As a Network Performance Specialist who works for Hewlett-Packard's
Professional Services Organization in Bellevue, WA., much of my
time is spent developing UNIX network solutions, troubleshooting
performance problems for customers, and preparing network capacity
plans for new network designs. I also conducted capacity studies
for several large customers who have implemented the three-tier
SAP business software across their enterprise.
This book is based on my experiences working at HP. It shares
methodologies for architecting, designing, implementing, and managing
computer solutions involving networks, desktop computers, and
UNIX servers. I have developed and applied them successfully to
real world customer situations.
I also teach classes at the University
of Washington Extension Department, in the areas of LAN Troubleshooting
and Diagnosis, UNIX TCP/IP and Network Administration, and LAN/WAN
network design and management. I holds a Masters Degree in Applied
Mathematics and a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering.
I live in Issaquah, WA. on the creek with my wife Teresa, two
cats, ten hens and three greylag geese. Hobbies include dabbling
at woodworking and collecting antique radios and test equipment.
Architecting Enterprise Solutions with UNIX
Networking
Copyright 1998
ISBN: 0137927061
This Book is about...
- Principals and examples for architecting and designing enterprise
wide computing solutions built on the company wide network using
UNIX computers.
- Developing large-scale computing solutions require that we
understand how TCP/IP/DNS/LAN/WAN technologies can be used to
create the glue between UNIX, Macintosh, and Wintel systems.
Designing our solutions to be scalable and reliable requires
that we use appropriate methodologies and technologies. Ensuring
the usability of our solutions requires incorporating open-system
elements of security, manageability, and reliability.
This Book contains...
- practical higher-level information
- cross-platform orientation
- open-systems architectural approach
- well-illustrated
- excellent glossary
This Book is for...
- The network and systems architect and consultant, the IT
manager, UNIX system administrators, network managers, the software
developer, HP customers, the student, the teacher, the line manager,
and any specialist interested in a broad understanding of UNIX,
networking, and computing architectures.
Benefits of this book...
- Ties together in one place a wide range of network, desktop
computer, and UNIX technologies, the reader will be able to quickly
understand at a higher level exactly how these work together.
- Other books do not focus so much on higher-level cross-platform
architecture and design, where as this book does focus on UNIX
technical detail and configuration minutiae. This book also covers
multi-tiers as an architectural feature for creating general-purpose
solutions.
Architecting Enterprise Solutions with UNIX
Networking book preface:
"This book is about UNIX and the corporate network. It's
about architecting enterprise wide computing solutions for finance,
engineering, and manufacturing. It's about integrating desktop
computer applications and UNIX systems. It's about using UNIX
networking to create scalable open systems.
The author is a 15-year veteran with Hewlett-Packard Consulting
and has had the pleasure of recommending, developing, and implementing
HP UNIX (HP-UX) and network solutions for HP customers. This book
may lean a degree or two towards HP products, but so great is
HP's (and the author's) commitment to open systems that the reader
will find all the information between these covers to be widely
applicable.
Architected enterprise networked computing solutions has long
been a strength of UNIX. This O/S has always enjoyed multi-vendor
support. Robust implementations suited for commercial applications
abound. The hardware UNIX runs on is scalable - you can buy a
low cost workstation or a powerful high availability networked
cluster. Inherent support for multiple protocol stacks and services
makes UNIX a major player in desktop integration solutions. With
such depth and breadth, it is no wonder that architecting UNIX
networks can be so challenging.
Now consider yourself in the following situation:
You are preparing to meet your boss, the CIO (chief information
officer), about the company's plans to install UNIX servers across
the enterprise network. When the meeting is over, it will rest
on your shoulders exactly how to architect the solution so that
your team can implement it. Into the meeting you go, intent on
plumbing the depths of all this portends. Fresh coffee is poured,
and you settle down to the interviewing task at hand.
You learn that your company has chosen a new client-server
application to be implemented across your corporate network. Serious
UNIX iron will run the database engines and application servers.
Desktop computers will run the client software. Your job is to
develop an architectural blueprint that will be used to implement
the new application. The CIO wants a solution that is "able"
- scalable, maintainable, upgradable, supportable, and reliable.
A disaster recovery plan has to be developed, presented, and implemented.
Naturally, the UNIX and desktop computers, the network printers,
existing productivity software such as Email collaboration tools,
all have to work together. You indicate that a comprehensive IP
numbering plan has to worked out too, and, by the way, it's also
time to design and implement a company wide DNS system to support
all these applications and systems. The CIO nods in understanding.
You take another sip of coffee.
So far so good, you think. But the company president wants
customers to be able to send in orders and messages via the Internet.
And why don't we put up a web site to let customers and prospects
search for and download product information, and download software
updates too? The CIO passes the buck to you. Then you're reminded
that company orders are growing 30% annually. The training department
wants to put in a UNIX video server so they can deliver training
clips via the network to any employee in the company.
In the back of your mind, you ponder. You take another sip.
Can the UNIX servers and the network handle it all? How much expansion
can a UNIX network accommodate? What if the UNIX boxes run out
of capacity? How can the IP and DNS configurations be worked out
for the multi-homed UNIX servers and the IP routers? You swallow
another mouthful of coffee to stop the pain growing inside your
head.
The CIO sums up: we need a complete UNIX network architecture
drawn up for a review session next week. The architecture needs
to specify topology, configuration, security, performance, and
functionality. You agree, drain your coffee mug, and exit to ponder
your next move.
Back in the sanctum sanctorum of your work space, one thing
is clear. This is not a simple IP numbering problem. It's not
jut about desktop computers using DHCP, WINS, or DNS. And performance
won't be achieved simply by dropping ATM switches into the data
center. Meeting reliability goals using multiple LAN adapters,
backup servers, mirrored disks, and distributed DNS servers is
a tricky business too. In short, architecture is not simply a
matter of forcing together a bunch of point solutions until you
stumble across one that looks like it will work. You glance up
at your bookshelf for a reference about UNIX and networking architecture...
If this is a situation you've been in, then this book will
help you with the necessary architecture. We introduce desktop
operating system integration issues with UNIX. Two and three tier
architectures are covered. Special features of IP and DNS are
explained in context. And we go into high availability design
methods. You will see example architectures for UNIX networking
solutions in industries such as Wireless, Cable TV, Manufacturing,
Utilities, and Engineering. Applications such as SAP, Oracle Financials,
Digital Video, X-windows, NFS, and WWW are covered. We analyze
these architectures, applications, and solutions for scalability,
reliability, performance, manageability, and weakness."
Enjoy the read!
