Novell Cluster Services v1.01 for NetWare 5.1

In-Depth Information

Novell Cluster Services™ v1.01 is also available for NetWare® 5. You can learn more about this product by viewing the Novell Cluster Services v1.01 for NetWare 5 product description.

Novell Cluster Services v1.01 for NetWare 5.1 is software that permits you to combine a number of individual network servers into a cluster, thereby providing users with virtually uninterrupted access to their critical network resources such as data, applications, server licenses, and other services. If one network server (cluster node) in the cluster happens to fail, another will automatically take over the resources and services it provided.

Novell Cluster Services promises higher levels of availability than other Intel-based clustering systems: you can provide true multi-node clustering with support for up to 32 server nodes in a cluster. In addition, Novell Cluster Services does not require any proprietary hardware: you can install it on off-the-shelf Intel architecture systems.

Benefits

Ensure distributed failover, even during multi-node failure
Provide transparent client reconnect
Eliminate downtime for server maintenance
Dynamically add new nodes
Migrate trustee rights automatically
Ensure immediate split-brain detection and recovery
Prevent volume-mounting problems
Support DHCP and FTP failover
Experience the benefits of SANs
Enjoy single-point administration
Support multiple languages

Ensure Distributed Failover, Even During Multi-Node Failure

With Novell Cluster Services you can provide distributed failover: applications and services can be distributed to multiple surviving servers to prevent an overload of any single cluster node. Multi-node failover support allows users continued access to their resources, even in the event of major failures where more than one node in the cluster goes down. With Novell Cluster Services you can cluster up to 32 active NetWare 5.1 servers. If one or more of the cluster nodes fail, any surviving nodes in the cluster can take over for those that failed. In clusters that utilize shared disk storage systems, the surviving cluster nodes will remount the failed nodes' volumes and activate any cluster resources the failed nodes provided, such as server-based applications.

Provide Transparent Client Reconnect

Using Novell Cluster Services and IP, you can automatically and transparently reconnect clients from a failed cluster node to a surviving one. Users' drive mappings are preserved when their volumes are remounted on a surviving server. Additionally, many server-based applications can be configured so that when a cluster-node failure occurs, transactions will proceed uninterrupted by the failure and unnoticed by the user.

Eliminate Downtime for Server Maintenance

With Novell Cluster Services you can provide users with access to the network resources provided by a cluster, even during routine maintenance shutdowns of individual NetWare servers within the cluster. Before shutting down a server for maintenance, you can migrate that server's resources to another NetWare server in the cluster. As a result, users will experience minimal interruption in access to or service from the network resources provided by the cluster.

Dynamically Add New Nodes

When you need to add a new node to the cluster, you can add it without having to shut down other cluster nodes or adjust running cluster resource configurations. This further ensures continuous server availability during significant maintenance.

Migrate Trustee Rights Automatically

When a cluster node takes over cluster resources from a failed node, the TRUSTMIG NetWare Loadable Module™ (NLM™) migrates the Novell eDirectory trustee rights associated with the failed node's cluster-enabled volume to the surviving cluster node that will remount that volume. This allows users continued access to the data and services provided to them by their trustee rights.

Ensure Immediate Split-Brain Detection and Recovery

Split-brain detection avoids data corruption by preventing multiple network servers in a cluster from trying to mount and access the same volume of a failed node. It works even when local area network (LAN) failures prevent clustered nodes from communicating with each other. In such instances, Novell Cluster Services utilizes its Cluster Interconnect Protocol (CIP) to verify the actual status of each node in the cluster.

Prevent Volume-Mounting Problems

When volumes are added to the cluster, all servers in the cluster can see and use them. If a volume mount fails, Novell Cluster Services will scan for new partitions and retry the volume- mount operation. Cluster resources in Novell Cluster Services v 1.01 are better integrated with Novell Storage Services™ (NSS) volume state and reflect both manual operations applied to volumes (for example, dismounting a mounted volume) and I/O failures that cause volumes to be shut down in the corresponding cluster resource's state. Novell Cluster Services v1.01 also provides better volume mount and dismount control to prevent accidental manual mounting of a volume on mulitple cluster nodes.

Support DHCP and FTP Failover

Automatic updates of eDirectory-held Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) configurations allow DHCP services to failover to any node in a cluster while maintaining client-held IP address leases. Novell Cluster Services also supports both active/passive and active/active File Transfer Protocol (FTP) service failover.

Experience the Benefits of SANs

The combination of Novell Cluster Services and Storage Area Networks (SANs) presents an attractive solution to organizations that need constant access to their network service and data resources. A SAN is a dedicated collection of data storage devices that can be shared by network servers connected through hubs or switches using either fiber channel technology or shared Small Computer System Interface (SCSI). In a typical Novell Cluster Services configuration, clustered nodes share the data resources of a SAN or other type of shared disk system so that if one node in the cluster fails, the services and data it provided will be seamlessly handled by another node in the cluster.

Enjoy Single Point of Administration

Novell Cluster Services leverages the power of eDirectory, taking advantage of its single-point-of- administration capabilities. Cluster resource information, protocols, and polices are maintained in eDirectory cluster containers and objects and can be managed through ConsoleOne, Novell's Java-based management tool.

The Novell Cluster Services installation programs run from a client workstation that automatically deploys the Novell Cluster Services software to all network servers targeted to become nodes in the cluster. You no longer have to physically go to each network server in the cluster to install the software.

Support Multiple Languages

Novell Cluster Services v1.01 for NetWare 5.1 is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.