The prerequisites for the HIPLEX MSCF function network are firstly the communication of the BS2000 servers participating in the network and secondly, the shared use of shareable resources (e.g. disks) by several processors or network participants (depending on the network type). The processors included in the network must therefore be connected with one another in terms of hardware and the shared resources (the network resources) must be accessible from each processor.
HIPLEX MSCF imposes no specifications on the type of hardware connection between the processors (apart from the fact that it must be supported by BS2000/BCAM). Depending on the functions required and the envisaged purpose, the performance and availability requirements will differ in terms of the quality and capacity of the hardware used.
The figure below shows a configuration for a 2-processor XCS network which has a shared disk pool and a central control station. This kind of configuration can be operated with high availability .
Figure 2: Hardware
To guarantee maximum functionality, the configuration shown above presupposes a powerful connection between the processors. The connection between the processors should be designed as redundant to enable HIPLEX MSCF to switch to another connection when necessary (which forestalls any disruption to operations due to a failed connection). The use of disk systems with RAID functionality, together with redundant access paths, guarantees data availability at the same time as performance-efficient access. The entire system can be fully monitored and operated from the central host.