14.5 Mixed Physical and Virtual Node Clusters

This is a temporary scenario that is used for upgrading cluster nodes or converting clusters from physical to virtual cluster nodes.

This can be done through several different methods. One method is to add a virtual NetWare cluster node to an existing physical NetWare cluster. To do this, you install an OES 2 Linux (Xen) server (physical machine). You then create a NetWare virtual machine on the physical machine and install and configure Novell Cluster Services on the NetWare virtual machine. During the Novell Cluster Services installation, you add the NetWare virtual cluster node to your existing NetWare cluster (NetWare physical nodes).

You can then migrate the desired resources from NetWare physical cluster nodes to the NetWare virtual cluster node. This lets you offload resources from physical nodes so you can upgrade hardware and software and then replace the physical NetWare cluster nodes with virtual NetWare cluster nodes.

Figure 14-4 depicts how this setup might look.

Figure 14-4 Mixed Physical and Virtual Node Cluster

Another method is to install Novell Cluster Services on physical NetWare nodes and create a separate cluster for each node. You then install an OES 2 Linux (Xen) server (physical machine) and create NetWare virtual machines and install Novell Cluster Services on each virtual machine. You can then add one virtual NetWare cluster node to each cluster to create multiple two-node clusters, each containing one physical and one virtual cluster node.

This allows you to migrate the desired resources from each physical NetWare cluster node to the NetWare virtual cluster node in the same cluster. Using this setup, you offload resources from physical nodes so you can upgrade hardware and software and then replace the physical NetWare cluster nodes in each cluster with virtual NetWare cluster nodes.

Figure 14-5 depicts how this setup might look.

Figure 14-5 Separate Mixed Physical and Virtual Node Clusters