Server-Only Cluster

Question

We have two identically configured PE2850's both with PERC4/DC controllers. I'm wondering if its possible (and not whether or not its a technically supported configuration) to cluster the internal drives on a single SCSI bus without moving them to an external enclosure. Thanks.

DELL-GaryS · Answer

Hi,

There are a number of requirements for creating an active - passive cluster.

joint access to the hard drives
a dedicated network between the two servers for the "heartbeat"
Advanced server or better, (Standard server does not support clustering)

On the PE2850 the SCSI backplane cannot have two controllers accessing the same hard drives, so you will not be able to meet the first requirement. External storage will be required, which will need a second controller for the external storage in each server.

So you will need:

1 crossover cable and 1 available NIC on each server. (The servers have TWO NIC's embedded so that's good).

2 PERC4E/DC or simular RAID controllers.

1 PV220S or PV221S External drive array with Dual ESEMs and SCSI cables. Minimum drives required would be 1, but recommend two or more to make a redundant array.

O/S that supports clustering.

Please have a chat with one of our sales reps, they should be able to get you quotes on everything needed, and we can even send a tech to set the cluster up for you, once you have the parts in hand.

Dell-GaryS

gina_bautista · Answer

Still learning...   What is 'PV220S or PV221S External drive array with Dual ESEMs and SCSI cables'.    I am looking in to setting up a cluster server with some PE2650s.  I'm trying to draw this all out so that the connections and hardware are making sense to me.  Does the cluster have to have an external drive array?   I'm not understanding why two servers with 5 drives each can't be connected via a SCSI and set up appropriately to talk to one another.  Help!  Thanks.   ~GINA

Dev Mgr · Answer

The PV220S/221S (220S is rack version and 221S is tower version) is an enclosure that can house up to 14 drives (in a cluster setup it'll be limited to 13 drives as the 2nd raid controller on the bus needs the scsi ID).

As mention by DELL-GaryS, you cannot meet the requirements for an active-passive cluster without shared storage (the server's internal slots cannot be access in any way by the raid controller on the other server and the shared storage space needs to be on a different scsi/raid controller from the servers' boot controller anyway.

At most you could do a single-node cluster with a local quorum, but this would mean there's no failover.

PowerEdge HDD/SCSI/RAID

Server-Only Cluster

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