Geo clustering is computer clustering over geographically dispersed sites. A basic cluster is a group of independent computers called nodes, usually housed in the same physical location, that work together to run a common set of applications. The nodes are physically connected by network and storage infrastructure and logically connected by clustering software. Unlike a basic cluster, a geo cluster disperses its nodes to several different physical locations.
Geo clustering protects data and IT resources from location-related disasters such as fires, floods, electrical outages and malicious damage. The cluster nodes are separated geographically and synchronously mirrored between sites. A geo cluster is unaware of the physical distance between its nodes. In a geographically dispersed cluster, the public and private network interfaces must exist in the same network segment and the cluster nodes must share the same IP subnet for failover purposes.
Computer clustering relies on centralized management software that makes the nodes available as orchestrated servers. The right enterprise operating system can prevent application downtime with clustering that replicates data across multiple computer clusters and provides service failover across any distance with geo clustering. SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension can protect workloads across globally distributed data centers. It allows companies to deploy both physical and virtual Linux clusters across data centers, ensuring business continuity. Large enterprises may use geo clustering for both data center high availability and business continuity. Extending data center capabilities across unlimited distances maximizes an organization’s tolerance for regional catastrophic events, ensuring it maintains business continuity, protects data integrity and minimizes unplanned downtime for its mission-critical workloads. Geo Clustering for SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension enables business continuity by deploying physical and virtual Linux clusters between data centers located anywhere in the world.