This is a four-step approach that simplifies management of complex operating systems. The first step is to create pools of resources that can be viewed as one image. This can be done in one of two ways. In a loosely coupled environment, each server stands on its own, working independently. The servers are connected by a load-balancing switch and scale horizontally.
Load balancing keeps the incoming workload evenly distributed across all servers.
Another way is to group servers into tightly coupled clusters. In this environment hardware and software connectors link the servers, making them interdependent. These clusters allow resources to be shared and scaled dynamically while maintaining high availability. In addition, Sun Cluster 3.0 can support as many as eight nodes per cluster. Several features of Sun Cluster 3.0 make pooling resources easier.