Can I use GlusterFS on servers with shared storage?
I have 3 nodes all connected to a shared FC storage array (RAID5). Currently, I’m using GFS2 so all 3 nodes can access the same array (LUN). Specifically, I’m using clustered LVM to create a logical volume. Then, I formatted the volume with the GFS2 filesystem. I would like to replicate the data on that volume to an identical system located across the LAN/WAN.
Can I use GlusterFS either in conjunction with or as a replacement to GFS2? I would like to still have 1 large array that all three nodes can share. It seems that the only way to do what I want is to have 3 separate volumes, (one for each node), then use some distributed/replicated mode to combine all of the volumes? If I lose a node, I still want access to all of the data.
GlusterFS and GFS (1 or 2) do not really play nice in the manner you are suggesting. To survive node failure with Gluster you must utilize distribute-replicate to provide mirroring.
You can use Gluster geo-replicaition for the cross WAN mirroring.
that being said, if you want to get really fancy and unsupported with it you could attempt to do an Active-passive cluster where all the configuration files have to be synchronized between the GFS2 nodes and the passive one(s) only enables the service if the Active one fails. But thats not really something Gluster is intended to support (in my understanding).
You can use Gluster geo-replicaition for the cross WAN mirroring.
that being said, if you want to get really fancy and unsupported with it you could attempt to do an Active-passive cluster where all the configuration files have to be synchronized between the GFS2 nodes and the passive one(s) only enables the service if the Active one fails. But thats not really something Gluster is intended to support (in my understanding).
