Configuring a clustered environment for high availability

Creating a cluster of machines, and using cluster managing software to balance work load on those machines is one strategy for designing a highly available solution. If you install IBM® DB2® server on one or several of the machines in a cluster, you must configure the cluster manager to properly react to failures that affect the database or databases. Also, you must configure the database manager instances to work properly in the clustered environment.

1. Install cluster managing software.

   SA MP is integrated with DB2 Enterprise Server Edition, DB2 Advanced Enterprise Server Edition, DB2 Workgroup Server Edition, DB2 Connect™ Enterprise Server Edition and DB2 Connect Application Server Edition on AIX®, Linux, and Solaris SPARC operating systems. It is also integrated with DB2 Express Fixed Term License (FTL) on Linux operating systems. On Windows operating systems, SA MP is bundled with all of these DB2 database products and features, but it is not integrated with the DB2 installer.

2. Configure DB2 database manager instances for your cluster manager, and configure your cluster manager for DB2 server.

   The DB2 high availability instance configuration utility (db2haicu) is a text based utility that you can use to configure and administer your highly available databases in a clustered environment. db2haicu collects information about your database instance, your cluster environment, and your cluster manager by querying your system. You supply more information through parameters to the db2haicu call, an input file, or at runtime by providing information at db2haicu prompts.

3. Over time, as your database needs change and you need to modify your database configuration within the clustered environment, continue to keep the database manager instance configuration and the cluster manager configuration synchronized.

   The DB2 High Availability Feature provides infrastructure for enabling the database manager to communicate with your cluster manager when instance configuration changes, such as stopping a database manager instance, require cluster changes.

   Whether you use db2haicu with SA MP, or you use another cluster manager that supports the DB2 cluster manager API, administering you clustered environment with the DB2 HA Feature is easier than maintaining the database manager configuration and the cluster configuration separately.