hw upgrade: from rp5470 (single server) to cluster

[Piergiacomo Perini]

Hi all,
we have this scenario:
rp5470 with 3 Cpu, 3GB ram and 400Gb on VIA7100, running app server and db server.

Now we have to upgrade this hw: in your opinion what are the new target servers, one for app and another for db?

i'm a newbie in this kind of task so, in order to use MC/ServiceGard, two new servers must be identical ? and more, what HP-UX version do you suggest? the new configuration must have (mandatory) external disks ?

(obviously we have to take care about $$$,
eh eh eh ;-)
)

thanx a lot in advance

[Leif Halvarsson_2 · Accepted solution]

Hi,
What is the reason for upgrading ? The rp5470 is not very old. Are you planning to use this existing server in a MC/SG solution and just buy another server for clustering. The cluster nodes need not necessary be identical but should of course be of about the same performance.

HP-UX 11i V2 has some improvements in with database performance so i think it is the right choice in your case.

A MC/SG solution need external disks.

[Steven E. Protter]

The servers need not be identical for SG, but it does simplify things.

I suggeset that you have 11i v1 as the OS and SG 11.16 as the application.

Patch as far as you can with the March 2004 quarterly and SG and LVM and IO patches.

SEP

[Piergiacomo Perini]

Leif,
good remark, but we (really our customer) want keep rp5470 for test enviroment.
At any rate , this is a good option.

Otherwise, what kind of new server do you suggest?
rp5470, If i "googlize" right, is a L family server.somenthing similar ?

thanx again

[Robert-Jan Goossens_1]

Hi,

MC/ServiceGard, two new servers must be identical ? Yes, but you could use partition software to create two nodes on one server.

If I look at your wish list :-)

one for app + one for db + MC/SG you will need at least 4 nodes, preferably not in one server for redundancy.

The L-class/RP54XX is a good server but has reached his sales date(still fully supported) think I would look at the RP4440 or if your apps and db support 11.iVersion2 the rx4640.

Hope this helps a bit.
Robert-Jan

[Wim Rombauts]

Do I understand this right : You currently have a rp5470 running your app + db.
Now you want to keep this server as test environment and need 2 new production servers to run the same app + db in a MC/SG configuration.

In that case, I recommend bying 2 rp3440 systems with 1 dual core CPU and 4GB RAM. They are cheaper than the rp4440 (keeping the budget in mind) and can each have 4 1GHz CPU's (2 dual core modules) in one system. So, one rp3440 outperforms your current rp5470. Even with only 1 dual core CPU module, the rp3440 is as fast as a 3-CPU rp5470.
In the MC/SG configuration, you could run the app-package on server1 and the db-package on server 2. Thus in normal situation, you have twice the resources available as you have now.
You could even think about bying 2 rp3410 systems (even cheaper than rp3410). They will do, but they are not that much upgradable if you need more resuorces later.

You need additional network cards for cluster heartbeats and so on. try bying combo cards (2xSCSI + 2x100Mb ethernet or 1xFC + 1xGb etheret). It saves space.

[Piergiacomo Perini]

I have to say many thanx to all guys
(Leif , Steven, Robert-Jan, Wim).

Wim, last question about your "proposal":
what kind of external storage do you suggest (for me this is the problem, uhm...not a problem but a $$$$ issue) ?

thanx again
pg

[Piergiacomo Perini]

extra :
and what kind of OS .. i mean
foundation OE
enterprise OE
mission critical OE

?

thanx
pg

[Piergiacomo Perini]

thanx to all!!!
pg