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abiram8
PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 2:36 am    Post subject: MSCS Cluster with Websphere MQ Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Hi ,

I have one query on MSCS Cluster.

Type of MSCS Cluster :Active/Active

In First box I have Database1 and MQSeries1 (Skeleton)

In Second box I have Data base2 and MQSeries2 (Skeleton)

The Third Box is a hub With MQSeries3 which transferes the 1,2,3 messages to First box and 4,5 message to second box (So at a given time two box should be up and running).

If only the Database1 on First box shuts down and MQSeries1 is still running in the First Box (Using MSCS Cluster)
The Database2 cluster in second should interact with MQServer2 of Second box for not only 4,5 messages , but also for 1,2,3

Is this they way MSCS Clustring works ???.

Even the reverse way is also possible Some time MQSeries1 in First box may only fail in such case the second box (Database2,MQSeries2 )should take the full responsibility.


Thanks in Advance
Abiram
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jefflowrey
PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grand Poobah

Joined: 16 Oct 2002
Posts: 19981

I am by no means an expert on MSCS. But I believe that it can be configured the way you want it to.

You will have to set up the Database failover scripts to include the MQSeries failover actions. That is, you'll have to link the two services together so that if either one fails, then the other is assumed to have failed as well, and control switches to the other box.

But I don't know how to tell MSCS to do this, sorry.
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offshore
PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 20 Jun 2002
Posts: 222

We currently are using MSCS to accomplish the scenerio you're describing.

I can't remember exactly without going back to the server and looking but what you need to do in a nutshell is this...

Go into Cluster Administrator. You need to create what I think is a Resource Group??. In there you can add what dependencies you need moved in case of a failure. If you need MQ and the Database to move add those to the resource group.

Also I think the NT Admins have one server as the primary so that it will take over when it's up.

If you need more specifics let me know and I'll go an look at the config.

HTH
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abiram8
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Hi offshore,

A) Do you have any document specifying the detailed Software and Hardware and Configuration ,Support Packs requirment for
1) Quorum disk-Shared disk.
2) Windows 2000 Advanced Server .
3) SCSI bus.
Taking part in MSCS Cluster.

B) Some of our Customer use Windows 2000 Server and few Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

I have seen couple of MSDN sites stating support for MSCS Cluster for Windows 2000 Advanced Server (only two node Cluster) but the support to Windows 2000 Server is not clear to me yet ???

Is there any way we can achive Clustering Feature in Windows 2000 Server by adding any patch or Servie Packs etc.,

C) Currently due to our business requirments we have Active/Active mode of MSCS Clustering.

Can I have the Single Shared/Quorum disk for 2 Windows 2000 Advanced Server (primary and bak up) in MSCS Ative/Active Mode.

Or

Do I cumpulsary need 2 Shared/Quorum disk for my Primary and back up server (each having Websphere MQ Logs and Q files of primary and back up server).

Note for C : I have Same queue manager name in Primary system and secondary system





Thanks in Advance
Abiram
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JasonE
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 2:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grand Master

Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 1220
Location: Hursley

Quote:
Note for C : I have Same queue manager name in Primary system and secondary system


You cant do this, they will need different names (and not be the default qmgr as well). Basically at failover time, the shared disk will swap nodes and MQ will be started on the other node. If you already have a qmgr called FRED running on that node, you cant have another qmgr called FRED moved to it - You would get registry key problems, as well as failures starting due to shared memory / named resource conflicts.

Each of the 2 qmgrs needs its own shared disk which can be moved as a resource in its own right, as well as (usually) an IP address resource. The MQ MSCS resource must depend on the shared disk and the ip address, so when they move nodes, the logs + data (on the shared disk) get moved and inbound channels can start (because the ip address moves with the qmgr)
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JasonE
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 2:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grand Master

Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 1220
Location: Hursley

Just to answer another part of your questions, I believe MSCS support is in w2k advanced server only. I dont think MQ pre-reqs any specific service packs, but usually the later the better (as is usually true with MQ fixpacks).
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offshore
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 20 Jun 2002
Posts: 222

abiram8,

We currently aren't using active/active mode, so I can't answer your question concerning the setup of 2 shared/quorum disks.
According to the documentation you must have 2 shared/quorum disks if you have to use active/active.

We just use active/passive. As long as server1 is ok server2 isn't doing any work. We only had to create a single qmgr and carve out 1 shared disk.

Jason E is correct about having Windows 2000 Advanced to support MSCS. There are no support pacs to make W2K Server to MSCS capable.
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abiram8
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Hi All,

Thanks for your input

I will be really gratfull if you can send me a link or PDF or any supporting document (points and any other supporting document) which will drive me in correct direction.

1) Minimum Configuration (Disk,CPU,RAM etc.,)required for the Windows 2000 Advanced Server MSCS Cluster

2) Minimum Configuration (Disk,CPU,RAM etc.,)required for the Shared/Quorum disk for MSCS Cluster in case of Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

3) In between the Primary and Secondary that are jointly connected to a network for client access using a virtual IP address away from each other and have a firewall in between them.
MSCS monitors both computers to check that the hardware and software are running correctly using Quorum Disk. Will there be any issues since I have firewall in between.

4) How to implement SCSI bus in between the Primary and Secondary Node when its a Public network.

Thanks in Advance
Abiram
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Hi,

I would like to share some of my MSCS Cluster Experince Which will be use full for upcoming new users

Some Use full Teminology
·Node. The term used to refer to a server that is a member of a cluster.

