Errata and comments!
"....The Serviceguard clustering add-on for HP-UX, which is available through the Virtual Server Environment packaging of HP-UX...." MC/ServiceGuard is bundled with the HA OE (High Availability Operating Environment) version of hp-ux. The VSE bundle does not have ServiceGuard but has all the virtualisation tools instead. You have to stump up for the top-of-the-line DC OE (Data Center Operating Environment) bundle if you want SG and all the virtualisation goodies under one support and licensing code, otherwise you just order the bits you want on top of the "free" Base OE bundle. Confused? Believe me, it's better than the old days when you had to keep track of all the individual renewal dates and patch the products separately!
"....ServiceGuard also has a new cluster topology tool, which is a graphical user interface that lets system admins move applications and resources around with points and clicks instead of having to type in commands on a command line...." ?? ServiceGuard has had the graphical SGM (ServiceGuard Manager) for several years now, so is this something new in addition to SGM or just a bit of slack jerr-nah-lizzum (perish the thought!)?
"....Even on these machines, HP has found, customers tend to prefer the integrated clustering that comes with Red Hat and Novell Linux distributions...." True. We have an incidence of SG-LX in production simply because at the time of commission (2004) it was the most trusted option. Whilst SG-LX has been rock solid, the whole shebang is due for replacement next year and is going to be replaced with RHEL AP clustering.
"...."It is hard to compete with free," Cox observes dryly....." False! You have to provide some form of technical or practical advantage to justify the cost, which I have to say SG-LX no longer really does. Having said that, RHEL AP is hardly "free" when you include the support costs.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
