SUSE High Availability on GCP – New Foundational Stack

Introduction

When it comes to the SUSE High Availability Extension (HAE) implementation in the Public Cloud, the two challenges we have are related to how to implement the Fencing Agent and the Floating IP resource agent functions. Each Cloud Service Provider (CSP) has its own way to implement that, which is different than the on-premises SUSE HAE implementation.

We at SUSE are pleased to announce the availability of the new Google Cloud Platform (GCP) SUSE HAE foundational stack, which introduces a new Fencing Agent and a new Floating IP resource agent.

Good Things Come in Threes

SUSE core goals are to Simplify, Modernize, and Accelerate SUSE solutions. We focus on helping our customers to experience smoother digital transformation. In order to achieve that, we aim to:

• Simplify the SUSE HAE implementation operating on GCP infrastructure by having fewer components to be installed and less effort to maintain the High Availability (HA) solutions.
• Modernize the SUSE HAE implementation operating on GCP infrastructure by using the cutting-edge Google Python Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), thereby replacing the used Google Cloud Software Development Kit (SDK).
• Accelerate the SUSE HAE implementation operating on GCP infrastructure by incorporating the new GCP SUSE HAE foundational stack in the SUSE Automated SAP/HA Deployments in Public/Private Clouds GitHub project. We aim to help SUSE customers to reduce the SAP HA solutions deployment time from days to HOURS!

Deeper Dive in the new GCP HAE Foundational Stack? 

Why should I use the new GCP SUSE HAE foundational stack?

1. It is Open Source- no more closed source code!
   SUSE supports the new GCP foundational stack by providing the world-class grade support services, BUT you can always join the SUSE and upstream communities to cooperate with us!
2. We use the cutting-edge Google Python APIs. There is no longer a need to install the Google Cloud SDK in each HA cluster node to enable the fencing and floating IP HA functions.
   Having the new Google Python API is faster and simpler to deploy/maintain than the old used Google Cloud SDK.
3. We replaced the old deprecated “ gcp-vpc-move-ip” floating IP resource agent by the modern and enhanced “gcp-vpc-move-route” floating IP resource agent.
4. We enhanced the “fence_gce” fencing agent to be best suited for SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE) versions.

We have MORE to provide! 

That is not everything!

We need to ensure that SUSE customers have the needed experience to deploy the SUSE HAE operating on GCP either manually or by automating the deployment.

• We are working on the foundational reference architecture guide for SUSE HAE operating on GCP.  This guide will walk you through all the necessary preparations and steps to effectively plan and deploy a foundational SUSE HAE operating on GCP.
• The SUSE HA engineering team is working on incorporating the new GCP HAE foundational stack in the SUSE Automated SAP/HA Deployments in Public/Private Clouds GitHub project.

Stay tuned for more! 

This is Abdelrahman Mohamed (Ab) from SUSE Software Alliances team.