Can a cluster begin with a single server?

[john2k]

I hope you all don't mind the barrage of questions I have been posting recently. I just figure I should post the questions as I think of them.

So, for my next question...

I've read in the FAQ that a cluster requires at least two servers. Is that because of the cluster technology within InterWorx or because it simply couldn't be called a cluster with only 1 server?

More specifically of what I'm thinking about here is in regards to preparation for a cluster when starting with a single server. When InterWorx is installed on a single server, is it automatically capable from the default install to add nodes right away?

Do other steps need to be taken to turn a standard InterWorx install into an InterWorx cluster manager install?

If someone wanted to ultimately end up with a cluster, but first start out with a single server, could they simply start with one server with InterWorx and when more capacity is needed just add on a node?

With a 2 server cluster, with the CM part of the load balancing policy for all services, would losing the single node cause the system to go down? Or would the CM keep everything running fine by itself?

Thanks again for all the responses to my other threads as well as in advance for this one.

[IWorx-Paul]

I hope you all don't mind the barrage of questions I have been posting recently. I just figure I should post the questions as I think of them.

No problem at all John :)

So, for my next question...

I've read in the FAQ that a cluster requires at least two servers. Is that because of the cluster technology within InterWorx or because it simply couldn't be called a cluster with only 1 server?

It simply couldn't be called a cluster with only 1 server

More specifically of what I'm thinking about here is in regards to preparation for a cluster when starting with a single server. When InterWorx is installed on a single server, is it automatically capable from the default install to add nodes right away?

Yes, that's correct.

Do other steps need to be taken to turn a standard InterWorx install into an InterWorx cluster manager install?

You just have to assign the server's role as a cluster manager via the NodeWorx Clustering menu.

If someone wanted to ultimately end up with a cluster, but first start out with a single server, could they simply start with one server with InterWorx and when more capacity is needed just add on a node?

Yes.

With a 2 server cluster, with the CM part of the load balancing policy for all services, would losing the single node cause the system to go down? Or would the CM keep everything running fine by itself?

Requests that were previously getting routed to the node would keep getting routed to the node, until the "persistance" wore off or the node was removed from the load balancing policy. So if a node goes down, everything works fine for some clients (the ones hitting the CM) and not for others (the ones hitting the node that is down)

Thanks again for all the responses to my other threads as well as in advance for this one.

You're very welcome John.

Paul