Clustered computer systems have become an attractive solution for variable workloads.Hardware is available for these solutions but rendering the system usable from an operators' view point is an issue.Single computer operating systems do not scale in a usable manner to the clustered architecture.But some operating systems are designed specifically to support clustered architectures.
Before going on to clustered operating systems, any operating system system should provide a user friendly interface for the user, the applications and the cluster hardware.In a cluster operating system, when a node fails to function , the rest of the processes can continue to function. It is important to make sure that the cluster appears as a single computer.
Single system image (SSI) is used to do this.Implementing a single system image makes a cluster of machines appear as one computer.
A SSI implements the following features to a cluster.
- A single entry point to the cluster
user can connect to the cluster as a virtual host.The system
distributes the user requests to different physical hosts to
balance the load.
- A single file hierarchy
After entering a system, the user sees a single file system that
integrates local and global disks.
- A single control point
The entire cluster and each node can be configured, monitored and controlled
from a single window.
- virtual networking
any node can access any network connection.
- A single memory space
users see a huge memory which is actually a set of distributed memories.
- A single job management
a user job can be submitted from any node and any number of nodes can be requested
to execute it
- A single user interface
The user should be able to use the cluster through a single GUI.
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