Failover connections

[JS999]

I already asked some related questions on this topic, but since I am unable to manually test out whether this works myself, I just need to ask NT exactly what is supposed to happen when a connection fails and goes to backup. I would like to know precisely what type of behavior to expect in that case.

I am using ZenFire with a backup IQFeed connection. I have a single connection set up, and have specified Zen-Fire as the primary,and IQFeed as the backup feed in that connection.

The scenario that I am trying to duplicate is the case where NT's historical data servers are down.

Am I correct in assuming that with my current setup, when that happens then the connection will automatically fail over to IQFeed for historical data and continue to use ZF for placing orders?

The other way I have of setting this up is to manually connect to ZF first, then to IQFeed as a second connection. In the case of NT's historical data servers going down in that case, would it also fail over seamlessly?

Since I can't test this out manually, I would like to know if my interpretation is correct.

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hello JS999,

Thank you for your post.

The fail over will occur only when you specify IQ Feed as the backup data feed for your Zen-Fire connection (see attached) and when you begin by connecting to both data feeds. (NT will not automatically connect IQ Feed if it finds Zen-Fire data unavailable)

[JS999]

Hello JS999,

Thank you for your post.

The fail over will occur only when you specify IQ Feed as the backup data feed for your Zen-Fire connection (see attached) and when you begin by connecting to both data feeds. (NT will not automatically connect IQ Feed if it finds Zen-Fire data unavailable)

Thanks for the response...

So, I currently have the connection set up as you showed in the picture. In addition, I also have a second connection set up where IQFeed is the primary feed and Zen-Fire is the secondary (backup) feed.

If I read you correctly, I should first connect with the ZF (primary) /IQFeed (backup) connection, and then also connect with the IQFeed (primary) / ZF (backup) connection... correct? Should I set up the second connection with only IQFeed and leave out ZF as the backup, or does it make a difference?

And assuming that I do all of the above, then when NT's data servers are down, I should automatically see a failover to IQfeed for historical data, correct?

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hi JS999,


1.) "If I read you correctly, I should first connect with the ZF (primary) /IQFeed (backup) connection, and then also connect with the IQFeed (primary) / ZF (backup) connection... correct?"

With your connections set as they are now, you'll simply need to connect first to Zen-Fire, then to IQ Feed. This will ensure that all real-time and historical data comes from Zen-Fire. If the connection to Zen-Fire is interrupted, NinjaTrader will fail-over to IQ Feed.


2.) "Should I set up the second connection with only IQFeed and leave out ZF as the backup, or does it make a difference?"

There's no need to create this secondary IQ Feed connection.

[JS999]

Hi JS999,


1.) "If I read you correctly, I should first connect with the ZF (primary) /IQFeed (backup) connection, and then also connect with the IQFeed (primary) / ZF (backup) connection... correct?"

With your connections set as they are now, you'll simply need to connect first to Zen-Fire, then to IQ Feed. This will ensure that all real-time and historical data comes from Zen-Fire. If the connection to Zen-Fire is interrupted, NinjaTrader will fail-over to IQ Feed.

When you say "connect first to Zen-Fire then to IQFeed", if this is happening through a single connection setup, then I assume what you really mean is:

1. Go to File.... Connect and start the connection in NinjaTrader
2. Start the IQFeed connection through the IQLink launcher, which is a separate program

I don't see how I can first "connect to ZF, then to IQFeed" if there is only one "connection" set up in NT. There is only an option to hit "connect" once. So you must mean what I specified in the steps above, correct?

2.) "Should I set up the second connection with only IQFeed and leave out ZF as the backup, or does it make a difference?"

There's no need to create this secondary IQ Feed connection.

Just out of curiousity (I asked this before), what is the point of having 2 separate connections then if we never need to use this functionality? Also, could having this second connection set up as I described cause any problems?

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hi JS999,

1.) What I mean is this:

1. Start NinjaTrader.
2. Connect to Zen-Fire (File > Connect > Zen-Fire)
3. After the connection to Zen-Fire is established, connect to IQ Feed. (File > Connect > IQ Feed)

2.) "Just out of curiousity (I asked this before), what is the point of having 2 separate connections then if we never need to use this functionality?"

If you do not intend to use the fail over, a secondary data connection may still be worth while. For instance, Zen-Fire provides data for futures instruments only. IQ Feed on the other hand offers data for a wide variety of instrument classes. So, if you used both connections, you could use the Zen-Fire feed for futures data and the IQ Feed for (as an example) index data.

3.) "Also, could having this second connection set up as I described cause any problems?"

I can foresee no negative impact.

[JS999]

Hi JS999,

1.) What I mean is this:

1. Start NinjaTrader.
2. Connect to Zen-Fire (File > Connect > Zen-Fire)
3. After the connection to Zen-Fire is established, connect to IQ Feed. (File > Connect > IQ Feed)

Thanks... this is the exact opposite of what I thought you meant. Will it work exactly the same if I just set up ZF as one connection (with no backup feed specified), and IQFeed as a second connection (also with no backup)? I'm trying to get a clear answer here: I know now that I need 2 separate connections, but do I need to specify a "backup" feed in the first connection and set the value of that dropdown to the second connection? And if not, then why is that dropdown there?

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hi JS999,

1.) " Will it work exactly the same if I just set up ZF as one connection (with no backup feed specified), and IQFeed as a second connection (also with no backup)?"

No, the backup connections need to be configured.

2.) "Do I need to specify a "backup" feed in the first connection and set the value of that dropdown to the second connection? And if not, then why is that dropdown there?"

You need to configure the backup option for both connections.

[JS999]

Hi JS999,

1.) " Will it work exactly the same if I just set up ZF as one connection (with no backup feed specified), and IQFeed as a second connection (also with no backup)?"

No, the backup connections need to be configured.

2.) "Do I need to specify a "backup" feed in the first connection and set the value of that dropdown to the second connection? And if not, then why is that dropdown there?"

You need to configure the backup option for both connections.

Thanks! I think that this is what I described back in post #3, which is why I found it confusing when you said that I needed to do something different. You guys should probably have some sort of documentation on this with a few screenshots, just to make it clear to people... it's not immediately intuitive, and it will be a question that comes up a fair bit, I suspect.

Thanks for the help!