ClusterLion

Robert Graf | CEO

Mobile +43 664 1314403
Email: rg@prolion.at
 Overview

1. ProLion-NetApp Alliance
2. High Availability
3. Metro Cluster Challenges
4. ClusterLion Solution
5. ClusterLion vs. Common Solutions
6. ClusterLion Technology
7. Customer Benefits
8. References
 NetApp Alliance

ProLion CEO Robert Graf: former NetApp Country Manager

in Austria, 7 Years @ NetApp
ClusterLion only offered for NetApp MetroCluster
NetApp Alliance Partner
EU Distribution Partner: Arrow ECS
 High Availability in IT

High Availability is a MUST in todays IT world!

This applies accross industries

Mission critical applications must be available at all

times!
Therefore, permanent IT availability Always ON is
a prerequisite for many companies and no longer an
option.
Any downtime costs money and image
 Cost of Downtime
The cost by industry and studies vary, but it is clear that IT
downtime causes considerable damage!
Split-Brain Syndrome

Wikipedia: Split-brain indicates data or

availability inconsistencies originating
from the maintenance of two separate
data sets with overlap in scope, either
because of servers in a network design,
or a failure condition based on servers
not communicating and synchronizing
their data to each other.
High-availability clusters usually use a
heartbeat private networkconnection
which is used to monitor the health and
status of each node in the cluster. For
example the split-brain syndrome may
occur when all of the private links go
down simultaneously, but the cluster
nodes are still running, each one
believing they are the only one running.
The Challenge of Every Storage Cluster

Every storage vendor on the market needs a quorum, witness

or tie-breaker to run automatic switchover in case of site-
failure!
Expensive infrastructure investments in a 3rd data center
location and highly redundant interconnects form the primary
data centers to the quorum site are required!
No infrastructure investment is needed, which offers the lowest
possible TCO for automatic switchover.
ClusterLion is only available for NetApp MetroCluster.
7 Mode or cDOT 2-Pack MetroCluster

stretched HA
system01 failed !
cf giveback
takeover!

Srvc (a) Srvc (b)

A/A Controller Failure

Scenario
1. 1st Controller fails
2. Identity moves to 2nd
controller
3. I/O passes through 2nd
controller
4. After repairing1st controller,
issue cf giveback
5. Identity moves back to 1st
controller
7 Mode or cDOT 2-Pack MetroCluster

stretched HA

Srvc (a) Srvc (b)

SiteA down or
cfcftakeover -d
giveback
site-connection broken?

MC Site Failure Scenario

1. Entire Site A fails
2. 2nd controller checks
heartbeat, disk-connections and
IP connection while still serving
its data
3. Human or process on 3rd Site
identifies site-failure
4. Issue cf takeover d
5. Identity moves to second
controller
cDOT 4-Pack MetroCluster / local HA

stretched HA
local HA local HA

MC Fabric
Srvc(a) Srvc(b)

NO AUTOMATIC SWITCHOVER BETWEEN DATA CENTERS

 ONTAP 8.3 MetroCluster DR
Guide

Source: http://mysupport.netapp.com/documentation/docweb/index.html?productID=62093&language=en-US
ClusterLion The Solution
 SRV1
ClusterLion Switchback SRV2
Customer
Support during
Giveback
Switchove
r Ethernet / SAN

2x RS232 2x
Srvc(b)
2x RS232 2x Ethernet
Ethernet
Srvc(a)
Srvc(b)

MC Fabric

A2 A1 B2 B1
100
Grid UPS 100m
m Grid UPS
Telco
Telco B
A

Use
1.
2. Case: Power
Monitoring:
Reporting:
Action:

Q B2:
Outage
Power
A2:
B1:
A1:
A2:
Active
Storage
Supply
Power
Lost
Power
Partner
etc.
Controller Heartbeat
Of
Controller
Cluster
Active
Of Partner, NVRAM
Status
Controller Heartbeat
Open A1:
Heart-Beat
B2: Force
No Controller
TakeoverHeartbeat
Partner HelpdeskTicket Remote Quorum Q:B1:Open
Controller ErrorTicket
Helpdesk and Power
Alarm
 MetroCluster Switchover
Available solutions for NetApp MetroCluster switchover:

TieBreaker Manual Switchover ClusterLion

Support for 7-Mode and cDOT

MC config.

Continues operation even

during site-failure X

Only two data centers are

needed to run switchover X

Highly secure against Split-

Brain and data loss X

Independet remote view on

MetroCluster status X X

Very easy to install and

operate X
ClusterLion Technology
 ClusterLion Technology

ClusterLion without Front Cover

Hot Swap Battery
 ClusterLion Technology

4x Power Input
4x Power Output
2x Cooling Fans
2x 24V Output for UMTS Gateways
Reset Button
ClusterLion Premium Support

Premium Support Contract:

24x7 Phone Support
Proactive notification of the Customer
Automatic support ticket at Storage Vendor
Support during cluster giveback
European Maintenance Partner: Econocom
Osiatis
 Customer Benefits

. ClusterLion increases the availability of your NetApp

MetroCluster.
. Even in the event of a total failure at one location, cluster
services are properly delivered. All applications remain available.
. ClusterLion works with only two locations. This reduces costs
and complexity.
. A third site (Quorum) will be provided by ProLion free of charge.
. ClusterLion prevents data corruption in case of Split Brain
syndrome.
. ClusterLion permanantly ensures a consistent state in the
storage cluster.
. ClusterLion can be retrofitted at any existing storage cluster.
The
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