HP Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster Server Version 5.1.B-4 Patch Summary and Release Notes (13156)

1 Enhancements, Improvements, and Features
This chapter describes key new features, enhancements, and improvements delivered in Version
5.1B-4
1.1 Enhanced Cluster Interconnect Extended to 100 KM
This release provides support for Enhanced Distance Clusters. An Enhanced Distance Cluster is
a cluster in which the interconnect has been extended up to 100 km using a gigabit LAN Ethernet
connection. An Enhanced Distance Cluster provides basic high availability services in the event
of the loss of a single component. However, it does not include all of the high availability services
provided by TruCluster Server. See Appendix A (page 183) for information about setting up and
configuring an Enhanced Distance Cluster.
1.2 Cluster Cloning Offers Alternative to No-Roll Patching
This kit provides a new installation method, generically referred to as cloning, using a new tool
named dupclone . The process consists of two primary steps:
• Creating an exact duplicate of an existing system on an alternate set of disk drives.
• Using dupclone to install the patch kit to the alternate disk set. After completion, the system
can immediately be rebooted using the alternate disks.
See the Patch Installation Instructions document and the new dupclone(8) reference page for
information about using dupclone. See “dupclone Error Message Can Be Ignored (new)”
(page 38) for information about a message you may see when using dupclone.
1.3 Link Aggregation Extended to Cluster LAN Interconnects
This kit provides enhanced support for link aggregation (LAG) by extending it to cluster LAN
interconnects. It does this by decreasing the latency associated with time critical Interconnect
Communication Subsystem (ICS) remote procedure calls and by increasing the available
bandwidth of the LAN interconnect, thereby allowing increased interconnect throughput.
Latency is improved though multiple active interfaces decreasing queue sizes (link aggregation)
and through the separation of ICS channels that prefer low latency from channels that require
high bandwidth.
Throughput is improved from multiple active interfaces decreasing queue sizes.
The primary goal is to distribute cluster component channel traffic among the interfaces that
form part of the link aggregation group.
These changes are implemented with the following three new sysconfigtab attributes, which
configure the interfaces and create the LAG set:
ics_tcp_lag0 Configures a LAN interface to be part of the LAG set.
ics_tcp_lag_dist Specifies the lag traffic distribution algorithm for a LAG
interface.
ics_tcp_lag_serv_weights Based on this value, the channel traffic for an ICS channel
is distributed over the LAG interface.
CAUTION: Do not modify the default value of these attributes unless instructed to do so by
support personnel.
The following restrictions apply the to the use of these attributes:
• Supported only on DEGPA (alt), DEGXA (bcm), and DE60x (ee) network interface cards
(NICs).
• Supported only on Ethernet (802.3 CSMA/CD) links.
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