Cluster Rules and Recommendations

When creating clusters, keep in mind the following rules and recommendations:

• Before joining an existing GigaVUE node to a cluster, it is recommended to use the no traffic all or reset factory command to clean up existing traffic-related configuration. For example, in a cluster there is one master node and the other nodes are GigaVUE-TA nodes. When the master node is removed from the cluster, the GigaVUE-TA nodes moves to the unknown state. If another master node joins the cluster with a different database, the GigaVUE-TA nodes that are existing in the cluster will remain in the unknown state.
• Remove all physical loops before enabling the cluster. An accurate cluster topology will help with this. The GigaVUE-OS node automatically detects and prevents configurations that would cause loops, but its best to avoid them in the first place.
• Star configurations offer the most efficient use of bandwidth. In general, use one GigaVUE-OS node at the hub of your star and then connect spokes off of that.
• Create stack-links with enough capacity to match expected cross-node traffic. For example, you can use a 24x10Gb (PRT-HC0-X24) or 6x40Gb (PRT-HC0-Q06) for the GigaVUE-HC2 node.
• Configure only the stack type ports that you will use in the stack-link configuration. Loops can be created if stack type ports are configured but then not used in a stack-link.
• The first node added to the cluster becomes the master. This is important when creating a new cluster using an existing, already-configured node and a new node. If you want to keep the configuration on your existing node, use it as the first node in the cluster. This way, the existing node becomes the master and the new node inherits its configuration, preserving your existing settings. GigaVUE TA Series nodes are an exception since they cannot be the master.
• When joining a new node to an existing cluster, give the new node a lower precedence than the master. Once the database has synchronized to the existing master, you can increase the precedence to make the newly joined node the master, if that is required.
• Connecting two masters to the same cluster is not supported. This is why you must make physical connections for the cluster control traffic interfaces before issuing any cluster configuration commands. Because the first node added to a cluster becomes the master, configuring cluster settings before physically connecting the cluster control network results in a situation with multiple masters attempting to connect to the same cluster.

Note:  Merging clusters is not supported.

• GigaVUE TA Series and Certified Traffic Aggregation White Box nodes in a cluster can have tool, network, hybrid, and stack ports.
• A GigaVUE TA Series node cannot be a master node. It can only join a cluster with other node types, such as GigaVUE‑HC1, GigaVUE-HC2, or GigaVUE-HC3.
• A GigaVUE TA Series node cannot be a standby node either. If the cluster has one master and all other nodes are GigaVUE TA Series nodes, the cluster will not have a standby.
• Since a GigaVUE TA Series node can never be a master or a standby in a cluster, a database restore is not possible. The best option is a text restore that has the information of the other nodes in the cluster removed from the text backup of the GigaVUE TA Series.
• If GigaVUE‑HC1 and GigaVUE-HC3 devices are member nodes of a scaled cluster of approximately 10K map rules, then the following sequence of steps should be avoided:

If the above steps are done, the nodes may get locked out and you will not be able to log in to the devices. To remove a GigaVUE‑HC1 or GigaVUE-HC3 node from a cluster and use it as a standalone node: