sharing resources?

[Ron Irving]

Ok...now that I've thought about it, here's the final edit of my 'question'.

We have 2 servers here. A D370, running 10.20 which is our main application server, and an E55, running 10.01. The E55 was our old app server, but now just sits there as an archive of our old app info. I was thinking of using the two of them together in some way.

My question? What would be the best way of utilizing this resource? Can the E55 be used as some sort of central storage server? Or, perhaps, can we 'cluster' these together? What would be my best angle of approach on this?

Thanks in advance for your time...

Ron Irving

[Ron Irving]

by the way, on the D370, we have 3 jamaica boxes attached, with 8 drives in each...the E55 has older HP6000 storage boxes attached, with 5 drives each...

ron

[linuxfan]

Hi Ron,

Yes you can use the E55 for central storage.

As far as clustering these machines is concerned, I don't believe MC-SG is supported for 10.01. Also AFAIK, HP doesn't support configurations with nodes running with different OSes except during rolling upgrades.

-Regards
I am RU

[Ravi_8]

Hi,
E55 doesn't support clustering,you can use it as store box

[melvyn burnard]

ServcieGuard IS supported (or was) on HP-UX 10.01, but you cannot have nodes on different OS other than 11.x.
If you were to use SG, then the E55 would need to go to 10.20 which is supported, and I would then suggest you would need otlook at the I/O availability on the E55, as it probably only has a 2 slot backplane.

[Ron Irving]

Thank you to all for your prompt replies. Points are forthcoming.

As to your answers, we are presently looking to MC SG as a possible solution. I understand that if we were to go that route, upgrading software would be preferable, (both machines to ver 11.0,) but what about hardware? Would we have to purchase identical drive cages, (jamaica boxes,) for the E55?

thank you again

ron irving

[linuxfan]

Hi Ron,

You should definitely check out "Managing MC-Service Guard" http://docs.hp.com/hpux/pdf/B3936-90024.pdf

Also i am not sure how your present configuration is on the D server(are the arrays daisy chained or are on different I/O paths?), For MC-SG you would definitely need shared resources(disk/lan/power). Check if you have enough I/O slots, consider inline terminators.
Here is another thread for MC-SG and JBODs
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,1150,0x00541012aa92d5118ff10090279cd0f9,00.html

-Regards
Ramesh

[melvyn burnard · Accepted solution]

Firstly, the E55 IS supported in a cluster!
Secondly, it will support HP-UX 11.00, but only 32 bit.
The Dclass will have either EISA or HSC cards, and the EISA cards have no available drivers on 64bit HP-UX 11.00, so you would not be able to use that either.
The next query is how are the discs connected on both nodes?
The E55 came standard with a 2slot backplane,m and you will need to ensure it has the 4slot upgrade at least. Then if the discs are SE (not F&W), you need two SE (28655B HP-PB ) cards for the Eclass, and two SE cards for the Dclass to give you the disc redundancy.
If you use F&W, then you will have no slots left for the lans for SG as the F&W cards for the E55 are full height, taking up 2 slots each. You need to plan this carefully.