Thanks to all who responded to my question regarding a 700m memory
channel interconnect: Here is the question:
>> We're looking at setting up a clustered system with two DS20E's for our
>> univesity mail server. We'd like to house each cluster member in a comms
>> rooms on opposite sides of the campus, 700m apart. Is it possible for the
>> memory channel to work over this distance ? (We have multicore fibre
>> running between the two locations) The TruCluster documentation
>> seems to imply the max distance is 10 meters ?
It appears that the above should be no problem. (see below)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From NLeonard_at_poole-tr.swest.nhs.uk Mon Jul 30 15:11:29 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 11:14:22 +0100
From: "Leonard, Nick" <NLeonard_at_poole-tr.swest.nhs.uk>
To: 'Paul Reilly' <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: RE: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
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Paul,
I have been told that the max for Memory channel is 500m above that the
latency will cause problems with the connection this assumes you are using
50/125 fibre, so 700m is outside the normal but if the connection is good it
may work
Nick Leonard
Systems Administrator
____________________________
Poole Hospital NHS Trust
Poole, Dorset, UK
____________________________
Tel. : 01202 442347
Fax : 01202 661189
E-mail : nleonard_at_poole-tr.swest.nhs.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From dkJanHan_at_europe.lego.com Mon Jul 30 15:11:35 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 13:13:06 +0200
From: Jan Hansen <dkJanHan_at_europe.lego.com>
To: 'Paul Reilly' <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: RE: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
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Hi Paul !
We're running a SAP cluster consisting of 2xGS160 with dual memory channel
and 4xESA12000 cabinets in a 4 switch SAN. The hardware is splitted across
two computerrooms with a distance of 1500 meters.
We use fibreoptic cables between the computerrooms. We do not experience any
problems with the distance. Good luck......
Med venlig hilsen / With kind regards
Jan Hansen - Senior System Manager
IT Infrastructure Management (IT-IM)
LEGO , Denmark
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>From yogesh_at_gsf.de Mon Jul 30 15:11:38 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 13:35:28 +0200
From: Yogesh Bhanu <yogesh_at_gsf.de>
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
Hi Paul,
Well the cluster option u have two options .
Available server and Production Server .
Production server has the option of having memory channel.
For available server it is upto you.
If you are looking for failover for services then Available server can help
you.
hth
yogesh
>From Udo.de.boer_at_ubero.nl Mon Jul 30 15:11:41 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 13:48:16 +0200
From: Udo de Boer <Udo.de.boer_at_ubero.nl>
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
Paul,
I know that compaq sells memory channel over fibre kits. Look at their website
or just call your sales rep.
regards
Udo de Boer
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From Udo.de.boer_at_ubero.nl Mon Jul 30 15:48:48 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 13:53:38 +0200
From: Udo de Boer <Udo.de.boer_at_ubero.nl>
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
Paul,
Before I forget. The 5.1a version of thrucluster supports ethernet as an
interconnect. But I think that the filesharing performance will be much less.
I would advice you to use compaq's fibre channel solutions. Dell problably
won't support thrucluster or unix systems. The problem is that the disks must
be accessed by two systems. And not all fibrechannel hardware supports this in
the correct manner.
Regards,
Udo de Boer
Paul Reilly wrote:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From Udo.de.boer_at_ubero.nl Mon Jul 30 15:49:09 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 13:53:38 +0200
From: Udo de Boer <Udo.de.boer_at_ubero.nl>
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
Paul,
Before I forget. The 5.1a version of thrucluster supports ethernet as an
interconnect. But I think that the filesharing performance will be much less.
I would advice you to use compaq's fibre channel solutions. Dell problably
won't support thrucluster or unix systems. The problem is that the disks must
be accessed by two systems. And not all fibrechannel hardware supports this in
the correct manner.
Regards,
Udo de Boer
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From Kris.Chandrasekhar_at_compaq.com Mon Jul 30 15:49:14 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 07:15:30 -0500
From: "Chandrasekhar, Kris" <Kris.Chandrasekhar_at_compaq.com>
To: 'Paul Reilly' <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: RE: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
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Paul,
If you can wait for just a little while (September 2001), you might want to
investigate clustering under V5.1A, which allows for network-based adaptors
as cluster interconnects. See
http://tru64unix.compaq.com/cluster/truclusterserverv51a.pdf
You can use KGPSA (168794-B21) in a DS20E with Compaq SAN switches and HSG80
storage, but TruCluster needs to be in a separate zone. See HeteroGeneous
Open SAN Design Reference Guide (URL below) to understand the restrictions
when using multiple OS in a SAN.
http://www.compaq.com/products/storageworks/san/documentation.html
Regards,
Kris.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 13:38:53 +0100
From: "Haesaerts, Corinne" <Corinne.Haesaerts_at_compaq.com>
To: 'Paul Reilly' <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: RE: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
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Paul,
should be no prob to have MC over 700m, you will need the Fiber Optic cards
though, will see if I still have a config lying around somewhere. If I find
it, I'll send it, else I suggest you contact your local Compaq HPS
representative.
