Quorum Servers

You can use Sun Cluster Quorum Server software to configure a machine as a quorum server and then configure the quorum server as your cluster's quorum device. You can use a quorum server instead of or in addition to shared disks and NAS filers.

Consider the following points when you plan the use of a quorum server in a Sun Cluster configuration.

• Network connection – The quorum-server computer connects to your cluster through the public network.

• Supported hardware – The supported hardware platforms for a quorum server are the same as for a global-cluster node.

• Operating system – Solaris software requirements for Sun Cluster software apply as well to Quorum Server software.

• Service to multiple clusters – You can configure a quorum server as a quorum device to more than one cluster.

• Mixed hardware and software – You do not have to configure a quorum server on the same hardware and software platform as the cluster or clusters that it provides quorum to. For example, a SPARC based machine that runs the Solaris 9 OS can be configured as a quorum server for an x86 based cluster that runs the Solaris 10 OS.

• Using a cluster node as a quorum server – You can configure a quorum server on a cluster node to provide quorum for clusters other than the cluster that the node belongs to. However, a quorum server that is configured on a cluster node is not highly available.