Hi,
I am interested in setting up a linux cluster. I have the following hardware:
Dell 2950 server x2, each has PERC4 RAID controller and the Dell remote access client (DRAC)
8 GB RAM
(2) x 74 GB for the OS
(10) x 300 GB for storage
Core 2 duo processors (I think)
LPE 11000 HBA's x 2 per machine
Switch: unknown
Fiber connections
OS: Red Hat Enterprise Server (AS) 4 EMT64 - latest update (3 I think)
SAN: unknown (volumes/LUN's provided for test)
enterprise app: Perforce
The goal is to cluster the application so that there is no possibility of downtime. This is to be a dev environment that will have quite a lot of users. The organization has already used Perforce and likes that, just wants to migrate to a Linux/SAN/GFS environment.
I have worked with clustering and also a lot with linux, but not together, so that is my challenge. I am wondering how things like LVM and NFS come into play with the GFS once it is all up and running. It is a given that SAMBA will probably have to be running on there at some point, not sure how that plays into the mix.
Also I am worried about block size. Perforce is a CVS type database that will store code as flat (tiny) text files, even only storing updates. Great for text storage. However, this is a multimedia type company, and much of the data may be full multimedia files (jpeg, video, game stuff, music, you name it). Therefore if a developer writes 10 edits to a C++ application in text form, it only stores the changes and not even the whole text file each time. However (how's this for contrast?) ----if a developer edits a video clip and stores it ten times, perforce saves it ten separate times, each at least as big as the first. So although I hear that I should avoid the 64k block size, I don't know what to go to, realistically. If anyone has specifically grappled with this I would love to know more about how/why you decided whatever you did for your situation.
Does anyone know of a good starting point, best practices, HOWTO's, etc.? I am reviewing Karl Knopper's book 'Enterprise Linux Cluster'. I have to get this cranked out NOW. I really need some sort of guidelines or outline since I need to set this up as a project. Any information is GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks
Marc
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