The Linux Enterprise Cluster

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 they´re Linux-based, they´re less expensive than large, monolithic servers. But building a high availability cluster that works is no simple task, and the practical realities don´t 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 you´ll 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 they´re 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.