Revision as of 02:30, 1 July 2010

AN!Wiki :: How To :: Abandoned - Two Node Fedora 13 Cluster

Overview

This paper has one goal;

How to assemble the simplest cluster possible, a 2-Node Cluster, which you can then expand on for your own needs.

With this completed, you can then jump into "step 2" papers that will show various uses of a two node cluster:

How to create a "floating" virtual machine that can move between the two nodes in the event of a node failure, maximizing up time.
How to create simple resources that can move between nodes. Examples will be a simple PostgreSQL database, DHCP, DNS and web servers.

Prerequisites

It is expected that you are already comfortable with the Linux command line, specifically bash, and that you are familiar with general administrative tasks in Red Hat based distributions, specifically Fedora. You will also need to be comfortable using editors like vim, nano or similar. This paper uses vim in examples. Simply substitute your favourite editor in it's place.

You are also expected to be comfortable with networking concepts. You will be expected to understand TCP/IP, multicast, broadcast, subnets and netmasks, routing and other relatively basic networking concepts. Please take the time to become familiar with these concepts before proceeding.

This said, where feasible, as much detail as is possible will be provided. For example, all configuration file locations will be shown and functioning sample files will be provided.

Platform

This paper will implement the Red Hat Cluster Suite using the Fedora v13 distribution. This paper uses the x86_64 repositories, however, if you are on an i386 (32 bit) system, you should be able to following along fine. Simply replace x86_64 with i386 or i686 in package names.

You can either download the stock Fedora 13 DVD ISO (currently at version 5.4 which is used in this document), or you can try out the alpha AN!Cluster Install DVD. (4.3GB iso). If you use the later, please test it out on a development or test cluster. If you have any problems with the AN!Cluster variant Fedora distro, please contact me and let me know what your trouble was.

Why Fedora 13?

Generally speaking, I much prefer to use a server-oriented Linux distribution like CentOS, Debian or similar. However, there have been many recent changes in the Linux-Clustering world that have made all of the currently available server-class distributions obsolete. With luck, once Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS version 6 is released, this will change.

Until then, Fedora version 13 provides the most up to date binary releases of the new implementation of the clustering stack available. For this reason, FC13 is the best choice in clustering, if you want to be current. To mitigate some of the issues introduced by using a workstation distribution, many packages will be stripped out of the default install.

Focus

Clusters can serve to solve three problems; Reliability, Performance and Scalability.

This focus of the cluster described in this paper is primarily reliability. Second to this, scalability will be the priority leaving performance to be addressed only when it does not impact the first two criteria. This is not to indicate that performance is not a valid priority, it simply isn't the priority of this paper.

Goal

At the end of this paper, you should have a fully functioning two-node array capable of hosting a "floating" resources. That is, resources that exists on one node and can be easily moved to the other node with minimal effort and down time. This should conclude with a solid foundation for adding more virtual servers up to the limit of your cluster's resources.

This paper should also server to show how to build the foundation of any other cluster configuration. This paper has a core focus of introducing the main issues that come with clustering and hopes to serve as a foundation for any cluster configuration outside the scope of this paper.

Any questions, feedback, advice, complaints or meanderings are welcome.
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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{howto_header}}
-= Why Fedora 13? =
+= Overview =
+This paper has one goal;
+# How to assemble the simplest cluster possible, a '''2-Node Cluster''', which you can then expand on for your own needs.
+With this completed, you can then jump into "step 2" papers that will show various uses of a two node cluster:
+# How to create a "floating" virtual machine that can move between the two nodes in the event of a node failure, maximizing up time.
+# How to create simple resources that can move between nodes. Examples will be a simple PostgreSQL database, DHCP, DNS and web servers.
+== Prerequisites ==
+It is expected that you are already comfortable with the Linux command line, specifically <span class="code">[[bash]]</span>, and that you are familiar with general administrative tasks in Red Hat based distributions, specifically [[Fedora]]. You will also need to be comfortable using editors like [[vim]], [[nano]] or similar. This paper uses <span class="code">vim</span> in examples. Simply substitute your favourite editor in it's place.
+You are also expected to be comfortable with networking concepts. You will be expected to understand TCP/IP, [[multicast]], broadcast, subnets and netmasks, routing and other relatively basic networking concepts. Please take the time to become familiar with these concepts before proceeding.
+This said, where feasible, as much detail as is possible will be provided. For example, all configuration file locations will be shown and functioning sample files will be provided.
+== Platform ==
+This paper will implement the [[Red Hat]] Cluster Suite using the Fedora v13 distribution. This paper uses the [[x86_64]] repositories, however, if you are on an [[i386]] (32 bit) system, you should be able to following along fine. Simply replace <span class="code">x86_64</span> with <span class="code">i386</span> or <span class="code">i686</span> in package names.
+You can either download the stock Fedora 13 DVD ISO (currently at version <span class="code">5.4</span> which is used in this document), or you can try out the alpha [[#AN!Cluster Install|AN!Cluster Install]] DVD. (4.3GB iso). If you use the later, please test it out on a development or test cluster. If you have any problems with the <span class="code">AN!Cluster</span> variant Fedora distro, please [[Digimer|contact me]] and let me know what your trouble was.
+== Why Fedora 13? ==
 Generally speaking, I much prefer to use a server-oriented Linux distribution like [[CentOS]], [[Debian]] or similar. However, there have been many recent changes in the Linux-Clustering world that have made all of the currently available server-class distributions obsolete. With luck, once [[Red Hat]] Enterprise Linux and [[CentOS]] version 6 is released, this will change.
@@ Line 7: / Line 32: @@
 Until then, [[Fedora]] version 13 provides the most up to date binary releases of the new implementation of the clustering stack available. For this reason, FC13 is the best choice in clustering, if you want to be current. To mitigate some of the issues introduced by using a workstation distribution, many packages will be stripped out of the default install.
+== Focus ==
+Clusters can serve to solve three problems; '''Reliability''', '''Performance''' and '''Scalability'''.
+This focus of the cluster described in this paper is primarily '''reliability'''. Second to this, '''scalability''' will be the priority leaving '''performance''' to be addressed only when it does not impact the first two criteria. This is not to indicate that performance is not a valid priority, it simply isn't the priority of this paper.
+== Goal ==
+At the end of this paper, you should have a fully functioning two-node array capable of hosting a "floating" resources. That is, resources that exists on one node and can be easily moved to the other node with minimal effort and down time. This should conclude with a solid foundation for adding more virtual servers up to the limit of your cluster's resources.
+This paper should also server to show how to build the foundation of any other cluster configuration. This paper has a core focus of introducing the main issues that come with clustering and hopes to serve as a foundation for any cluster configuration outside the scope of this paper.
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Abandoned - Two Node Fedora 13 Cluster: Difference between revisions