·Resource. A hardware or software component that exists in a cluster, such as a disk, an IP address, a network name.

·Group. A combination of resources that are managed as a unit of fail over. Groups are also known as resource groups or fail over groups.

·Failover/failback. The process of moving resources from one server to another. Fail over can occur when one server experiences a failure of some sort or when you, the administrator, initiate a proactive fail over.

·Quorum resource. This is a special type of cluster resource that provides persistent arbitration mechanisms by allowing one node to gain control of it and then defending that node’s control.
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

·Heartbeat. The network and Remote Procedure Call (RPC) traffic that flows between servers in a cluster. Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 clusters communicate by using RPC calls on IP sockets with User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets. Heartbeats are single UDP packets sent between each node every 1.2 seconds. These packets are used to confirm that the node’s network interface is still active.

·Membership. This term is used to describe the orderly addition and removal of active nodes to and from the cluster.

·Cluster registry. Inside the Windows 2000 registry is the cluster registry—also known as the cluster database. This maintains configuration information on each member in the cluster, as well as on resources and parameters. This information is stored on the quorum resource.

·Virtual Server. Most applications or services offered by the cluster are associated with one or more virtual servers. The virtual server is nothing more than an IP address and a network name. So, for example, when users connect to a clustered Exchange server, they will not configure their Outlook client to talk to Node A or Node B, but instead to the virtual server name given to Exchange during its cluster installation. This way, if Node A fails, the virtual server and all of its associated services (as configured in its resource group) will move to Node B. Although end users might be aware of a slight delay in availability during the failover process, they will not know that their Exchange server is now being hosted on a different node.

·Active/Active. From a software perspective, this describes applications (or resources) that can exist as multiple instances in a cluster. This means that both nodes can be active servicing clients. On the other hand, means that both servers are actively providing valuable, but separate, instances of the same service or application to your end users. However, at the same time each node also is capable of seamlessly (or nearly so) taking on the processing of its cluster partner if the hardware, software (service or application), or OS should fail.

·Active/Passive. This term describes applications that run as a single instance in a cluster. This generally also means that one node typically sits idle until a failover occurs

·Shared storage. This refers to the external SCSI or fiber channel storage enclosure and the disks contained therein. Shared storage is a requirement for multi-node clusters. Although this storage is shared, only one node can access an external storage resource at any given time.
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

To Add on Our Clients Requirments:

We Have used WebsphereMQ Cluster for having minimum object defined for the given set up that will result in easy administration. For example inter-communication between the 4 Queue Manager using distributed queue management requires 68 WebSphere MQ objects. Using WebSphere MQ Cluster for same setup requires only 16 objects.

We are using MSCS Cluster. That enables to connect servers into a cluster, giving higher availability of data and applications, and making it easier to manage the system. MSCS can automatically detect and recover from server or application failures. MSCS supports failover of virtual servers, which correspond to applications.
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Remeber Before deciding for MSCS Cluster :

"Windows 2000 Server is not supported for MSCS Cluster."

Its Supported only in:
Operating system :Number of nodes: Storage

Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition : 1-2 : SCSI or Fiber

Windows 2000 Advanced Server : 1-2 : SCSI or Fiber

Windows 2000 Datacenter Server : 1-2 : SCSI or Fiber

Windows 2000 Datacenter Server :3-4 : Fiber

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition :1-2: SCSI or Fiber

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition :3-8: Fiber

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition :1-2: SCSI or Fiber

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition :3-8: Fiber

Windows Server 2003 Advanced Server 64-bit :1-8: Fiber
(Itanium systems)
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

MSCS has been upgraded to version 1.1 in Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Datacenter Server and to version 1.2 in Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition.

Windows 2000 Advanced Server support for MSCS
o Hardware Configuration required:
o CPU Requirements :33 MHZ Pentium Compatible.
o RAM Requirements :256 MB (Max 8 GB)
o Clustering: :Max two Nodes
o Network Load Balancing: 32 Nodes.
o Hard disk :1GB free space on hard disk.
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Typical Microsoft Cluster Server(MSCS) Setup Requires:

oQueue Manager in the Primary or Secondary should not be default under MSCS control. A queue manager does not have a property that makes it the default. WebSphere MQ keeps its own Separate record. If you move a queue manager set to be the default to the other computer on fail over, it does not become the default there. Make all your applications refer to specific queue managers by name.
oQueue Manager Names on Primary should be different from Queue Manager name in secondary else results in registry key problems, as well as failures starting due to shared memory / named resource conflicts.
oFor Active/Active Mode of MSCS Cluster setup requires at least two shared and quorum disks. You can configure MSCS with Primary System as the preferred computer for Primary’s applications, and Secondary as the preferred computer for Secondary applications. After fail over and repair, each application automatically ends up back on its own computer.
oSet up a cluster with identical hardware, operating system software, product software, and configuration on each computer. In particular, ensure that all the required software installed on the two computers is identical in terms of versions, levels, CSDs, Support Pac’s, paths and exits
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abiram8
PostPosted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master

Joined: 27 Mar 2002
Posts: 207
Location: India

Hi All,

We Still have some open issues which I have to resolve but need more inputs on them
1) Implementing the SCSI Bus for Public network.
2)Implementing the heartbeat between the Primary and Secondary (i.e. the back up) has a firewall in between. MSCS monitors both computers to check that the hardware and software are running correctly using heart beat through Quorum Disk.

Hope All this Listed pionts would be great help for the Team who wants to implement Websphere MQ Cluster with MSCS (Microsoft Cluster)


Abiram
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