The Data Center is based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 advanced
server platform and the Compaq Proliant family of Hardware
servers. Density optimizations, and remote management are among
the huge set of features that position Compaq as the vendor of
choice in Data Centers environments. While the Windows 2000
advanced server used add high availability features such as
clustering and load balancing to the set of highly reputable
features that distinguishes the MS Windows 2000 server in the
market today.
The architecture depicts two zones of operations: the
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) or Front end (FE) zone and the Back end
(BE) Core Network Zone with a set of appropriate firewalls
separating the two zones.
The purpose of the FE servers is to act as traffic gateways
between the external users and the BE servers. Therefore, the FE
servers do not store any data, but they will have to possess
high processing powers, large amount of memory, and fast
connectivity to the BE zone.
Each two servers in the FE zone handling the same service are
coupled in an MS Network Load Balance node. The NLB feature of
the Windows 2000 advances server enables two different hardware
servers to deliver the same service and at the same time-share
the load of incoming requests from the external users. Each
server in the NLB environment has two network connections. The
first connection is a fast Ethernet connection to the Layer 3
backbone switch from which the FE server will receive requests
from the external users.
The second connection is a Gigabit
connection to the Layer 3 backbone switch from which the FE
server will relay the requests to the BE servers through Gigabit
connectivity to the BE firewalls and hence the BE network.
The core of the BE zone consists of a number of clustered
servers connected to a Compaq SAN storage device. The SAN
storage installed is a No-Single-Point-Of-Failure (NSPOF) system
with all availability features inside the box (power, cooling,
drives, and controllers). The SAN infrastructure consists of two
Compaq fiber channel storage redundant switches and two host-bus
redundant adapters per serve ensuring no single point of failure
in the whole BE zone.
