Server clustering ensures higher availability, proper load balancing, and system scalability. A server cluster is a group of two or more servers that work simultaneously under a single IP address. If one server fails, then another server can take over application processing. For data centers that require utmost performance at all times, server clustering is a beneficial way to maintain applications, hardware, and physical server sites.
Why are Server Clusters Deployed?
The key to a protected IT infrastructure is redundancy. By integrating redundancy measures into your data center, you can ensure that a single error won’t shut down your entire network.
Server clusters are primarily used for protection against failures and outages that are caused by software failure, hardware failure, and physical server sites. During an outage event, the clusters will reduce downtime and prevent outages by allowing another server.
Application/Service Failure
This type of outage occurs from critical errors involving software or services that are fundamental to the operation of the server or data center. These failures may be caused by a wide range of factors and are generally unavoidable. Even if there are redundancy measures in place, application/service failures can be hard to prepare for.
In some cases, server administrators may also have trouble resolving potential errors due to the complexity of server monitoring. Server admins can identify and address the issues, but they won’t be able to provide a comprehensive solution for application/service failures.
System/Hardware Failure
This type of outage occurs from failures with the physical hardware that the server is running on. It can also be caused and virtually affected by different types of components crucial to the functionality of a server or data center. Even if the server components are continuously improving the reliability and functionality, the components are not fully protected from potential outages.
The failures are caused by overheating issues, poor optimization, or the component reaching the end of its product lifespan. For example, CPUs, memory, power supplies, and hard drives are common components of failure due to their significance in keeping the server running.
Site Failure
This type of outage occurs from events that happen outside of a data center environment. These failures are caused by natural disasters, power disruptions, and more. For data centers that are located in areas prone to natural disasters, redundancy measures are crucial to prevent site failures.
What are the Server Cluster Types?
The three types of clustering servers are classified based on how the cluster system (also referred to as a node) is connected to the device responsible for storing configuration data. The server cluster types include a single (or standard) quorum cluster, a majority node set cluster, and a single node cluster. You can read more about server cluster systems here.
What are the Benefits of Server Clusters?
A clustered environment ensures uptime and availability by helping you manage hardware, application, and site failures. The benefits of server clustering include flexibility and scalability, availability and performance, reduced IT costs, and a customizable infrastructure.
Flexibility and Scalability
A single server will handle everything from the network connection to storage for a business. When you deploy a multi-server architecture with server cluster capabilities, you can improve the flexibility and scalability of that server.
Availability and Performance
Along with providing hardware redundancy and ensuring uptime, a clustered environment can also improve performance. A cluster with a dedicated database server can improve website or application speed. This allows you to improve the website/application performance while increasing support for simultaneous connections.
Reduced IT Costs
To ensure that customers can always connect to the network, companies will provide a network that includes built-in redundancy. A server clustered environment prevents downtime and lowers costs by keeping the server fully operational. Ultimately, server clusters provide continuous uptime, which is great for companies that want to avoid high costs. Since server clusters are configured to work together on a single network, it reduces risk vulnerability while improving the network performance.
Customizable Infrastructure
The server cluster architecture benefits businesses of all sizes. Server clustering helps to optimize the processes from networking services to the end-user experience. These workloads are assigned to applications, so it gets rolled out on separate servers that will sync in real time.
Furthermore, businesses can customize the number of servers in a clustered environment. This customization allows for cost management and eliminates single points of failure. By using a custom-built infrastructure, it will ensure that your environment is engineered for your workload.
Mounting Equipment
To help manage your servers, we provide a wide range of server racks, server rack rails, and rack shelves that you can select from.
Racks: Our 4 Post and 2 Post racks are an effective way to mount your equipment. Depending on your needs, we provide open frame racks, enclosed racks, and wall mount racks. Open frame racks allow for more airflow and space while enclosed racks enhance security. But if you don’t need a full size rack, a wall mount rack may be a good choice to mount your equipment on the wall or under a desk.
Our server racks are compatible with all leading OEM servers and equipment, such as Dell, HP and Lenovo. Before making a decision, make sure to check the height, width, and weight requirements of your equipment to ensure that it’s compatible with our server racks.
Shelves: We provide rack shelves that come in different sizes and configurations to serve a wide variety of needs. rack shelves can be mounted into server racks, AV racks, or network racks. You can store servers, desktop PCs, monitors, tools, switches, and other tools or equipment that is not usually rack mountable. A server rack shelf provides additional storage and organization for your equipment. To store your servers on the rack, you can choose between our fixed shelf or sliding shelf.
Rails: Server rack rails are a great way to mount your servers in a 4 post or 2 post rack. We provide a large selection of server rack rail replacements for many OEM servers, including those made by Dell, HP, Lenovo, Supermicro and others. You can select from our selection of rails, rail kits, and universal rails.
Before installing your server rails, we also recommend our Cage Nut Tool for a painless and fast installation. Even though cage nuts can be installed without tools, it can get uncomfortable for your hands. So by using our cage nut tool you’ll be able to easily install and remove cage nuts faster than before!
RackSolutions provides a variety of server racks, rack shelves, and rack accessories that are ready to order. If you have any questions about which server rack or rack accessories to buy for your installation or needs, feel free to contact us. With our high-quality, in house manufacturing, you can be confident that you are buying the best rack equipment possible!