Red Hat CLUSTER SUITE - CONFIGURING AND MANAGING A CLUSTER 2006 Manual page 27

Chapter 2. Hardware Installation and Operating System Configuration
Warning
The minimum cluster configuration is not a supported solution and should not be used in
a production environment, as it does not ensure data integrity under all failure conditions.
Hardware
At least two server systems
One network interface card
(NIC) for each node
Network cables with RJ45
connectors
RAID storage enclosure
Two HD68 SCSI cables
Table 2-1. Example of Minimum Cluster Configuration
The minimum hardware configuration is a cost-effective cluster configuration for develop-
ment purposes; however, it contains components that can cause service outages if failed.
For example, if the RAID controller fails, then all cluster services become unavailable.
To improve availability, protect against component failure, and ensure data integrity under
all failure conditions, more hardware is required. Refer to Table 2-2.
Problem
Disk failure
RAID controller failure
Network interface failure
Power source failure
Machine failure
Description
Each system becomes a node exclusively for use in the
cluster; system hardware requirements are similar to that
of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.
One network interface connects to a hub or switch for
cluster connectivity.
Network cables connect to the network interface on each
node for client access and heartbeat packets.
The RAID storage enclosure contains one controller with
at least two host ports.
Each cable connects one host bus adapter to one port on
the RAID controller, creating two single-initiator SCSI
buses.
Solution
Hardware RAID to replicate data across multiple
disks
Dual RAID controllers to provide redundant
access to disk data
Ethernet channel bonding and failover
Redundant uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
systems
Power switches
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