Clustering
Provide clustered servers with non-stop access to shared storage pools split between sites within a metropolitan area.
A glaring shortcoming with many cluster configurations comes from their dependence on a single, shared disk subsystem to house their common disks. That’s true for Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs) in Microsoft Windows Server Failover Clusters, a virtual shared disk in VMware ESX clusters and many other cluster implementations. Despite standard precautions like RAID sets and internally redundant controllers, a single “bullet proof” storage subsystem cannot be solely counted on during:
- Construction
- Power outages
- Water leaks
- Accidents
- Terrorists attack
- Technician error
- Planned maintenance
- Unplanned maintenance
- Major equipment failure
- Upgrades
- Technology refresh
- Localized acts of God (storms, floods, fire)
DataCore Software plays a unique role in cluster configurations by providing uninterrupted access to shared disks that are synchronously mirrored between two physically separated sites. The practical limit is around 35 kilometers with today’s networks.
Two of the most common use cases for DataCore in Microsoft Failover Cluster scenarios involve virtualizing and mirroring storage resources across physically-separated storage devices for Clustered Shared Volumes (CSVs) and Clustered File Shares. See: DataCore Software adds unprecedented storage scalability, performance and high-availability to Microsoft NAS Clustered File Shares, Hyper-V failover cluster CSVs and Metro Clusters
The mirrored copies appear to the clustered hosts’ as one, well-behaved, multi-ported storage device rather than as two independent disk arrays. When part of the cluster can’t get to the shared disks over its preferred path because of a storage-related problem, it merely retries on the alternate path which is transparently routed to the other active mirrored location. After the problem is corrected, the DataCore software resynchronizes the mirrors and signals the hosts that their preferred path has been restored. All returns to normal without suffering any downtime. It also does not require any special programming or scripts.
Learn more about Uninterrupted Access to Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs)
Learn more about High-Availability Microsoft NAS Clustered File Sharing
> Read Case Studies of Clustering projects using DataCore Software