Compaq ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 Administrator Guide

Overview of the ProLiant Cluster HA/F500
ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 for MA8000 Administrator Guide 1-3
COMPAQ CONFIDENTIAL
Writer: Woody Jernigan File Name: b-ch1
Codename: Chargers Part Number: 355220-006 Last Saved On: 7/26/02 2:46 PM
ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 Configurations
The ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 configurations can involve either hubs or switches.
The following text is divided into two sections: a discussion of configurations using
hubs, followed by a discussion of configurations using switches.
The ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 configurations support both Fibre Channel hubs and
Fibre Channel switches with the Array Controller Software (ACS) version 8.6.
ACS 8.7 will only support Fibre Channel switches.
The ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 supports Disaster Tolerant (DT) configurations. Refer
to the Compaq StorageWorks website for DT ordering and configuration information
at
www.compaq.com/highavailability.
ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 Configurations with Hubs
The ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 can be set up in a number of different configurations
involving servers, hubs, and storage subsystems connected through a Fibre Channel
Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL).
• The basic configuration is a cluster with a single host bus adapter in each server,
one hub, and one or two storage controllers. The enhanced configuration is a
cluster with two host bus adapters in each server, two hubs, and two storage
controllers, giving it increased availability over the basic configurations.
• Additionally, two clusters can be configured to use the same storage subsystems.
In any cluster, a maximum of two storage controller pairs can be connected to a
single loop. This limitation dictates how many storage subsystems can be used in the
cluster (a maximum of two storage subsystems).
The servers in a ProLiant Cluster HA/F500 are also connected to a local area network
(LAN), usually referred to as the client LAN, through which users access the cluster.
There is also an interconnect connecting the two servers, frequently referred to as the
cluster interconnect. The cluster interconnect allows the two servers to communicate
without the delay potentials inherent on the client LAN. Because the client LAN and
the cluster interconnect have similar configurations, they are not mentioned any
further when discussing the different configurations in the following sections.