Server Mirroring?-SUMMARY

From: Jason Hargis (Jason.Hargis@PII.COM)
Date: Tue Jul 20 1993 - 06:35:50 CDT


        
ORIGINAL QUESTION:

        Does Anybody know if there is any method of setting up a mirrored NFS
server? I have been asked to look into the possiblity of setting up a
redundant 670 server. Is there an automated method to have a backup
server take over the "master" servers duties in the event of a crash?
Maybe something like Novell's SFT-III only for a Sun running SunOS?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

                                        Thank You,

                                        Jason Hargis

ANSWERS:

        It looks like it IS possible from the responses that I
        received!

================================================================

FROM: miker@il.us.swissbank.com
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...
...
Subject: Watchdog FMS Failover Management Software
From: joe@tidalwave.com (Joseph Visse) Vice President
Org: Tidalwave Technologies, Inc.
Phone: (415) 441-0985
 
                         Watchdog FMS
                  Failover Management Software
           Bringing Affordable High Availability
             to both Solaris 1.x and Solaris 2.x
 
SAN FRANCISCO (June 1, 1993) -- TIDALWAVE TECHNOLOGIES, INC., developer
and marketer of innovative high availability software solutions,
introduces and announces the availability of WATCHDOG FMS. (Failover
Management Software).
 
WATCHDOG FMS is a software product which allows users of Solaris based
servers to make their information more available by allowing them to
connect two servers together, each server acting as a backup to the
other. In the event of a system failure, the back up server
automatically takes control of the failed server's disks and through
the stateless NFS file system, seemlessly impersonates the failed
server, thus allowing the users to continue uninterupted with their
work.
 
Watchdog FMS is a response to customer requests for an easy to use,
fully-redundant affordable product that provides high availability
features not found in the standard Sun Product set. Developed by a
former Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation Systems Engineer, Watchdog
FMS was then made available to Tidalwave Technologies, Inc., with the
understanding that it would be affordable, accessable and supported.
 
Versatility - Watchdog FMS provides automated one-way or two-way
failover.
 
Saves Time - Watchdog FMS can be installed in less than an hour
and configured in less than a day.
 
Flexibility - Watchdog FMS gives the administrator complete control
of the sequence of events that take place during a failover. All
scripts can be completely customized.
 
Fewer Interruptions - Watchdog FMS allows the administrator to
manually control both servers, so that Operating System upgrades and
software installations occur without NFS interruption.
 
Able to be customized/tailored - Watchdog FMS includes a generic agent
(source code provided) that allows a customer to implement software
based failovers. These are most common with RDBMS's.
 
Solaris 1.x & Solaris 2.x - Watchdog FMS supports Solaris 1.1, Solaris
2.2 and later releases.

Completely Automated - Watchdog FMS is a completed automated solution
that includes a console program where an administrator can monitor and
control both hosts.

Load balanced - Watchdog FMS is a flexible and vigilant product. It
allows the NFS load to be shared between the two CPUs. Only in the
event of a CPU failure are all NFS resources supported by a single
CPU.

Watchdog FMS is currently available for Solaris 1.x (SunOs 4.1.2 and
4.1.3). Watchdog FMS for Solaris 2.2 is presently available for beta
testing, with FCS scheduled for July 1, 1993.

MORE INFORMATION:

Pricing: $10,500/PAIR for Solaris 1.x
         $11,500/PAIR for Solaris 2.x

For product information, OEM/Reseller pricing and evaluation copies
please contact Joe Visse

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++This product sounds very nice, I have not yet contacted the Company,
However I WILL.

SECOND Software Product:
------------------------
Fusion Systems Group, Inc. <OR> OpenVision (I believe these are the
SAME Company's)

Product is called HA.

++I havn't found out any information on this product yet, however from
the responses it sounds like the Watchdog FMS S/W. I will also be
checking on this product.

HARDWARE OPTIONS:
-----------------
++A couple of people spoke of Dual Port SCSI...(basicly having
"Dual-Masters" on the SCSI Bus), I called Sun about this, they said
that Dual Port SCSI will not be avaliable for about 6 months...However
it IS being worked on..

                                Thanks for all the responses,

                                        Jason Hargis



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