HP OpenVMS Cluster Systems

This document, "HP OpenVMS Cluster Systems," is a manual published in June 2010 (Order Number: BA554-90021). It serves as a guide for configuring and managing OpenVMS Cluster systems, covering concepts, procedures, and guidelines. The manual primarily applies to Integrity servers and Alpha systems, with specific exceptions noted.

Key topics include:

• Cluster Concepts: Discusses the architecture, software functions, and mechanisms for ensuring cluster membership integrity, such as quorum algorithms and quorum disks.
• Interconnect Configurations: Details various supported interconnects like LANs (Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet), Internet Protocol (IP), Memory Channel (Alpha only), Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) (Integrity servers only), SCSI, and Fibre Channel. It also covers mixed-interconnect clusters and cluster-over-IP configurations (introduced in OpenVMS 8.4).
• Operating Environment Setup: Provides steps for preparing the cluster environment, installing the OpenVMS operating system and layered products, and configuring satellite booting services (using LANCP or DECnet).
• Shared Environment Preparation: Explains how to set up shared resources like system and data disks, tape drives, batch/print queues, and user authorization files across cluster nodes. It details directory structures and clusterwide logical names.
• Cluster Storage Devices: Covers data file sharing, device access methods (local, dual-ported, shared, served, dual-pathed), naming conventions for storage devices, allocation classes, and managing cluster disks, including disk rebuilds and Volume Shadowing for OpenVMS.
• Queue Management: Describes setting up and managing cluster queues, including print and batch queues, and ensuring their availability across the cluster.
• System Configuration and Maintenance: Guides through procedures for adding and removing computers, changing computer characteristics, creating duplicate system disks, and post-configuration tasks like updating parameter files and rebooting. It also includes guidelines for building large clusters and ongoing maintenance tasks like backups, OS updates, and network failure analysis.
• Troubleshooting: Offers extensive information on diagnosing computer failures, cluster hangs, CLUEXIT bugchecks, and port device problems, along with techniques for troubleshooting NISCA protocol communications.

The manual supersedes previous versions for OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3–1 and OpenVMS VAX Version 7.3, and is applicable for OpenVMS Version 8.4 on Integrity servers and OpenVMS Alpha Version 8.4. It is intended for anyone responsible for setting up and managing OpenVMS Cluster systems, assuming a thorough understanding of system management concepts.