This section provides design guidelines for fault-tolerance features and capabilities.
216. System supports multiple hard drives
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Windows 2000 Server
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Advanced Server, Datacenter Server
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Small Business Server
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Basic Server:
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Recommended
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Required
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Recommended
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Enterprise:
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Recommended
|
Required
|
Recommended
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SOHO:
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Recommended
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Required
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Recommended
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Bus mastering is required for the drive controllers. Use of multiple hard drives and controllers in a server system provides both performance and reliability benefits. It is not a requirement that the drives all be physically housed in the server system chassis.
Recommendation
Recommended: Hot-swappable drives.
217. System includes intelligent RAID controller with adequate storage capacity
Required for all Enterprise class systems
Required for Basic and SOHO class systems deploying MSCS clustering
An intelligent RAID controller—where the controller itself has the capability to run the array management software locally rather than simply executing disk accesses for host-based array software—provides the benefit of reduced demands on the host processor or processors, thereby freeing those computing resources and allowing their use by other tasks. The intelligent RAID controller may be internal to the server chassis, or within an external drive enclosure.
If an intelligent RAID controller is provided in a system, it should be capable of handling sufficient amounts of disk storage to fulfill the needs of the targeted usage model for that server. These needs will vary based on the storage-intensive nature of the server’s tasks.
218. System supports at least one of RAID 1, 5, or 1/0
Required for all Enterprise class systems
Required for Basic and SOHO class systems deploying MSCS clustering
RAID 1 and RAID 1/0 are recommended. RAID 5 is also acceptable. RAID 0 (for enhanced performance but no added reliability) is optional.
Required
If RAID support is implemented, notification of a failed drive must be provided by the disk subsystem, with notification sent to the system administrator.
Required for all Enterprise class systems
Required for Basic and SOHO class systems deploying MSCS clustering
The RAID subsystem must provide automatic replacement of a failed drive by a standby disk and must rebuild lost data without interfering with system operations.
221. RAID subsystem supports manual replacement of failed drive
Required for all Enterprise class systems
Required for Basic and SOHO class systems deploying MSCS clustering
The RAID subsystem must provide for manual replacement of a failed drive without shutting down or halting the system. The subsystem must also allow lost data to be rebuilt without interfering with system operations beyond some decreased performance of drive array access.
Serviceability Requirements
This section provides design guidelines for serviceability features and capabilities.
222. IA-32 system includes protected forced dump switch or other mechanism for system diagnosis
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Windows 2000 Server
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Advanced Server, Datacenter Server
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Small Business Server
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Basic Server:
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Recommended
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Required
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Recommended
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Enterprise:
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Required
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Required
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Required
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SOHO:
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Recommended
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Required
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Recommended
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The system should include a protected switch or other mechanism to force an NMI on a stalled system. This device permits the system to perform a memory dump that can then be used for diagnosis of system failures. If implemented, this device must be protected in such a way that only an authorized administrator can perform this action.
For additional information on the “dump switch” support in Windows 2000, which may be helpful for designers of IA-32 systems, please see http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/debugging/dmpsw.htm. Note that this white paper presents only concept suggestions for designers and is not intended to provide precise implementation detail.
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