topic Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation in Operating System - OpenVMS

OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

Scot Newton — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:36:28 GMT

I will be configuring a cluster under OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 in the near future. This will be a simple 2 node cluster with attached SAN. Where is the best place for concise cluster configuration documentation? This is one of those tasks that we seldom do, and as such, often need to "re-learn" every time we do it. Thanks much for any and all help.

Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

Robert Gezelter — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:29:25 GMT

Scot,

The 8.3-1H1 documentation set is available at http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/os83_index.html

The manual you want to review is the "Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations" (available in both PDF and HTML).

Presuming that you want things to be symmetric, and there are only two nodes, a quorum disk will be needed. A note of caution: check to make sure that your SAN controller is qualified for use in an OpenVMS cluster.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

John Gillings — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:58:56 GMT

Scot,

The trick to a reliable cluster is to make sure you have a completely defined cluster environment. There are many files, scattered all over the place, and, unfortunately, not very well documented.

The most complete documentation is in SYS$STARTUP:SYLOGICALS.TEMPLATE (thanks to Hoff!) I recommend defining EVERYTHING, even if you don't think you'll use the component.

Chances are if you're just two nodes, you'll be sharing a system disk, so most of your files will be "naturally" shared if you leave them in their default locations.

Even in the simple case, my preference is to move ALL the files onto another disk, as if you were configuring a multi system disk cluster. In SYLOGICALS.COM mount the configuration disk and execute SYLOGICALS.COM over there to define the entire environment.

Good luck!

Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

Scot Newton — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:17:13 GMT

Thanks very much for the pointers. The SAN controller should be OpenVMS-capable, as the order and tech-editing have been done thru HP. This turned out to be quite a lengthy process, I might add.

Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

Steve Reece_3 — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:51:33 GMT

>>>Thanks very much for the pointers. The SAN controller should be OpenVMS-capable, as the order and tech-editing have been done thru HP. This turned out to be quite a lengthy process, I might add.<<<

It's not unusual for the spec and ordering process to be quite protracted for a VMS system. If an Ambassador is involved then this can speed the process up significantly. If they're not and it's a marketing person that's asking for the specs, it can be really slow.

There are, however, exceptions to every generalization and some staff within HP are very good at turning the orders round PDQ.

Steve

Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

Hoff — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:42:55 GMT

I can deploy two to four custom server implementations per day with another (nameless) OS platform, while it can take me a day or two to deploy a single custom VMS box with an analogous configuration. The VMS configuration is a manual process, and the involvement of a SAN here adds additional complexity into the configuration and debug and test and deployment process.

Re: OpenVMS 8.3-1H1 cluster configuration documentation

Scot Newton — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:36:07 GMT

Thanks to all for the suggestions!