Clustering
Windows Server 2003 provides integrated clustering services and technologies to deliver higher levels of service and availability. The Windows Server 2003 family provides two types of clustering services: Cluster service and Network Load Balancing. Clustering services demonstrate the improvement in resource management in Windows Server 2003 in support of the Microsoft Dynamic System Initiative (DSI). Clustering services have become increasingly essential for organizations deploying business-critical e-commerce and line-of-business applications.
A cluster is a group of computers that work together to run a common set of applications and provide the image of a single system to the client and application. The computers are physically connected by cables and programmatically connected by cluster software. These connections allow computers to use failover and load balancing, which is not possible with a stand-alone computer.
The Windows Server 2003 family will provide two types of clustering services:
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Cluster Service (MSCS). Available only in Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition, this service provides high availability and scalability for mission-critical applications such as databases, messaging systems, and file and print services. Multiple servers (nodes) in a cluster remain in constant communication. If one of the nodes in a cluster becomes unavailable as a result of failure or maintenance, another node immediately begins providing service, a process known as failover. Users who are accessing the service continue to access the service, and are unaware that it is now being provided from a different server (node).
Both Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition will support server cluster configurations of up to 8 nodes. This allows increased flexibility for deployments: particularly for geographically dispersed cluster configurations, and to support N+I configurations (N active with I spare). N+I will be particularly important for supporting larger Microsoft Exchange Server deployments using Windows Server 2003 into the future.
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Network Load Balancing (NLB). Available in all editions of the Windows Server 2003 family, this service load balances incoming Internet Protocol (IP) traffic across clusters. Network Load Balancing enhances both the availability and scalability of Internet server-based programs such as Web servers, streaming media servers, and Terminal Services. By acting as the load balancing infrastructure and providing control information to management applications built on top of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), Network Load Balancing can seamlessly integrate into existing Web server farm infrastructures.
Windows Server 2008 supports many key high-availability features to help organizations meet their uptime requirements for their critical systems such as Failover Clustering, Network Load Balancing (NLB), Shadow Copy, Windows Server Backup and a new Windows Recovery Environment.
Failover Clustering - Failover clustering can help you build redundancy into your network and eliminate single points of failure.
Network Load Balancing - Network Load Balancing (NLB) allows you to distribute TCP/IP requests to multiple systems in order to optimize resource utilization, decrease computing time, and ensure system availability. NLB has been improved in Windows Server 2008, including:
Next Generation TCP/IP - The TCP/IP protocol suite has been completely redesigned for Windows Server 2008. Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) are both supported natively by Windows Server 2008. NLB extends full support to IPv6 for all communication while maintaining IPv4 support.
Multiple IP Address Support - Each node in your NLB cluster can now have multiple dedicated IP addresses.
Microsoft ISA Server Integration - Microsoft ISA Server can support your mixed IPv4 and IPv6 infrastructure by allowing multiple IP addresses for each NLB node where IPv4 and IPv6 clients are used. ISA Server can also provide intrusion detection services to protect your NLB cluster.
Shadow Copy, Windows Server Backup and Windows Recovery - Windows Server 2008 contains new and updated features to help you create backups and, if needed, perform a recovery of your operating system, applications, and data. By using these features appropriately and implementing good operational practices, you can improve your organization's ability to recover from damaged or lost data, hardware failures, and disasters.
There are several features in Windows Server 2008 that you can use together to create backups and perform recoveries of your server systems and data. These include the following:
- Shadow Copies of Shared Folders - Shadow Copies of Shared Folders provides point-in-time copies of files that are located on shared resources, such as a file server.
- Windows Server Backup tools - Windows Server Backup is a feature in Windows Server 2008 that provides a set of wizards and other tools for you to perform basic backup and recovery tasks for your servers running Windows Server 2008. This feature has been redesigned and introduces new technology.
- Windows Recovery Environment - Windows Recovery Environment in Windows Server 2008 is a partial version of the operating system and a set of tools that you can use to perform operating system or full server recoveries (along with a backup that you created earlier using Windows Server Backup).
CMS Consulting Clustering Offerings
Demonstrations
For a better understanding of the capabilities offered when leveraging Clustering solutions CMS Consulting delivers effective demonstrations to all levels of the organization. Contact CMS Consulting today to arrange a demonstration today and empower your organization in the decision making process.
Assessment and Health Checks
Already have Clusters deployed. Leverage CMS Consulting cluster experts to perform a detailed assessment and health check of your environment. CMS Consulting are experts in diagnosing issues in large scale cluster deployments.
Design
A clustering implementation requires detailed design and analysis of customer requirements. Avoid the costs, risks and wasted time of having to re-design and re-install an entire deployment. Leverage CMS to provide a detailed cluster design solutions to meet your organizations needs.
Implementation and Migration
Implementing a new Clustering instance or migrating from an existing clustering solution. CMS Consulting are experts in ensuring clustering solutions are successful and meets customer requirements. Detailed Implementation and Migration steps are reviewed with customer throughout all phases of a project.
Training
Whether planning a new deployment or looking to utilize the latest clustering technologies for the first time CMS Training offers detailed training in all clustering solutions giving your staff the necessary skills needed to diagnose and support Clusters on a daily basis. Require expert training on Clustering Solutions ? Click here
Additional Microsoft Clustering Information
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