topic Re: disk storage? in Operating System - HP-UX

disk storage?

Dmitry Melekhov_2 — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 10:11:27 GMT

Hello!

I have following problem:
I need to choose disk storage for
production R/3 server.
I want to have ability to connect disk
storage to test server in case of production
server death and start R/3 to contionue work.
Production server will be L3000.
Which choise is better- SC10 with software mirroring, pci scsi controller (btw, is it possible to boot server from 4Si? ) or disk array?
btw, is it possible to change dead hdd in case
of software mirroring without server reboot?

Re: disk storage?

Bill McNAMARA_1 — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 10:27:37 GMT

replacing disk in SC10 online.. no problem.
vgcfgrestore and vgsync to recreate as normal

Booting off Disk Array.. supported on just about every type.

4Si card? not sure.

Later,
Bill

Re: disk storage?

KapilRaj — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 10:37:25 GMT

Multiple machines y not FC 60 ?

SC10 with software mirroeing here some disadvantages,

01. High CPU / IO utilisation .
02. vgcfgrestore is recomended to be performed on an inactive vg (So high machine down time).

Let our HP BOX not worried abt disks and reduntancy , let's give it to FC60. so we can better utilize our BOX for our jobs

kaps

Re: disk storage?

Dmitry Melekhov_1 — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 15:08:54 GMT

OK. I understand. Disk array is better.
But is it possible to boot from disk
array without having local hdds?
Which array is better- FC60 or 12H.

Re: disk storage?

Patrick Wallek — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 15:14:55 GMT

I would not recommend booting from the disk array. I prefer local hdd's for boot disks. If you have your boot disk on the array, and something happens to the array, then your whole system goes down. If you have your boot disks as local hdd and something happens to the array, then your system is still up and you have tools available to help you diagnose the problem with the array. I would recommend having a couple of 36GB drives mirrored to each other as your boot drives.

As far as an array goes, I would recommend the FC60 over the 12H. I think the FC60 will give you much better performance than the 12H.

Re: disk storage?

Dmitry Melekhov_1 — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 15:31:03 GMT

But if I will have local drives, with software
mirror, how about performance? I'll need to
have swap on local disks, imho.
btw, if we'll buy FC60 is it possible
to connect to servers to one array and
use some disks for one server and some
for another? But this will create one
point of failure- disk array controller?
Sorry for such question, but I still want recommendation for how to have production
server with disk subsystem which I can
connect to another (test) server if
production server will fail.
Is there any problems with such configuration-
each server with local software mirrored
drives with OS and one disk array
with separate disk space for each server
for data and application binaries?

Re: disk storage?

Philip P. Hartl — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 16:05:01 GMT

If your budget can afford it, I would go with MC/Service Guard. This will allow what you are looking for by dual cabling the disks plus automate the failover process. In my experience the failover is so transparent I needed to script a message notifying root when it happened.

Re: disk storage?

Dmitry Melekhov_1 — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 16:14:22 GMT

:( I have no money for HA solution.
But I can install two servers- one
for R/3 productive system, one for
test. Developemnt will be on Linux.
May be in future I'll can to make
test server 2-node of cluster, but not
now.

Re: disk storage?

KapilRaj — Sat, 30 Jun 2001 03:30:41 GMT

hi,

from asia pacific so could'nt participate yesterday.

FC 60 has two controllers so no single point failure. You can have dual controllers at the host side so no BUS failure.

I don't think local OS mirror will impact on performance. Writes /Reads are comparatively less in OS area when you talk about and R/3 Production server.

You can add swap in FC60 also.

If your budjet does not allow you to gofor FC go for AutoRAID that's also good. It has all the characteristics of an FC60 except , Fiber channels, Max. Capacity accomadated, Number of channels etc...

NB: Does it worth a couple of points ?. hope you know the system

Good luck,

kaps

Re: disk storage?

Dmitry Melekhov_2 — Sat, 30 Jun 2001 13:35:27 GMT

Thanks to all!
I never thinked about points seriously ;)
OK.
I want to know following:
1. FC60 or 12H contain to controllers.
Does it mean that I can use separate controller
for each from two servers?
And what I exactly need to do for moving
disks from one server to another?
2. Any comments about 4Si, comapring with 12H