I am wondering if a pair of servers can be setup as follows?

2 servers and 2 IP addresses where the NICs are configured:
Server 1 [NIC1 = IP1, NIC2 = IP2];
Server 2 [NIC1 = IP1, NIC2 = IP2];

Under normal circumstances:
Server 1 [NIC1 = IP1 connected];
Server 2 [NIC2 = IP2 connected];

When server 1 goes down:
Pull Server 1 off the shelve for servicing;
Replace Server 1 with Server 2, and hookup its NIC1, i.e. now Server 2
[NIC1 = IP1 connected];

Has anybody done something like this?

Thank you in advance ...

williammaw@aol.com wrote:
> I am wondering if a pair of servers can be setup as follows?
>
> 2 servers and 2 IP addresses where the NICs are configured:
> Server 1 [NIC1 = IP1, NIC2 = IP2];
> Server 2 [NIC1 = IP1, NIC2 = IP2];
>
> Under normal circumstances:
> Server 1 [NIC1 = IP1 connected];
> Server 2 [NIC2 = IP2 connected];
>
> When server 1 goes down:
> Pull Server 1 off the shelve for servicing;
> Replace Server 1 with Server 2, and hookup its NIC1, i.e. now Server 2
> [NIC1 = IP1 connected];
>
> Has anybody done something like this?

That's perfectly doable, just keep in mind that you may also need to
synchronize data between the two servers.

Multiple hosts on the same network can even share the same IP address,
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_...dancy_Protocol for
a description or CARP and links to alternate solutions.

--
Klaus Johannes Rusch
KlausRusch@atmedia.net
http://www.atmedia.net/KlausRusch/

On May 8, 2:45 pm, Klaus Johannes Rusch <KlausRu...@atmedia.net>
wrote:
>
> That's perfectly doable, just keep in mind that you may also need to
> synchronize data between the two servers.
>
> Multiple hosts on the same network can even share the same IP address,
> seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Address_Redundancy_Protocolfor
> a description or CARP and links to alternate solutions.
>
Yes, I failed to mentioned that the reason for keeping both online is
to be able to keep them synced. I read through the CARP article on
Wikipedia and found it quite interesting. According that article, I
might need something like a Citrix NetScaler appliance. From my
inquiry last week, I came across an IBM setup which uses a heart beat
cable. I am going to find out more about these solutions this
following week. My basic intention is to setup a budget system, but
will have to see if the benefit justifies the added cost.

Many thanks for you input.