Technical data

7
Using GS80, GS160, or GS320 Hard
Partitions in a TruCluster Server
Configuration
This chapter contains information about using AlphaServer GS80/160/320
hard partitions in a TruCluster Server Version 5.1A configuration with
Tru64 UNIX Version 5.1A. The chapter discusses the following topics:
• An overview of the use of hard partitions in an AlphaServer GS80,
GS160, or GS320 TruCluster Server configuration (Section 7.1).
• The hardware requirements for using an AlphaServer GS80, GS160, or
GS320 hard partition in a cluster (Section 7.2).
• How to reconfigure a single partition AlphaServer GS80, GS160, or
GS320 as multiple hard partitions in a TruCluster Server configuration
(Section 7.3).
• How to determine an AlphaServer GS80, GS160, or GS320 system
configuration (Section 7.4).
• How to update AlphaServer GS80, GS160, or GS320 firmware
(Section 7.5).
7.1 Overview
An AlphaServer GS80/160/320 system provides the capability to define
individual subsets of the system’s computing resources. Each subset is
capable of running an operating system.
The Tru64 UNIX Version 5.1A operating system supports hard partitions,
which are partitions that are defined by a quad building block (QBB)
boundary. All the CPUs, memory, and I/O resources in a QBB are part of
a hard partition; you cannot split the components across multiple hard
partitions, and resources cannot be shared between hard partitions. A
partition can include multiple QBBs.
The TruCluster Server Version 5.1A product supports the use of AlphaServer
GS80/160/320 hard partitions as a cluster member system. You can
compose a cluster entirely of the partitions on a system, or of AlphaServer
GS80/160/320 partitions and other AlphaServer systems. You can view an
AlphaServer GS80/160/320 hard partition as a separate, standalone system.
Using GS80, GS160, or GS320 Hard Partitions in a TruCluster Server Configuration 7–1