Deploying SANs with server clusters

 

 

The requirements for deploying SANs with server clusters.

 

• Nodes from different clusters must not be able to access the same storage devices. Each cluster used with a SAN must be deployed in a way that isolates it from all other devices. This is because the mechanism the cluster uses to protect access to the disks can have adverse effects if other clusters are in the same zone. Using zoning to separate the cluster traffic from other cluster or non-cluster traffic prevents this type of interference.

 

• All host bus adapters in a single cluster must be the same type and have the same firmware version. Host bus adapters are the interface cards that connect a cluster node to a SAN. This is similar to the way that a network adapter connects a server to a typical Ethernet network. Many storage vendors require that all host bus adapters on the same zone&emdash;and, in some cases, the same fabric&emdash;share these characteristics.

 

• In a cluster, all device drivers for storage and host bus adapters must have the same software version. We strongly recommend that you use a Storport mini-port driver with clustering. Storport (Storport.sys) is a storage port driver that is provided in Windows Server 2003. It is especially suitable for use with high-performance buses, such as Fibre Channel buses, and RAID adapters.

 

• Tape devices should never be used in the same zone as cluster disk storage devices. A tape device could misinterpret a bus reset and rewind at inappropriate times, such as when backing up a large amount of data.

 

• In a highly available storage fabric, you should deploy server clusters with multiple host bus adapters using multipath I/O software. This provides the highest level of redundancy and availability.

  

Note:

Failover software for host bus adapters can be version sensitive. If you are implementing a multipath solution for your cluster, you should work closely with your hardware vendor to become fully aware of how the adapter interacts with Windows Server 2003.