Adding Peripherals Required for Clustering

8.Configure the public and private NIC intercon- nects in each node and place the interconnects on separate IP subnetworks.

9.If not already done, install and/or configure the Microsoft Cluster Server software on each cluster node.

10.Check out the functionality of the fully installed cluster.

11.Install and set up applications.

The following sections briefly describe each of these steps.

Adding Peripherals Required for Clustering

NOTE: Hardware installation should be performed only by trained service technicians.

If you are upgrading your existing hardware to a cluster configuration, additional peripheral devices and expan- sion cards need to be added to the system to meet the minimum cluster requirements listed earlier in this chapter.

For example, you need to install a second NIC card to ensure that the system meets the minimum configuration of two NIC cards—one card in PCI slot 8 for the public LAN connection and another card in PCI slot 4 for the node-to-node interconnection. You also need to add a cluster-enabled PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller for the required shared storage subsystem used by the two nodes.

NOTE: The first cluster-enabled PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller must be installed in PCI slot 7.

Figure 1-2 shows the placement of these devices in a PowerEdge 4200 system. See Appendix A for further information about upgrading an existing PowerEdge 4200 system with expansion cards required for clustering.

Additionally, you may need to add hard-disk drives and another PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller to the PowerEdge system if you are configuring the system’s internal drives as a RAID array. However, this is not a requirement for clustering. Refer to the Dell PowerEdge 4200 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide for instructions on installing expansion cards or hard-disk drives in the PowerEdge 4200 system.

If you are upgrading an existing SDS 100 storage system to meet the cluster requirements for the shared storage subsystem, you may need to install additional hard-disk drives to the shared storage subsystem. The size and number of drives you add depend on the RAID level you want to use and the number of hard-disk drives already present in your system. For information on installing hard-disk drives in the PowerEdge SDS 100 storage sys- tem, refer to the Dell PowerEdge SDS 100 Storage System Installation and Service Guide.

1-4 Dell PowerEdge Cluster (PowerEdge 4200) Installation and Troubleshooting Guide