Why you should consider High Availability
Choosing HA cluster setups over single node configurations is like having a backup plan for your backup plan. Single node setups might seem easier to handle, but they’re like putting all your eggs in one basket—if something goes wrong, it’s trouble. HA clusters spread the workload across multiple nodes, so if one goes down, the others pick up the slack without missing a beat. Furthermore, HA clusters are scalable and let’s not forget about the automatic monitoring and recovery. So, when it comes to keeping your systems up and running with minimum downtime, HA clusters are the way to go.
HA Cluster Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dividing tasks means if one node fails, the others keep things rolling. | Setting up and managing an HA cluster takes more know-how and effort. |
| Can expand effortlessly to handle more load as your needs grow. | It can cost more to set up and maintain compared to single node setups. |
| Built-in monitoring and recovery features keep things running smoothly. | Running multiple nodes at once might need beefier hardware. |
Single Node Pros and Cons
Although HA clusters are great for production, single node deployments are great for testing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy-peasy to set up and manage, especially for small setups. | If that one node goes down, so does your whole operation. |
| Costs less upfront and to keep running. | Tough to expand smoothly without some major revamps. |
| Uses hardware more efficiently for standalone tasks. | When things crash, it usually needs a manual touch to get back on track, leading to potential downtimes. |
HA Cluster Diagram
Cluster Overview
Servers
| Role | Operating System | RAM | CPU | Disk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zabbix Server | Ubuntu 24.04 | 4GB | 2 | 100GB |
| Zabbix Database | Ubuntu 24.04 | 4GB | 2 | 100GB |
| Zabbix Proxy | Zabbix Alpine Image | Currently using 33 MiB |
Currently using 0.13% | Currently using 54MB |
| Zabbix Frontend | Zabbix Alpine Image | Currently using 182 MiB |
Currently using 0.01% | Currently using 161MB |
Docker commands to get container information
CPU and Memory usage
docker stats --no-stream
Disk usage
docker ps --size
Next Steps
On the next post of this series, I will be covering the standalone database deployment. We’ll be using PostgreSQL as the main database, and Ubuntu 24.04 as the base operating system.
I’ll see you on the next one!