Hp COMPAQ PROLIANT 6400R Supported Ethernet Interconnects for Compaq Parallel Database Clusters using Oracle Parallel Server
Technical Guide
April 1999
ECG062/0299
Prepared by High Availability Group
Compaq Computer Corporation
Contents
Introduction................................3
Communication points of
failure..........................................4
Supported Non-Fault
Tolerant Architectures ...............5
Supported Fault Tolerant
Architecture................................ 6
Teaming Configuration for
Higher Availability......................8
Hardware and Software
Requirements...........................8
Teaming Configuration of
Ethernet Interconnects for
Compaq Fast Ethernet NC
Series NIC cards......................... 9
Option 1. NIC Fault
Tolerance (NFT)
Configuration............................ 9
Option 2. Adaptive Load
Balancing (ALB)
Configuration............................ 9
Steps for Configuring NICs
Utilizing Teaming....................10
Verifying Client LAN and
Cluster Interconnect IP
Addresses ................................16
Supported Ethernet Interconnects for
Compaq Parallel Database Clusters
using Oracle Parallel Server
Abstract:
This Technical Guide reviews the supported Ethernet client LAN and
cluster interconnect options for the Compaq Parallel Database
Clusters for Oracle Parallel Server. Both redundant and nonredundant configurations are discussed. Hardware and software
requirements along with limitations are detailed. The recommended
cluster interconnect architecture is a fully redundant, and therefore
highly available configuration.
Supported Ethernet Interconnects for Compaq Parallel Database Clusters using Oracle Parallel Server 2
Notice
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The limited warranties for Compaq products are exclusively set forth in the documentation accompanying
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This publication does not constitute an endorsement of the product or products that were tested. The
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Copyright ©1999 Compaq Computer Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
First Edition (April 1999)
Document Number ECG062/0299
ECG062/0299
Supported Ethernet Interconnects for Compaq Parallel Database Clusters using Oracle Parallel Server 3
Introduction
This Technical Guide is intended to be a supplement to the Order and Configuration Guides,
Administrator Guides, and Certification Matrix for the Compaq Parallel Database Clusters for
Oracle Parallel Server (OPS). This Guide reviews the supported Ethernet architectures for the
client LAN and cluster interconnect (sometimes known as SAN) in an OPS environment. It does
not provide detailed cluster network configuration information, nor does it address the ServerNet
interconnect options available. Please refer to your Order and Configuration Guide and
Administrator Guide for the configuration and implementation of these architectures.
The client LAN and cluster interconnect used in a Compaq Parallel Database Cluster environment
can be a combination of redundant or non-redundant architectures. This document begins with a
brief discussion of the non-redundant architecture for both the client LAN and cluster
interconnect. Limitations and requirements are outlined.
Two options are detailed for implementation of fully redundant client LAN and cluster
interconnect connections - NIC Fault Tolerant (NFT) and Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB). The
ALB option is recommended for the best performance and availability of your cluster. Both
configurations are fully tested and supported. These architectures will be defined for hardware,
software and configuration requirements. These are the recommended configurations for the
Compaq Parallel Database Clusters for OPS.
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Supported Ethernet Interconnects for Compaq Parallel Database Clusters using Oracle Parallel Server 4
Communication points of failure
Several components make up the physical network of the client LAN and cluster interconnect
communication paths. The failure of any one of these components renders the entire path
inoperable. Unless redundancy has been designed into the communication paths, a component
failure can cause a complete disruption of access to certain cluster resources.
The following four hardware items are the primary points of possible failure.
• A port on a dual-ported network controller (LAN or cluster interconnect)
• An entire network controller (LAN, cluster interconnect or a combination of both)
• A network cable
• A port on a switch
• A switch
An integration of hardware and software technologies can create redundancy to maintain a robust
cluster, thus supplying defenses against points of failure in the architecture. This increases both
the resiliency of cluster communications, and the overall availability of cluster applications and
data. To protect against any communication disruption, Compaq highly recommends you
implement the fully redundant communications paths specified in this document. The following
are the redundancy characteristics of both the cluster interconnect and the client LAN connections
in the fully redundant configurations recommended in the following sections.
The cluster interconnect remains available if:
a network controller port used for the primary interconnect path fails.
a network controller used for the primary interconnect path fails.
the network cable(s) used for the primary interconnect path fails.
the port(s)on the switch used for the primary interconnect path fails.
the switch used for the primary interconnect path fails.
Point(s) of Failure: None, if all client connections to the cluster interconnect switch are
redundant.
The client LAN remains available if:
a network controller port used for the primary client LAN path fails.
a network controller used for the primary client LAN path fails.
the network cable(s) used for the primary client LAN path fails.
the port(s) on the switch used for the primary client LAN path fails.
the switch used for the primary interconnect path fails.
Point(s) of Failure: None, if all client connections to the client LAN switch are redundant.
ECG062/0299
Supported Ethernet Interconnects for Compaq Parallel Database Clusters using Oracle Parallel Server 5
Port-1
Supported Non-Fault Tolerant Architectures
A non-fault tolerant architecture means that your cluster will have at least one point of failure in
the communications network. Certain non-fault tolerant Ethernet architectures are supported.
For two node configurations, the use of a simple crossover cable is one of the supported options.
See Figure 1 for an illustration of this option.
NOTE: Redundant crossover cables are NOT supported.
A single path connection through a hub or switch is also a supported two node non-fault tolerant
configuration.
For more than two node configurations, a switch is required. (It doesn’t necessarily need to be
fully redundant to be supported.)
SERVER-1
N
CROSS-OVER CABLE
Port-2 Port-2
NIC NIC
SAN
SERVER-2
Port-1
LAN
ENET SWITCH/HUB
To public LAN (Clients)
Figure 1. Example of a non-fault tolerant, 2-node configuration
using a cross-over cable
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Supported Ethernet Interconnects for Compaq Parallel Database Clusters using Oracle Parallel Server 6
Supported Fault Tolerant Architecture
A fault tolerant architecture consists of combining Microsoft NT and Compaq software with
Compaq Fast Ethernet Network Interface Controllers (NICs) in the Compaq NC Series, to create
redundancy. With this configuration, two NICs can be configured for a fault tolerant network
with a path for primary and a path for secondary or backup communication on separate NICs
(either dual or single port), for each node. This path/port teaming feature is enabled with a
Compaq utility in the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 network control panel.
Several configurations are supported for the cluster interconnect and the client LAN. In this
document, only the most robust configuration that will provide both the highest availability and
performance is recommended (See Figure 2). (This document will address redundancy in both the
LAN and cluster interconnect. It is not required that both networks be fully redundant to be
supported, any combination will work as well.)
The following configuration can be achieved using either two dual-port NICs or four single-port
NICs or a combination of the two in each server. Two switches for the cluster interconnect and
two hubs or switches for the client LAN connections are shown here. This configuration is the
recommended architecture for optimal fault.
ENET SWITCH-2
ENET SWITCH-1
TEAM-A
SAN
SERVER-1
N
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Port-1 Port-1
Port-2 Port-2
NIC NIC NIC NIC
TEAM-B
ENET SWITCH/HUB-1
ENET SWITCH/HUB-2
LAN
SERVER-N
TEAM-A
TEAM-B
ECG062/0299
To public LAN (Clients)
Figure 2. Fault Tolerant Configuration
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