Corinne Haesaerts
Compaq Computer NV/SA
Pre-Sales Consultant - Brussels
Tel +32 2 729 75 29
Mob +32 495 59 33 24
Fax +32 2 729 71 50
E-mail corinne.haesaerts_at_compaq.com
>From edward_at_muffeletta.com Mon Jul 30 15:49:23 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 07:41:49 -0500
From: Edward Branley <edward_at_muffeletta.com>
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
On Tuesday 24 July 2001 05:03, you wrote:
> We're looking at setting up a clustered system with two DS20E's for our
> univesity mail server. We'd like to house each cluster member in a comms
> rooms on opposite sides of the campus, 700m apart. Is it possible for the
> memory channel to work over this distance ? (We have multicore fibre
> running between the two locations) The TruCluster documentation
> seems to imply the max distance is 10 meters ?
Yes, the distance for a copper memory channel connection is 10m, but there is
a fibre option. HOWEVER, the fibre option is short-wave fibre, so it's
limited to 500m. You'd be well past spec at 700m, so you would probably want
to put a fabric switch in-between them at some point so you'd have two runs
of say 300m and 400m.
> Also we're planning on having the mail spool & $HOME areas on a RAID array
> in a SAN. We're looking at the DELL PowerVault's and fibre channel
> switches for the SAN as they are less expensive. I presumethere shouldn't
> be any problem attaching these to the compaq DS20E's via a HSG80 fibre
> channel raid array controller?
None at all...just make sure you're using Tru64 5.0a or better to get full
use of the HSG/KGPSA combination.
Cheers,
Ed.
--
Edward J. Branley edward_at_muffeletta.com, ed_at_softadv.com,
edward_at_seashell-software.com
Seashell Software, New Orleans, LA
Home Page/PGP public key at www.seashell-software.com/ejb
Tru64/TruCluster Instructor, Institute for Software Advancement,
www.softadv.com
>From WheeMX_at_integris-health.com Mon Jul 30 15:49:33 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 08:45:50 -0500
From: "Wheelock, Michael D" <WheeMX_at_integris-health.com>
To: 'Paul Reilly' <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: RE: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
[ Part 1, Text/PLAIN 39 lines. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]
Hi,
Last december, when I worked for the University of Oklahoma, we had Dell
in to talk about their SAN products. They support only Dell or PC Server
products with their SAN. They are FC-SW compliant, but that doesn't mean
you will get help when things go south. Just an FYI.
Michael Wheelock
Integris Health of Oklahoma
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From bob.klenotiz_at_purchasepro.com Mon Jul 30 15:49:36 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 09:29:37 -0700
From: "Klenotiz, Bob" <bob.klenotiz_at_purchasepro.com>
To: 'Paul Reilly' <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: RE: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
[ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ]
[ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ]
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Paul,
Compaq does have fiber capability with memory channel. You have to make
sure that you mention to your sales rep that you need this solution. IF
not, they will send the 68 pin cable version. The limit is 25 meters not 10
though. I have a DS20e cluster (3 node) with redundant memory channel using
these 25 meter cables.
On the SAN, I would not suggest you intermingle fibre channel equiptment in
your SAN. First, compaq won't support it and second, your headaches will be
much nicer in the long run.
Try using the entry level switches (SAN EL 8-port), they are much less
expensive than the 16 port(around $8000).
Enjoy...
========================
Bob Klenotiz
UNIX Systems Engineer III
Purchasepro.com
bob.klenotiz_at_purchasepro.com
========================
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>From alan_at_nabeth.cxo.dec.com Mon Jul 30 15:49:39 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 101 11:37:54 -0600
From: alan_at_nabeth.cxo.dec.com
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>
Subject: Re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
In some areas of system qualification the differences
between components from different vendors have little
affect on the overall quality of the solution. In
other areas, using unqualified components is the difference
is having solution that works and one that doesn't. And,
in this area, doesn't can mean anything from "doesn't work
at all" to "seems to work while silently corrupting all
your data".
How much is your data worth? How much time and money are
you willing to spend to verify that the solution works as
you expect? There are advantages to qualified and supported
solutions.
I don't know the answer to the memory channel part.
>From freemyer_at_NorcrossGroup.com Mon Jul 30 15:49:42 2001
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 18:22:33 -0400
From: Greg Freemyer <freemyer_at_NorcrossGroup.com>
To: Paul Reilly <pareilly_at_tcd.ie>,
"'tru64-unix-managers_at_ornl.gov'" <tru64-unix-managers_at_ornl.gov>
Subject: re: TruCluster: 700m Memory channel ?
Paul,
It does not sound like you are gong to need all the performance of MemoryChannel.
To get the distance you want, you might be better off using a standard NIC for the Interconnect.
This is supported in TruClusters 5.1a, which has been announced and should be out in September.
Greg Freemyer
Internet Engineer
Deployment and Integration Specialist
The Norcross Group
www.NorcrossGroup.com
>> Hi,
>> Could those of you with clustered systems enlighten me about the hardware
>> setup of such a system?
>> We're looking at setting up a clustered system with two DS20E's for our
>> univesity mail server. We'd like to house each cluster member in a comms
>> rooms on opposite sides of the campus, 700m apart. Is it possible for the
>> memory channel to work over this distance ? (We have multicore fibre
>> running between the two locations) The TruCluster documentation
>> seems to imply the max distance is 10 meters ?
>> Also we're planning on having the mail spool & $HOME areas on a RAID array
>> in a SAN. We're looking at the DELL PowerVault's and fibre channel
>> switches for the SAN as they are less expensive. I presumethere shouldn't
>> be any problem attaching these to the compaq DS20E's via a HSG80 fibre
>> channel raid array controller?
>> Thanks,
>> Paul
Received on Mon Jul 30 2001 - 14:58:09 NZST