OpenVMS Cluster Support - VAX, Alpha and Integrity servers - the official statement

[Sue Skonetski]

From: Skonetski, Susan
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 1:38 PM
To: Skonetski, Susan
Subject: OpenVMS Cluster Support - VAX, Alpha and Integrity servers - the official statement


Dear Distribution lists,

The following information is useful for you and the soon to announced VMS on IPF you may communicate this within your companies as you see fit but as a favor could you not post it publically until after the announcment. Speaking of announcments you may also want to register for the announcment at http://h10054.www1.hp.com/ent_event/landing.html?jumpid=in_openvms

Warm Regards,,
Sue

-----Original Message-----
From: Schneider, Andy
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 9:39 AM
To: OpenVMS Systems Software Group
Subject: OpenVMS Cluster Support - VAX, Alpha and Integrity servers - the official statement

Now that OpenVMS V8.2 is almost out the door, it's important that everyone know what we're telling customers in terms of how VAX, Alpha and Integrity Server systems can play together within an OpenVMS cluster environment. Below are the first 2 items within the Configuration Rules section of the OpenVMS V8.2 SPD:

Mixed-architecture clusters are limited to two types of architecture-based configurations. The first is the long-standing VAX and Alpha mixed clusters. The second is a mixed Alpha and Integrity server cluster. These are fully supported configurations.
Support of a VAX server with an Integrity server system in a mixed-architecture cluster (with or without AlphaServers included) is not a formally supported configuration for production environments. This type of configuration, however, can be used temporarily as an interim step for the purposes of development and migration, as applications are moved from VAX to either an Alpha or Integrity server platform. Should a problem arise while using this type of configuration, the customer will be advised to either revert back to their VAX-Alpha cluster environment, or remove the VAX from the cluster that contains Integrity server systems.

There will be customers who choose to have a VAX (or two, or three…) in their clusters along with Integrity server systems, and they may run these for varying periods of time. So if you hear of this sort of configuration within a cluster, be aware that customers have been told that any problems that arise will result in the need to revert to one of the supported "architecture pairs" listed in the first bullet. Any customer that raises an issue with these stated configuration rules should be pointed directly to me.

Thanks much - andy

Andy Schneider
OpenVMS Business Management
- Clusters, Storage, Shadowing, Backup, File System
Hewlett-Packard Company
110 Spit Brook Road ZKO3-4/T61
Nashua, NH 03062
Phone 603-884-7435 FAX 603-884-2006
E-Mail Andy.Schneider@hp.com