Setting up hardware consists of connecting cluster nodes to other hardware required to run a Red Hat Cluster. The amount and type of hardware varies according to the purpose and availability requirements of the cluster. Typically, an enterprise-level cluster requires the following type of hardware (refer to Figure 1.1, “Red Hat Cluster Hardware Overview”).
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Cluster nodes — Computers that are capable of running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 software, with at least 1GB of RAM.
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Ethernet switch or hub for public network — This is required for client access to the cluster.
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Ethernet switch or hub for private network — This is required for communication among the cluster nodes and other cluster hardware such as network power switches and Fibre Channel switches.
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Network power switch — A network power switch is recommended to perform fencing in an enterprise-level cluster.
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Fibre Channel switch — A Fibre Channel switch provides access to Fibre Channel storage. Other options are available for storage according to the type of storage interface; for example, iSCSI or GNBD. A Fibre Channel switch can be configured to perform fencing.
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Storage — Some type of storage is required for a cluster. The type required depends on the purpose of the cluster.
For considerations about hardware and other cluster configuration concerns, refer to Chapter 2, Before Configuring a Red Hat Cluster or check with an authorized Red Hat representative.
