- High availability of important databases
When a hardware or software problem occurs, clustered servers redirect database open requests to other servers in the cluster to provide users with uninterrupted access to important databases. This process is called failover. Clusters provide failover for business-critical databases and servers, including pass-through server failover to other servers in the cluster. Failover also lets you perform server maintenance, such as hardware and software upgrades, with little negative effect on users.
- Workload balancing
When users try to access databases on heavily used servers, Domino can redirect the user requests to other cluster servers that aren't as busy so that the workload is evenly distributed across the cluster. Workload balancing of cluster servers helps your system achieve optimum performance, which leads to faster data access.
- Scalability
As the number of users you support increases, you can easily add servers to a cluster to keep server performance high. You can also create multiple database replicas to maximize data availability, and you can move users to other servers or clusters as you plan for future growth. As your enterprise grows, you can distribute user accounts across clusters and balance the additional workload to optimize system performance within a cluster.
- Data synchronization
A key to effective clustering is setting up replicas on two or more cluster servers so that users have access to data when a server is down or is being used heavily. Cluster replication ensures that all changes, whether to databases or to the cluster membership itself, are immediately passed to other databases or servers in the cluster. Thus, databases are continuously synchronized to provide high availability of information.
- Analysis tools
Using the cluster analysis tools, as well as the log file, the Monitoring Configuration and Monitoring Results databases, and the server monitor, you can analyze cluster activity and make any changes necessary to improve performance.
- Ease of changing operating systems, hardware, or versions of Domino
When you want to change your hardware, operating system, or Domino release, you can mark the clustered server as RESTRICTED so that requests to access a database on the server fail over to other cluster servers that contain replicas. This lets you make changes without interrupting the productivity of your users.
- Data backup and disaster planning
You can set up a cluster server as a backup server to protect crucial data. You can prevent users from accessing the server, but cluster replication keeps the server updated at all times. You can even do this over a WAN so that the backup is in a different geographical location.
- Easy administration
You can create a cluster with a few keystrokes. You can also add servers to a cluster, remove servers from a cluster, and move servers between clusters with a few keystrokes. In addition, you can drag and drop databases into a cluster and specify which cluster servers should receive replicas. You can also create multiple mail replicas and roaming file replicas for users when you register them, and you can monitor all the servers in a cluster simultaneously.
- Use of any hardware and operating system that Domino supports
You can set up a cluster using the same hardware you use for your Domino servers. You do not need to use special hardware to create a Domino cluster. In addition, the cluster can contain servers that use any operating system that Domino supports.