HP OpenVMS Systems

OpenVMS cluster software

 Summary of OpenVMS Cluster Software Enhancments

This section provides an overview of the following new OpenVMS Cluster Software features that are available in Version 7.2 and 7.2-1 (July 1999). For additional details please refer to the

» OpenVMS cluster systems
» OpenVMS v7.2 new features manual
» OpenVMS v7.2 release notes
» guidelines for OpenVMS cluster configurations

» fibre channel

Fibre Channel is a new ANSI standard network and storage interconnect that offers many advantages over other interconnects, such as high-speed transmission, 100 megabytes per second, and long interconnect distances (up to 500 meters per link).

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2-1 provides support for Fibre Channel as an OpenVMS Cluster shared storage interconnect. Support for the Fibre Channel adapter, KGPSA-BC, was introduced with the OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 HW01 Remedial Kit and is now incorporated into this release.

» gigabit ethernet

Gigabit Ethernet technology addresses congestion experienced at the backbone and server levels by today's networks.

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2-1 provides run-time support for the Compaq PCI-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter (DEGPA). The DEGPA incorporates a new technology that transfers data at a rate of one gigabit per second---ten times the rate of a Fast Ethernet adapter.

Support for the DEGPA was introduced in the OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1-2 release. For OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2, support for the DEGPA became available with the OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 HW01 Remedial Kit and is now incorporated into OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2-1.

» memory channel v2

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2-1 supports the following MEMORY CHANNEL Version 2.0 features:

• New adapter (CCMAB--AA) and a new hub (CCMHB--AA)
• Simultaneous communication between four sender-receiver pairs
• Longer cables for a radial topology up to 3 kilometers

» multipath failover

Multipath failover support is for failover between multiple paths that might exist between an OpenVMS system and certain types of disk devices. Multipath failover increases availability.

If the current path to a mounted disk fails, the system automatically fails over to the alternate path. A system in an OpenVMS Cluster system can access the supported disk types through its direct paths. Multipath failover for MSCP served paths is not supported.

Multipath failover support was introduced in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 for SCSI devices. This support was extended to Fibre Channel devices in the OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 HW01 Remedial Kit and is now integrated into OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2-1.

» clusterwide logical names are an extension to the existing logical name support on OpenVMS. They are available on both OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS VAX.

» clusterwide logical names in applications

» clusterwide logical names in system management

• New Clusterwide Attributes for $TRNLNM System Service
• New Clusterwide Attribute for $GETSYI System Service

» intra-cluster communication (ICC) system services

ICC system services provide an API for applications that run in an OpenVMS Cluster system.

Prior Cluster Version Enhancements

» OpenVMS version 7.1
» OpenVMS version 6.2