Managing high-availability file servers

One or more non-transitory computer readable mediums having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when stored in memory and executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform a set of acts for implementing high-availability of at least two file servers in a clustered computing environment, the acts comprising:

• synchronizing two file servers implemented as virtual machines to maintain synchronized file system content, wherein the two file servers correspond to a first cluster in a first failure domain having a first file server and a second cluster in a second failure domain having a second file server, the first file server designated as a primary file server, wherein the primary file server is the first file server of the two file servers to receive file I/O requests, and the second file server operating in a replication mode to the primary file server;
• interfacing a file server witness in a third failure domain with the two file servers;
• monitoring the two file servers to determine a first status indicator indicating an unhealthy condition in the first file server;
• designating the second file server as the primary file server based at least in part on the first status indicator,
• halting the synchronizing of the two file servers;
• determining a second status indicator indicating that the previously unhealthy condition of the first file server has been remediated;
• and
• upon remediation of the unhealthy condition, resuming synchronizing the two file servers with the first file server operating in replication mode to the second file server, and the second file server remaining as the primary file server.

A system for implementing high-availability of at least two file servers in a clustered computing environment, the system comprising:

• one or more storage mediums having stored thereon a sequence of instructions;
• and
• one or more processors that execute the instructions to cause the processor to perform a set of acts, the acts comprising,
• synchronizing two file servers implemented as virtual machines to maintain synchronized file system content, wherein the two file servers correspond to a first cluster in a first failure domain having a first file server and a second cluster in a second failure domain having a second file server, the first file server designated as a primary file server, wherein the primary file server is the first file server of the two file servers to receive file I/O requests, and the second file server operating in a replication mode to the primary file server;
• interfacing a file server witness in a third failure domain with the two file servers;
• monitoring the two file servers to determine a first status indicator indicating an unhealthy condition in the first file server;
• designating the second file server as the primary file server based at least in part on the first status indicator;
• halting the synchronizing of the two file servers;
• determining a second status indicator indicating that the previously unhealthy condition of the first file server has been remediated;
• and
• upon remediation of the unhealthy condition, resuming synchronizing the two file servers with the first file server operating in replication mode to the second file server, and the second file server remaining as the primary file server.