The Linux Enterprise Cluster, w. CD-ROM

A Linux Enterprise Cluster consists of multiple computers on a network that pool their resources and act as a single powerful computer. When built correctly, clusters are fault-tolerant and less prone to downtime than individual computers, and especially when theyŽre Linux-based, theyŽre less expensive than large, monolithic servers. But building a high availability cluster that works is no simple task, and the practical realities donŽt always mesh with the theory.

The Linux Enterprise Cluster takes you through the real-world construction and installation of a reliable, cost-effective Linux cluster that uses commodity hardware and free/open source software to run mission-critical applications. Some of the functions youŽll learn about here include how to:

- Build a high-availability server pair using the Heartbeat package, which keeps tabs on your machines and makes sure theyŽre up and running.

- Use the Linux Virtual Server load-balancing software to distribute the computing workload among cluster nodes.

- Solve tricky problems like configuring a reliable printing system in a Linux cluster environment.

- Build a cluster job-scheduling system in Linux with no single point of failure.

- Utilize high-availability techniques with or without a cluster, so that you can reduce or eliminate system downtime.

If you are looking for a low-cost server solution with unlimited scalability, high availability, and stress-free maintenance, The Linux Enterprise Cluster will show you exactly how to build the cluster that you need.

The CD-ROM contains all of the software needed to build a Linux Enterprise Cluster on top of your Linux distribution, including the Linux kernel, rsync, the SystemImager package , the Heartbeat package, the Linux Virtual Server package, the Mon monitoring package, and the Ganglia package. All figures in the book are also included on the CD-ROM to aid you in pitching a clustering solution to the decision-makers in your organization.