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Zone Config /etc/zones/zone_name.xml sync across all VCS nodes.

Updated: 17 Jan 2011 | 7 comments
Amindra Mahto's picture
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Status: Reviewed

Helo VCS Folks:

Currently VCS doesn't do any zone config files syncing across the VCS nodes but since VCS has already communication setup with all nodes over LLT/GAB, I would say syncing the /etc/zones/zone_name.xml consistency across all the VCS nodes within Cluster would add a great value. The initial setup would still be manual but afterwards, VCS should sync the consistency of those zone config files.  Here is the scenario which would elaborate it more clearly what I mean by Zone config Sync:

Lets say I have 5 node Cluster, Node1 being Passive and None2, Node3, Node4, Node5 are Active nodes. I created a zone called zone1 on Node1 and put the Service Group with all resources into VCS. I marked the Node2 as the active node for this zone1. I exported the config file of running zone zone1 on Node1 using zonecfg export -f zone1.zcf and then copied this file to Node2 and ran zonecfg -z zone_name -f zone1.zcf to create empty configuration of zone1. Now I ran hagrp -switch to switch the zone1 from Node1 to Node2, it works fine, we are all good. Just to clarify here that I am keeping the zone path on SAN which is zoned to all VCS nodes and therefore when the zone is installed once, I don't need to re-install it on other nodes, just importing the DG would bring up the volumes/File System of zonepath and zone can be booted as long as the /etc/zones/index has entry for the zone and zone.xml file exists under /etc/zones.

Observation:
=====================
1. At the time of every planned/unplanned failover, we noticed VCS Zone Agent relies on local /etc/zones/zone_name.xml file on the failover node for booting the zone instead of using the SUNWdetached.xml/SUNWatttached.xml files to get the Zone Related config info.
 
Question:
=====================
1. Lets say if zone1 is running on Node2 now. We modified the zone resources (like memory and CPU). We didn't update the /etc/zones/zone1.xml of Node1 where we are going to failover the zone. When we failover the zone to Node1, it picks the old Zone resource values. In this case, can we instruct the VCS Zone Agent or VCS Zone Agent itself should have some intelligence to keep a snapshot of running zone and use it when it fails over to boot the zone on failover node with updated config.

I can provide more info if above explanation are not clear. Thank you very much in advance in looking into my request/idea.

Thanks
Amindra

Comments

lingesh's picture
16
Jul
2010
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you are right.....vcs should

you are right.....vcs should keep eye on zone cfg........

Thanks
Lingesh

mobilegleed's picture
19
Jul
2010
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Hi Amindra,

Thank you for your suggestion.  Keeping the zone.xml files in sync accross nodes sounds like a good idea.  Let me dig into this a bit more and get back to you.

Thanks,
-Kyle

Antony Pavlenko's picture
13
Dec
2010
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Is there any news about this

Is there any news about this feature?

It is really very desired feature.

vchappav's picture
15
Jan
2011
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This works only for failover

This works only for failover zones not for parallel zones. The following workaround may help you. You can keep the zone.xml file on a shared disk and create a link to it from /etc/zones/zone.xml.

example:

bash-3.00# ls -l /etc/zones/local-zone.xml
lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root          15 Jan 15 13:42 /etc/zones/local-zone.xml -> /zones/local-zone/local-zone.xml

Venkata Reddy Chappavarapu, Manager, Storage & Availability Management Group, Symantec Corporation

mikebounds's picture
10
Feb
2011
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Nirmala Naresh This is ideas

Nirmala Naresh

This is ideas area - if you have a question/issue you should use forum - so for instance for your VCS question use:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/storage-management/forums/cluster-server

Mike

UK Symantec Consultant in VCS, GCO, SF, VVR, VxAT on Solaris, AIX, HP-ux, Linux & Windows

If this post has helped you, please vote or mark as solution

NareshNirmala's picture
17
Feb
2011
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if main.cf is

if main.cf is missing/correpted, then what is the status of  cluster,is it effected to service group?

 

what is the o/p of  #hastat -sum?

 

 

how can i recall dat file? i want complete processs

lingesh's picture
03
May
2011
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main.cf

If main.cf is corrupted...definately it will affect service group

If a main.cf files corrupted use the following command to verify it.

#/opt/VRTSvcs/bin/hacf -verify /etc/VRTSvcs/conf/config/main.cf

If the file is completely missing you have to restore it from backup.......VCS always take backup of main.cf whenever you are changing the configuration of cluster.(I never seen problem like main.cf missing )