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Sun Cluster 3.0 U1 System Administration Guide

1.3 Preparing to Administer the Cluster

This section describes what to do to prepare for administering your cluster.

1.3.1 Documenting a Sun Cluster Hardware Configuration

As your Sun Cluster configuration grows and changes, documenting the hardware aspects that are unique to your site saves administration time when it becomes necessary to change or upgrade the cluster. Labeling cables and connections between the various cluster components can also make administration easier.

Keeping records of your original cluster configuration, and subsequent changes, can also help to reduce the time required by a third-party service provider when servicing your cluster.

1.3.2 Using an Administrative Console

You can use a dedicated SPARC workstation, known as the administrative console, to administer the active cluster. Typically, you install and run the Cluster Control Panel (CCP) and graphical user interface (GUI) tools on the administrative console. For more information on the CCP, see "1.4.1 How to Remotely Log In to Sun Cluster". For instructions on installing the Sun Management Center and SunPlex Manager GUI tools, see the Sun Cluster 3.0 U1 Installation Guide.

The administrative console is not a cluster node. The administrative console is used for remote access to the cluster nodes, either over the public network or through a network-based terminal concentrator.

If your cluster consists of a Sun EnterpriseTM 10000 server, you must have the ability to log in from the administrative console to the System Service Processor (SSP) and connect using the netcon(1M) command. The default method for netcon to connect with a Sun Enterprise 10000 domain is through the network interface. If the network is inaccessible, the cluster console (cconsole) access through the network connection will hang. To prevent this, you can use netcon in "exclusive" mode by setting the -f option or by sending ~* during a normal netcon session. This gives you the option of toggling to the serial interface if the network becomes unreachable. Refer to netcon(1M) for more information.

Sun Cluster does not require a dedicated administrative console, but using one provides these benefits:

1.3.3 Backing Up the Cluster

It is important to back up your cluster on a regular basis. Even though Sun Cluster provides an HA environment, with mirrored copies of data on the storage devices, do not consider this to be a replacement for regular backups. Sun Cluster can survive multiple failures, but it does not protect against user or program error, or catastrophic failure. Therefore, you must have a backup procedure in place to protect against data loss.

The following information should be included as part of your backup.