Question
Can I create a cluster solution even if the SCSI cards are not RAID capable?
Answer
Clustering does not rely on there being an external RAID - Just an external drive and a cluster compatible SCSI Card. Most clustering software just looks for a Shared SCSI Device.
If you want a RAID to work with, you need to have an external RAID that looks like a SCSI drive to the OS. Some Vendors have internal RAID cards that trick MS Cluster into thinking they are a regular SCSI Card talking to an external RAID. HP and Compaq do this with their "MS Cluster Compatible" Internal RAID Cards.
Preferably you would have a self contained External RAID with it's own Host Adapter and just have normal SCSI Cards in the servers. However, This is almost always more expensive. The "Almost" is because you can make your own using products from CMD and others that are very reasonable in price and give good performance as well.
Leon
Posted by Leon at June 20, 2002 01:16 PM