Red Hat Software Inc. released a version of its Linux operating system 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 OS release and is designed to offer dynamic load balancing, improved fault tolerance, and scalability of TCP/IP-based applications, Red Hat said in a statement. Server clusters generally provide users with more reliability, because when one server in the cluster fails, another server can step in and take over its workload. The company said its clustering software is suited for Web servers, ftp servers, mail gateways, firewalls, VPN (virtual private network) gateways, and other front-end applications where 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 Microsystems Inc.’s Solaris, Microsoft Corp.’s Windows, or virtually any other OS, Red Hat officials said. The software can be installed on any industry-standard server that supports Linux, making it cost-effective, the company added. The Red Hat High Availability Server can be configured in two main ways. Failover Services (FOS) mode uses two servers to provide a basic failover backup function. In Linux Virtual Server (LVS) 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 US$1,995, and is available now from the company’s Web site or via certain Red Hat resellers. The price includes a year of installation and configuration support, either via telephone or from the Web, Red Hat said. Red Hat, based in Durham, N.C., can be reached at http://www.redhat.com/.
Prices listed are in US currency.