Red Hat Cluster Configuration And Management Overview; Configuration Basics; Setting Up Hardware - Red Hat ENTERPRISE LINUX 5 - ADMINISTRATION Manual

Chapter 1.
Red Hat Cluster Configuration and
Management Overview
Red Hat Cluster allows you to connect a group of computers (called nodes or members) to work
together as a cluster. You can use Red Hat Cluster to suit your clustering needs (for example, setting
up a cluster for sharing files on a GFS file system or setting up service failover).

1.1. Configuration Basics

To set up a cluster, you must connect the nodes to certain cluster hardware and configure the
nodes into the cluster environment. This chapter provides an overview of cluster configuration and
management, and tools available for configuring and managing a Red Hat Cluster.
Configuring and managing a Red Hat Cluster consists of the following basic steps:
1. Setting up hardware. Refer to
2. Installing Red Hat Cluster software. Refer to
3. Configuring Red Hat Cluster Software. Refer to
Software".

1.1.1. Setting Up Hardware

Setting up hardware consists of connecting cluster nodes to other hardware required to run a Red
Hat Cluster. The amount and type of hardware varies according to the purpose and availability
requirements of the cluster. Typically, an enterprise-level cluster requires the following type of
Figure 1.1, "Red Hat Cluster Hardware
hardware (refer to
hardware and other cluster configuration concerns, refer to "Before Configuring a Red Hat Cluster" or
check with an authorized Red Hat representative.
• Cluster nodes — Computers that are capable of running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 software, with
at least 1GB of RAM.
• Ethernet switch or hub for public network — This is required for client access to the cluster.
• Ethernet switch or hub for private network — This is required for communication among the cluster
nodes and other cluster hardware such as network power switches and Fibre Channel switches.
• Network power switch — A network power switch is recommended to perform fencing in an
enterprise-level cluster.
• Fibre Channel switch — A Fibre Channel switch provides access to Fibre Channel storage. Other
options are available for storage according to the type of storage interface; for example, iSCSI or
GNBD. A Fibre Channel switch can be configured to perform fencing.
• Storage — Some type of storage is required for a cluster. The type required depends on the
purpose of the cluster.
Section 1.1.1, "Setting Up
Section 1.1.2, "Installing Red Hat Cluster
Section 1.1.3, "Configuring Red Hat Cluster
Hardware".
Overview").For considerations about
software".
1