Runtime cluster

The Boomi runtime cluster is a single-tenant, clustered runtime that allows for multiple runtime processes to run concurrently. It is the enterprise-grade version of a basic runtime that you can deploy across multiple servers to enhance load balancing and ensure high availability for mission-critical integration processes.

A runtime cluster consists of a grouping of nodes installed on multiple local machines. For example, users see only one basic runtime instance on the Boomi Enterprise Platform's Process Reporting and Runtime Management pages. However, if you enable the runtime cluster, it distributes processing across one or more physical machines.

The runtime cluster is best used in integrations that receive or generate a high volume of documents. Review the Flow Control step to configure multi-threading and processing within your Boomi process design.

This image graphically indicates the architecture described in the surrounding text.

What is clustering?

Like a basic runtime, a runtime cluster runs integration processes managed on the Boomi Enterprise Platform. The runtime cluster distributes these requests among all the machines that form the cluster. The results are balanced computational work among these different machines, which improves the overall performance of the cluster system.

A single node in the cluster is defined as the head node, and does the following:

Is elected from the remaining nodes in the network and can migrate between nodes ("failover support")
Retrieves messages from the platform
Schedules processes
Maintains the health of each node
Tends to send processes to other nodes for processing, because the head node takes care of the administrative tasks mentioned previously

This image graphically indicates clustering described in the surrounding text.

Do you need a runtime cluster?

Below are some general questions that you should consider before implementing a runtime cluster.

Are you satisfied with your local basic runtime's processing time and volume handling?

Depending on the count, size and variation of your document types, you may want to consider runtime cluster processing across multiple machines. Refer to the High Volume Troubleshooting topic to understand what might cause memory issues or slowness among your Boomi processes.

How much do you care if a process does not run due to a computer outage?

Runtime clusters support failover, so if one head node fails, another node attached to the runtime cluster can support the management, scheduling, and running of your processes.

Is this setup worth the extra configuration time, hardware allocation, and maintenance?

You enable basic runtime, runtime cluster, and cloud technology in a Boomi runtime cloud for production deployment. If you build integrations that do not require local resources behind your firewall, you can deploy these integrations in the cloud.