Clustering over the network.

[Sathyaswarupa]

Can anyone help me with the procedures to create a cluster over the network with two alpha systems?

[John Abbott_2]

Greetings! It would help if you could let people draw a picture in their mind by providing the following;

Is this existing running hardware ?
VMS versions
Alpha hardware being used
Network interfaces in the box
local or shared disk storage ? (SCSI, FC, etc)
Do the systems share a system disk ?
How far apart are they (feet or miles) ?
A >>> SHOW CONFIG & >>> SHOW DEV would help too.

HP OVMS Documention set for recent os
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/os82_index.html

Best Regards,
John.

[John Abbott_2]

I recommend reading "Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations" it's very good. You will also need a software license key for clustering.

[Sathyaswarupa]

Hi John,

What i've is two alpha DS 20 boxes. I'm pretty new to clustering so please help me to begin from the scratch. These two boxes are inthe same room ten ft. apart.

The version of the VMS is 7.3. 512MB ram each. I want to share the same system disk.

Regards,
Ajish

[John Abbott_2]

OK so they're fairly recent systems. Please provide the output from my 1st post;

>>> SHOW CONFIG
>>> SHOW DEV

You may already have this output. if not, this needs to be done from the system console with the system down. Failing that, with the system up,

$ ANAL/SYS
SDA> CLUE CONFIG

Thanks
John.

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Hi,

For LAN-Based clusters, see:
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/6318/6318pro_004.html#config_guide_lan_h

Since you do not mention shared storage for the 2 boxes, one of them must be a satellite of the other. To configure this, see:
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/4477/4477pro_013.html#build_cluster
and
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/4477/4477pro_017.html#general_sat_booting

Regards,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[comarow]

You don't say if they share a system disk.

Your configuration would help.

All nodes must have nisc_load_pea0 1
vaxcluster 2
cluster_authorization.dat must have the same
group number and password. This is done in sysman
config set cluster/group=/pass=
or during
Now, network connectivity is critical.
While tcpip or DECNET can accept a degrade in performance, clustering will not. It is recommended you have a separate LAN for clustering.

What kind of network? Gigabit?

[Andy Bustamante]

If you want to share the same system disk you need either shared storage, fibre channel is the way to go now or use one Alpha as a disk server and other as a satellite. The satellite will use the network for all disk access, which may create a possible bottleneck. It also makes the satellite useless if the other node fails.

Also, I'd consider at least 2 redundant network segments. With only two Alphas, you can use a cross over cable between two interfaces.

You'll also need to have clustering licenses available.

Welcome to the VMS forum.

Andy

[comarow]

I misread your original reply. Do they both have access to the system disk?
SCSI or SAN?

You run cluster config and add a root for each node?

If they boot like a satelite let us know.

[Steven Schweda]

> It is recommended you have a separate LAN
> for clustering.

Of course, local-area VAX clusters were
developed using 10Mb/s Ethernet, often with
only one NI card per system, so a slow
network is not a guarantee of failure.

More and better hardware usually improves
speed, but it may not always be needed.

[vaxdecman]

Basically, you run the command file,
$ @sys$update:cluster_config.com

Where the $ sign is the VMS command prompt. You must have a different VMSCluster License registered on each node to cluster them.

The Cluster_config command file steps you through what kind of cluster you are making:
a LAVC (Local Area VMS Cluster, thatis over Ethernet
or a DSSI Cluster
or a CI Cluster
or a SCSI Cluster
or a Memory Channel
or whatever.

You also need to setup a Quorum Disk and sysgen parameters. The VMS System Management documentation should be read in detail and it may take a few tries before you get it right.

You also may have to change some sysgen parameters in the sys$system:modparams.dat file. Especially important are the SCSsystemID, scsnodename, alloclass, and diskquorum parameters. This is all spelled out in the manuals. They should be available on the web if you don't have the hardcopies.

In the case of DSSI clusters, you have to setup allocation classes.

There's a lot of details to setting up clusters but if you follow the manuals, you can get it to work.

VAXDECman