SG 11.18 + APA

[Delcho Tuhchiev]

Hi,

I've plan to create a two node cluster with SG 11.18 and APA(I will use PAgP or LACP for agrregation). My question is what is the best way to combine my interfaces? So I've 5 LAN interfaces on each node (1 Core LAN and 2 LAN card with 2 ports each ). What is the best practices in that case?

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

SG 11.18 dropped the LAN fail over option in favor of bonding. If my facts are correct.

I would combine NIC cards/ports of similar speed and capability.

I would reserve the Core LAN to a separate heartbeat network. It is important to have a heartbeat for SG that is not on the corporate LAN and therefore vulnerable to collisions and traffic issues.

I would borrow an old Cisco switch or use a crossover cable for heartbeat.

I would then combine one port from each NIC into a APA NIC, twice. This best protects you from a hardware failure. If you lose a hole LAN card, which can happen, APA keeps you up and running.

You may get other ideas but that is how I'd do it.

SEP

[Delcho Tuhchiev]

Hi,
I'm considering the following:
1. Create one aggregate with 2 ports from different NICs (lets assume lan900) and use it for "data&heartbeat"
2. Create a second aggregate again 2 ports from different NICs (assume lan901) and use it as "dedicated heartbeat (as you mentioned heartbeat is very important and in that case it will be double ensured)
3.Configuring Core lan as "standby lan" for data&heartbeat interface lan900 (here I hope that I will not have to use it often)

What do you think about this configuration?

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

I think your approach will work.

This is a high availability setup.

Note on heartbeats. More heartbeats are better

In my configuration you could have up to three heartbeats, though two of them would be on the Corporate LAN and vulnerable to congestion failures.

Heartbeat is important because if you lose heartbeat, one of our SG nodes is going to do a TOC, Transfer of Control. Which is a very hard crash.

I like your plan. I think it will work.

SEP

[John Bigg]

> SG 11.18 dropped the LAN fail over option in favor of bonding. If my facts are correct.

This is incorrect. I think you are mixing up Serviceguard Linux with Serviceguard HP-UX. Bonding is the equivalent of APA on Linux and is the only option available.

On HP-UX you can use local lan failover instead of APA, so you could setup 3 separate subnets, running heartbeat over each, 2 having standby lans and the other not. I'd use a crossover cable for the 2 core lans for a dedicated hearbeat and then use the 2 other lan cards to back each other up.

As far as I am aware there is no plan to obsolete standby lan functionality on HP-UX.

[Delcho Tuhchiev]

Thanks for replys guys!

Cheers,

Delcho