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 12:22:47 GMT

Thanks again for your input. Feeling much safer about it.

Just to make my plan clear:

Situation now:

Server 1: with all Services

Situation after migration:

Server 1: shut down and removed
Server 2: new server replacement for server 1 (all services)
Server 3: Node 1

Migration plan:

Server 1 is still running
Install Server 2 with same licence as Server 1 but different Root Folders (Server 1 Local & Server 2 UNC)
Add Server 3 as Node 1 in QMC
!! They will run simultaneously with the same licence until i'm finished with installation & configuration & adding all Jobs & testing
Shut Down Server 1

Options:

Option 1: Just do it

Option 2: Turn off Test Server and change the Server 1 CAL with TEST CAL (Server and Publisher)

-> that wouldnt Change the Access Point address so all users should be able to work.

>>> Are there functions disabled then?

>>> Are there User limits?

Option 3: Another Idea?

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Brett_Bleess — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 14:21:26 GMT

Hey Tim, I am a little confused! 🙂 What will Server 3 be running? I just want to be sure I am on the right page here. Given you are moving things from Server 1 to Server 2, you are likely going to want to migrate your QVPR, that way you will not have to setup your tasks and stuff again, but note, you want to leave the QDS folders with the same structure as you have on Server 1 currently, otherwise you will need to change those paths in the QVPR files directly versus using the QMC, as doing it in the QMC will cause new GUIDs to generate and break all your task links! 🙂 Just wanted to point that out, so you do not get burned on that one.

Before I say anything more, I want to know what is going to run on Server 3, so I do not confuse you further! 🙂

Server 2 is going to run QMS, QVS, QDS, DSC and QVWS?

Server 3 is going to run only QVS?

Do you have a Publisher license, or just Reload Engine?

Cheers,
Brett

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 07:33:04 GMT

yes i could migrate it from server 1 to server 2.
But i cannot migrate on a weekend and have to do it between Monday and friday.
Thats why i need to let both running simultaneously while i do the migration.

Yes i have Publisher Licence.

Server 3 is the node from Server 2.
Yes i think its only QVS but please correct me if i'm false.
QMC should be only available on Server 2.
QDS also cause i dont have this service clustered.
QVWS will be outsourced in a VM

My main question is still "Can i change the CAL from server to my test licence?".
Regards

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

Brett_Bleess — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:10:00 GMT

Tim, provided your Test license has the same CALs as Prod, you could use that in the new environment to check things out etc. prior to swapping out the actual production license, but the users will see the Test watermark on all the objects etc., just FYI. As long as they will not mind that, then I would say that is likely your best option here, as again, you do NOT want to run the same license key on two environments, as that is most likely going to cause one of them to go down for sure...

What I would really recommend here is you consider getting up with your account/services manager to see about potentially engaging with them to have them do a use case review etc. to be sure you are on the right track with everything, that way you will be sure the direction you are going is the best path forward for you guys.

Regards,
Brett

Re: Questions to QlikView Clustering

zhadrakas — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:15:49 GMT

Thank you. Thats exactly what i already did.
I told them what i want to do and it will work as intended.

i got a migration licence for that case. (didnt know that there is such a licence)
With that licence i have 30 days time to migrate and there is no risk that new and old environment will cluster cause now i have 2 different CAL's and 2 different Root Folders.