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add 2 nodes to a exinsting cluster or create a new cluster

 
NDE_GSP
Frequent Visitor

add 2 nodes to a exinsting cluster or create a new cluster

Hi, 

I use a cluster of p4730 which is used to 80%

We bought another pair of p4730 and I don't know if I should add this two node to this cluster or if I should create a new cluster.

 

For the expand option, here is what I think about it: 

 

Better performance (more axes?)--> I'm not sure because its raid group are owned by new controllers...

More data space?-->no need if I have a new cluster limitation of the number of cluster in a management group? It is not a problem for the moment

I have no need to create network raid 10+2

 

I think if i create two cluster, I have less risks that I loss the two clusters nodes (I can make the node of a cluster in one p4730 cluster and the other in the second node. 

Create a new cluster will no make loss of performance that I could lose during the adding of the two nodes on the first cluster.

 

Could you help me to take the right decision?

 

Thank you.

 

PS : sorry for my English....

 

2 REPLIES 2
GlenRB
Advisor

Re: add 2 nodes to a exinsting cluster or create a new cluster

It would seem to me that if the nodes are identical - that is, they have the same speed disk and capacity, I would just create one four node cluster.  Each node added to the cluster increases performance.

 

I personnally don't see the need for createding two clusters in this case but I may be missing something. 

oikjn
Honored Contributor

Re: add 2 nodes to a exinsting cluster or create a new cluster

the only reason you would want to use 2x 2-node clusters instead of one 4-node cluster is if you require performance isolation between the data that you can't handle through other QoS methods.  Beyond that, if you setup the DSM correctly, you will get more storage and better overall performance from a 4-node cluster than from two 2-node ones. 

 

If you are so paranoid that you don't want to join the new nodes just because of "reliability" concerns, then I wouldn't even keep them in the same management group so you can do rolling upgrades and not risk a problem at the mgt group level causing an access problem (which really is the only SPOF a properlly setup configuration has).