Platform Guide 7
Rules and Guidelines
When configuring your cluster, all cluster nodes must contain identical versions of the following:
• Operating systems and service packs
• Hardware drivers, firmware, or BIOS for the NICs, HBAs, and any other peripheral
hardwarecomponents
• Systems management software, such as Dell OpenManage™ systems management software
and EMC Navisphere
®
storage management software
Maximum Distance Between Cluster Nodes
Table1-2 lists the maximum cable lengths that are used in a Cluster FE500W-IA64 configuration.
Maximum Latency Between Cluster Nodes
The maximum latency for a round-trip network packet between nodes is 500 milliseconds.
Obtaining More Information
See the
Dell PowerEdge Cluster FE500W-IA64 Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
for
installation instructions about hardware configurations running Windows Server 200, Enterprise
Edition for 64-bit Itanium-based Systems.
Installing Peripheral Components in Your Cluster Node PCI Slots
This section provides configuration information for adding HBAs, a DRAC III, and
RAIDcontrollers into your cluster node PCI slots.
Table1-3 provides configuration information for the supported PowerEdge cluster nodes.
CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove and access any of the
components inside the system. See your PowerEdge System Information Guide for complete information
about safety precautions, working inside the computer, and protecting against electrostatic discharge.
Table 1-2. Maximum Cable Lengths
Cable Configuration/Type Maximum Cable Length
• HBA to a switch
• HBA to a storage system
• Fibre Channel switch to a
storage system
300 meters using multimode fiber at 2Gb/sec.
NOTE: You can increase the total distance between a server and a storage
system by using switch ISLs.
• Copper Gigabit Ethernet
100 meters
Optical Gigabit Ethernet 550 meters
NOTE: You can extend this distance by using switches and VLAN technology
N5828bk1.book Page 7 Tuesday, June 15, 2004 4:50 PM