Red Hat Software released a version of its Linux operating system Monday that allows users to combine individual servers into a cluster, with the goal of improving the reliability of computer networks.
Called Red Hat High Availability Server 1.0, the clustering software is an adaptation of the Red Hat Linux 6.2 release, and is designed to offer dynamic load balancing, improved fault tolerance and scalability of TCP/IP-based applications, Red Hat officials said in a statement.
Server clusters generally provide users with greater reliability because when one server in the cluster fails, another server can step in and take over its workload. Durham, N.C.-based Red Hat says its clustering software is suited for Web servers, FTP servers, mail gateways, firewalls, VPN gateways and other front-end applications in which a high level of availability is important.
The new product supports mixed network environments, allowing individual servers in a cluster to run Red Hat Linux, Sun Solaris, Microsoft's Windows or virtually any other operating system, Red Hat officials say. The software can be installed on any industry-standard server that supports Linux, making it cost-effective, the officials add.
Red Hat High Availability Server 1.0 can be configured in two main ways. Failover Services mode uses two servers to provide a basic failover backup function. In Linux Virtual Server mode, the system employs two servers that accept and direct load-balancing requests to any number of additional servers.
Red Hat High Availability Server 1.0 is priced at $1,995 and is available now from the company's Web site at www.redhat.com or through certain Red Hat resellers. The price includes a year of installation and configuration support, either by telephone or from the Web, Red Hat says.
IDC, a market research firm based in Framingham, Mass., estimates that Linux grew faster than any server operating system during the past two years and accounts for about 25% of the market. NetCraft, an Internet consultancy in Bath, England, reported 36% of all Web sites run on Linux servers.
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