HAC RSF-1 provides the high availability solution for Halton Borough Council.

M2 PRESSWIRE-13 January 2005-High-Availability.Com: HAC RSF-1 provides the high availability solution for Halton Borough Council(C)1994-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:01132005

Halton Borough Council - www.halton.gov.uk - is using HAC's RSF-1 high availability system - www.high-availability.com - to guarantee uptime for its core applications - now all running on a single Sun Unix cluster. The solution covers over a dozen separate applications that previously ran on nine different and unconnected servers - and use of three different databases - Oracle, Ingres and Reality.

The cluster is built around two powerful computer nodes from Sun, each capable of supporting the full workload. With different acquisition dates, one node contains four UltraSparc processors running at 300MHz and the other contains two running at 480MHz.

Within each node error-correcting 144-bit UPA buses interconnect the processors allowing them to co-operate effectively. Each node contains a 4Gb memory store connected to the processors via a dedicated 576-bit error-correcting bus capable of delivering throughput up to 1.78GB/second.

All data is stored separately in two dedicated storage arrays, with each containing a full and up-to-date copy of data and programs. Each storage array has 12 disc drives with a total capacity of 396Gb - expandable to 864Gb without any interruption to service.

Each array is connected to each node via high-speed differential Ultra-SCSI links. There are separate electrical supplies, each with their own independent battery-backup, power the two nodes and storage arrays. By eliminating any single point of failure and using HAC's powerful RSF/1 clustering software to monitor the whole configuration, continuous availability is virtually guaranteed.

"High-Availability.Com's RSF-1 solution was chosen because they were able to demonstrate previous experience of clustering Sun E450 hardware," says Halton Council's IT Technical Support Manager in charge of Unix, Andrew Miller.

RSF-1 was originally released in 1995 and is designed to make services 'highly available' by switching between servers if a server or service fails. It provides multi-directional redundant ability that allows servers to constantly monitor and shadow each other. Rather than maintain a standby option idle as a failover server, RSF-1 allows operational systems to act as standby servers, ensuring that hardware investment is optimized.

In the event of server failure, RSF-1 includes both Java and Windows based system admin modules that allow the cluster to be monitored and administered in real time - showing the status of any RSF-1 instances available on the network and provide manual switchover functions.

High-Availability.Com designed and developed the first high availability solution for Sun Unix servers and has been leading the mission-critical market ever since with innovative products to help customers maximize their business IT and Internet functions. The company sells and supports products to customers throughout the world, ensuring critical applications and services keep running in the event of system failures.

RSF-1 was originally released in 1995 and is designed to make services 'highly available' by switching between servers if a server or service fails. It provides multi-directional redundant ability that allows servers to constantly monitor and shadow each other. Rather than maintain a standby option idle as a failover server, RSF-1 allows operational systems to act as standby servers, ensuring that hardware investment is optimized.

In the event of server failure, RSF-1 includes both Java and Windows based system admin modules that allow the cluster to be monitored and administered in real time - showing the status of any RSF-1 instances available on the network and provide manual switchover functions.

High-Availability.Com - www.high-availability.com - designed and developed the first high availability solution for Sun Unix servers and has been leading the mission-critical market ever since with innovative products to help customers maximize their business IT and Internet functions. The company sells and supports products to customers throughout the world, ensuring critical applications and services keep running in the event of system failures.

CONTACT: Andy McGinn, HACTel: +44 (0)156 575 4459e-mail: a.mcginn@high-availability.comJohn Bradshaw, JBPRTel: +44 (0)148 375 5095e-mail: jbpr@btinternet.com

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