Compaq AA-RHGWC-TE manual Overview

7

Using GS80, GS160, or GS320 Hard Partitions in a TruCluster Server Configuration

This chapter contains information about using AlphaServer GS80/160/320 hard partitions in a TruCluster Server Version 5.1 configuration with Tru64 UNIX Version 5.1.

7.1 Overview

An AlphaServer GS80/160/320 system provides the capability to define individual subsets of the system’s computing resources. Each subset is capable of running an operating system.

The Tru64 UNIX Version 5.1 operating system supports hard partitions, which are partitions that are defined by a quad building block (QBB) boundary. All the CPUs, memory, and I/O resources in a QBB are part of a hard partition; you cannot split the components across multiple hard partitions, and resources cannot be shared between hard partitions. A partition can include multiple QBBs.

The TruCluster Server Version 5.1 product supports the use of AlphaServer GS80/160/320 hard partitions as a cluster member system. You can compose a cluster entirely of the partitions on a system, or of AlphaServer GS80/160/320 partitions and other AlphaServer systems. You can view an AlphaServer GS80/160/320 hard partition as a separate, standalone system.

The AlphaServer GS80/160/320 systems use the same switch technology, the same CPU, memory, and power modules, and the same I/O riser modules. The GS160 and GS320 systems house the modules in up to two system boxes, each with two QBBs, in a cabinet. The GS320 requires two cabinets for the system boxes.

The GS80 is a rack system with the system modules for each QBB in a drawer. An 8-processor GS80 uses two drawers for the CPU, memory, and I/O riser modules.

All the systems use the same type of PCI drawers for I/O. They are located in the GS160/GS320 power cabinet or in the GS80 RETMA cabinet. Additional PCI drawers are mounted in expansion cabinets.

Using GS80, GS160, or GS320 Hard Partitions in a TruCluster Server Configuration 7–1