As networked computing systems have become more affordable and powerful, they are being used by increasing numbers of businesses, even the smallest. Once a business has begun to use computers, it is usually not long before these data processing systems become crucial to its operations, as more and more business processes are automated. In an extreme situation, server malfunction can have a significant effect on business performance.
Loss of revenue, delayed orders, and customer dissatisfaction are all potential outcomes of the loss of a computer’s services.

In many cases, particularly where continuous operation of a server is essential, customers buying IBM ^ xSeries and Netfinity servers are turning to clustering technologies to obtain increased availability of their systems. Clustering is a proven and tested way to improve availability, but is relatively expensive, perhaps doubling hardware costs. In addition, clustered systems require supplemental software and specialized skills for implementation.

When you need to maximize availability, but cannot justify the expense of a clustered solution, IBM xSeries and Netfinity servers offer a different approach. These servers have many features built into them, as either standard or optional components, that help to ensure that the server keeps running when subsystem components fail. Advanced management features also provide warnings and alerts of impending problems, allowing you to take preventative action before the problem affects a server’s operation. This book informs you about the availability features available in xSeries and Netfinity servers and tells you how to use them to maximize your server’s reliability.