Cluster Server Main Page | Why Use Cluster Server? | Features

What is Turbolinux Cluster Server 8?
Turbolinux Cluster Server 8 (TCS8) is an enterprise-class clustering solution that configures highly available and scalable clusters using widely available components. This is the latest generation technology based on our successful TurboCluster Server product, winner of Linux Journal's Best Web Solution and honored as Best Enterprise Solution at the prestigious IT 2000 Sydney Conference.

Network administrators can significantly improve quality of service levels for most TCP/IP based network services such as:

• Web Serving
• Mail Hosting
• News
• FTP

Unlike distributed processing clusters, such as Beowulf, TCS8 works by transparently integrating existing stand alone, non-cluster aware, applications together into a single virtual network.
TCS8 was designed with Internet customer needs in mind. The design goal was to continually improve the availability and performance of business critical e-commerce web sites and ISP network environments. TCS8 will add value to your computing environment, regardless of network size or location.

Why Turbolinux Cluster Server 8?
With TCS8, Turbolinux has dramatically enhanced its core clustering technology to meet and exceed customer expectations. Users of the latest version will find major enhancements made to performance, security, manageability, scalability, and overall functionality. New users will learn why Turbolinux has revolutionized the clustering and load balancing markets and is an industry leader in clustering price/performance and ease of use. TCS8 further demonstrates Turbolinux's commitment to customers and to pioneering technology innovation within the high availability and scalability space.

• TCS8 is a pure application capable of being installed on either Turbolinux 8 Server or Turbolinux Enterprise Server 8. TCS8 does not require a new installation of the OS, instead it installs like any other application.
• TCS8 comes with a new web administration tool, Cluster Management Console (CMC), for remote and local management via a powerful graphical web framework.
• TCS8 now supports Network Address Translation (NAT) as well as Direct Routing and Tunneling.
• Additional Application Stability Agents are included (Oracle, DB2, DNS)
• TCS8 supports routing pools (collections of ATMs) and server pools (collections of Server Nodes) for maximum flexibility when creating multi-service clusters.
• The Cluster Management Console provides for real-time graphical statistics on service, performance, and load.
• TCS8 supports dynamic run-time configuration via the CMC of numerous cluster settings. With a simple mouse click, administrators can now take individual nodes offline for maintenance without impacting overall cluster service.
• Redesigned command-line administration tool.
• Command-line configuration tool also does instant monitoring for incorrect settings in the configuration file.
• Terminology within the configuration files and administrator tools are more understandable and consistent throughout the suite. Backward compatibility is achieved for TCS 4.0 customers.
• Enhancements in the logging features of TCS8. All log messages were rewritten to provide the most insight possible for administrators.
• TCS8 now includes two powerful and secure synchronization tools based around SSH technology for automatically replicating cluster configuration and for replicating content between the various nodes within the cluster.
• The Cluster Management Console supports secure authentication and encryption using SSL technology.
• Account and access rights have been integrated into the Linux security system and may be delegated to further secure access to the cluster.
• Dynamic scheduling of server health checks for increased service availability.
• Failover clustering for stateless applications.
• Application Stability Agents follow RFC and IETF1 "Best Practices".
• Improved packet forwarding and traffic management.
• "Virtual Hosting" of multiple sites can support configurations of over 1000 virtual hosts.

What are Application Stability Agents, and how do they work?
Application Stability Agents monitor individual services to ensure the service is running correctly. The Application Stability Agents ensure that individual services are working on each server node and will notify the ATM if a problem is found, thereby allowing for monitoring to notify the administrator of any problem immediately.

• High Availability
• System Redundancy
• Highly Scalable Network
• Superior Performance
• Security
• Investment Protection

TCS8 provides the power and flexibility to build business critical infrastructures for the ever expanding needs of customers. TCS8's scalability allows your business to grow as customer demands force an increase in service and reliability. TCS8 security features protect your systems from intruders using the latest technology for both cluster administration and synchronization. Finally, TCS8 technology provides the highest cluster performance possible based on price/performance.

• Web Servers
• Secure Web Servers
• E-Commerce
• FTP Servers
• Telnet Servers

How many Server Nodes can TCS8 support?
TCS8 is designed to scale as your site grows. The product can accommodate thousands of nodes.

How is TCS8 licensed?
Licensing is based on a "per-node" charge. Each node within the cluster requires an active license for proper operation. This includes the Advanced Traffic Manager (ATM) as well as the Server Nodes. Please note, node licensing is purchased in 2-node or 10-node combinations.

• 2 ATM Nodes
• 2 Server Nodes

• 2 ATM Nodes
• 2 Server Nodes

• 2 ATM Nodes
• 10 Server Nodes

Additional licenses can also be purchased at any time. These licenses are sold in units of 10. Therefore, a user wanting 20 node licenses will buy two 10 node license packs.

How do I obtain a 30-day evaluation copy of TCS8?
Please see the evaluation page.

Where do I place the licenses on my system?
All properly generated licenses from the TCS8 Web registration system should be placed in a unique file on /etc/clusterserver/.licenses directory.

• 2 Node Cluster Package - 2 ATM / 2 Server Nodes lists for $1,549.00 (USD)
• 10 Node Cluster Package - 2 ATM / 10 Server Nodes lists for $2,299.00 (USD)

How is TCS8 different from Beowulf clusters?
Beowulf clusters require software applications to be rewritten to take advantage of parallelism using MPI and PVM specifications. Beowulf clusters also require special software on every node within the cluster and all nodes must run Linux.

TCS8 allows any application to receive cluster performance benefit without any code changes. Only the ATM node requires special software, as the nodes remain independent of the cluster administration thereby allowing for heterogeneous platforms in the cluster.

The TCS8 solution allows the customer to quickly and simply cluster their application service at a minimal cost while Beowulf requires intensive code rewrites and complex hardware configuration

How is TCS8 different from the Linux Virtual Server project?
The Linux Virtual Server project shares some features with Turbolinux but we offer a more robust feature set as well as support, training and documentation. TCS8 also provides additional functionality such as web administration (remote or local), application stability agents, security, and heterogeneous server support.

Is Turbolinux releasing the TCS8 components via Open Source?
TCS8 is not open source.

• Direct Routine
• Tunneling
• Network Address Translation (NAT)

What load balancing algorithms does TCS8 support?
TCS8 supports Round Robin and Weighted Round Robin algorithms. These two algorithms provide flexibility for the administrator to enhance server usage within the cluster.

• Sun Solaris
• Linux
• Unix
• Windows NT
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows XP Server

What platforms can support the ATM software?
TCS8 supports both Turbolinux 8 Server (TL8S) and Turbolinux Enterprise Server 8 (TLES8) for the ATM server. TL8S is included with the Cluster Server 8 product, TLES8 must be purchased separately.

How do I contact Turbolinux with questions?
Please e-mail info@turbolinux.com or call 760.318.0495 and a representative will be happy to assist you.