Implementing

Multi-Site
Clusters
April 14 20111
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Overview of Multi-Site Clusters

Agenda:
What Are Multi-Site Clusters?
What Makes Multi-Site Clusters Unique?
Why Use a Multi-Site Cluster?
Evaluating the Business Need for a Multi-Site Cluster
Storage Challenges for Multi-Site Clusters
Synchronous / Asynchronous Replication?
Network Challenges for Multi-Site Clusters
Choosing the Appropriate Quorum Mode in Multi-Site Clusters
Demo: Deploying a Multi-Site Cluster

What Are Multi-Site Clusters?

A multi-site cluster is a cluster that has been extended so that
different nodes in the same cluster reside in separate
physical locations

Site A

Site B

SAN

SAN

What Makes Multi-Site Clusters Unique?

Multiple storage arrays, which are independent in each site
Nodes commonly access storage local to their own sites
Storage is replicated between sites
No true shared disk is visible to all nodes

Site A

Site B

Changes are
made on Site A
and replicated
to Site B

Replica

Why Use a Multi-Site Cluster?

Advantages over cold standby server in a disaster

recovery site:
Automatic failover Reduced downtime
Lower complexity

Reduced
administrative
overhead

Automatic synchronization of application

and cluster changes

Better service continuity than cold

standby servers

Reduced human
error factor

Reduced reliance on old, potentially

error-prone procedures

Evaluating the Business Need for a Multi-Site Cluster

Because of increased cost and complexity, multi-site

clusters arent for every company or application

Evaluate the application type and importance, and consider

available alternatives

Plan for the application and hardware architecture, and

for routine failover and failback testing

Storage Challenges for Multi-Site Clusters

Challenge

Description

Requires a
separate or
third-party data
replication
solution

Hardware (block level) storage-based

replication

Software (file system level) host-based

replication

Application-based replication (such as

Exchange 2007 Cluster Continuous

Replication)

Can be either
synchronous or
asynchronous
replication

Synchronous: No acknowledgement of data

changes made in Site A until the data is
successfully written to Site B
Asynchronous: Data changes made in Site

A will eventually be written to the storage

in Site B

What Is Synchronous Replication?

When you use synchronous replication, the host receives a
write complete response from the primary storage after the
data is written successfully to both storage locations
Site A

Site B

Replication

Write
Request
Write
Complete
Data

Data

Primary
Storage

Acknowledgement

Secondary
Storage

What Is Asynchronous Replication?

When you use asynchronous replication, the host receives a
write complete response from the primary storage after the
data is written successfully on the primary storage

Site A

Site B

Replication

Write
Request
Write
Complete
Data
Primary
Storage

Data

Secondary
Storage

Comparing Synchronous and Asynchronous

Replication
Replication Type Description
Synchronous

Works across shorter distances

Results in no data loss
Requires high-bandwidth/low-latency

connections

Allows write latencies to impact

performance

Asynchronous

Stretches over longer distances

Results in potential data loss on hard

failure

Assumes large enough bandwidth to keep

up with data

Does not significantly impact performance

Network Challenges for Multi-Site Clusters

Inter-node communications are time sensitive; you might

need to configure these thresholds to meet the higher

WAN latency

DNS replication might impact client reconnect times when

failover is based on hostname

Active Directory replication latency might effect application

data availability

Some applications might require all of the nodes to be in the

same Active Directory site

Choosing the Appropriate Quorum Mode in

Multi-Site Clusters

Quorum Mode

Choose when:

Node and Disk

Majority

Directed by vendor only

No Majority: Disk
Only

Directed by vendor only

Node Majority

Limited to two sites

Node and File Share

Majority

Three sites are available

Using Node and File Share Majority in a

Multi-Site Cluster
File share witness allows a 2-node cluster with no shared disk
Single file server can serve as the witness for multiple clusters
File Share
Witness

Site C

Site A

Site B

WAN
SAN

SAN

Third-Party Replication
Mechanism

Deploying a Multi-Site Cluster

When deploying multi-site clusters:

Ensure that the business requirements are met by

the solution

Use a hardware vendor to create a full solution for

multi-site clusters

Choose the correct quorum mode to properly maintain

functionality in the event of failures

Choose the correct storage replication solution to meet

these needs

Demo

Demo:
Multi Site Cluster

Demo
PC08: DC, Quorum
IP: 192.168.1.8

Site 3

Public network: 192.168.1.0/24

Site 2

Site 1

PC10:
IP: 192.168.1.10
IP: 172.16.1.10

PC09:
IP: 192.168.1.9
IP: 172.16.1.9
Private network: 172.16.1.0/16

Datakeeper replicate