NSS provides a software RAID 1 configuration option that mirrors NSS pool partitions. The partitions are automatically created by the NSS management tools when you create a pool and when you mirror the pool. NSS supports two to four segments in a software RAID 1. To ensure disaster recovery, the device you select to mirror should be in another storage array in the other data center.
For example, you create the original pool in one cluster, then create mirrors for that pool in the other peer clusters, for a total two to four segments.
Prior to creating and mirroring NSS pools on shared storage, ensure that you have the following:
All servers in the cluster are connected to a shared storage system.
One or more drive arrays are configured on the shared storage system.
The drives on the shared storage system have been initialized.
NSS is installed and running. For information, see Installing and Configuring Novell Storage Services
in the OES 2 SP3: NSS File System Administration Guide for Linux.
Novell CIFS for Linux and Novell AFP for Linux are available in OES 2 SP1 and later. If you plan to mark CIFS or AFP as an advertising protocol for the NSS pool resource, make sure these protocols are installed and running when you create the pool resource. If you install the protocols after you create the pool, you can use the Clusters plug-in for iManager to add CIFS or AFP as advertising protocols.
You need a static IP address for the pool resource. It must be in the same subnet as the cluster master IP address.
IMPORTANT:NSS pool snapshot technology is not supported for pool resources in a Novell Cluster Services cluster, and also does not work in a business continuity cluster.
To create and mirror NSS pools:
Start NSSMU by entering nssmu at the server console of a cluster server.
Select from the NSSMU main menu and mark all shared devices as sharable for clustering.
On Linux, shared disks are not by default marked sharable for clustering. With a device marked as sharable for clustering, all partitions on that device are automatically sharable.
You can press F6 to individually mark devices as sharable.
From the NSSMU main menu, select , press the Insert key, then type a name for the new pool you want to create.
Select the device on your shared storage where you want the pool created.
Device names might be labelled something like /dev/sdc.
Choose whether you want the pool to be activated and cluster-enabled when it is created.
The option is enabled by default. This causes the pool to be activated as soon as it is created. If you choose not to activate the pool, you need to manually activate it later before it can be used.
The option is also enabled by default. If you want to cluster-enable the pool at the same time it is created, accept the default entry () and continue with Step 6. If you want to cluster-enable the pool at a later date, change the default entry from to , select , and then go to Creating NSS Volumes.
Specify the virtual server name, IP address, and advertising protocols.
When you cluster-enable a pool, a virtual Server object is automatically created and given the name of the Cluster object plus the cluster-enabled pool. For example, if the cluster name is cluster1 and the cluster-enabled pool name is pool1, then the default virtual server name is cluster1_pool1_server. You can edit the field to change the default virtual server name.
Each cluster-enabled NSS pool requires its own IP address. The IP address is used to provide access and failover capability to the cluster-enabled pool (virtual server). The IP address you assign to the pool remains assigned to the pool regardless of which server in the cluster is accessing the pool.
The option is selected by default. NCP (NetWare Core Protocol) is used by NSS to enforce the Novell trustee model of file access for all users of the data, and also as an advertising protocol for NCP clients. Selecting causes commands to be added to the pool resource load and unload scripts to activate the NCP protocol on the cluster.
IMPORTANT:Using the check box or the check box requires that Novell CIFS for Linux or Novell AFP for Linux is already installed and configured on the nodes in the cluster and nodes in the peer clusters where you want to be able to fail over this pool cluster resource.
Select the check box to add it as an advertising protocol. Specify a CIFS share name for users to access the resource. Selecting causes commands to be added to the pool resource load and unload scripts to activate the Novell CIFS for Linux protocol on the cluster.
Select the check box to add it as an advertising protocol. Selecting causes commands to be added to the pool resource load and unload scripts to activate the Novell AFP for Linux protocol on the cluster.
Select to create and cluster-enable the pool.
Repeat Step 3 to Step 7 for each additional pool you want to create on shared storage.
Select from the NSSMU main menu.
Select the partition you want to mirror (this is the partition that was created when you created the pool), then press the F3 key.
Enter a name for the software RAID 1 device that will be created.
For more information on configuring software RAID for NSS, see Managing NSS Software RAID Devices
in the OES 2 SP3: NSS File System Administration Guide for Linux.
Select the shared device with free space that you want to use as the mirror, then select to mirror the partition.
To ensure disaster recovery, the device you select to mirror should be in another storage array in the other data center. You can select up to three shared devices.
Repeat Step 9 to Step 12 for each additional shared pool that you want to mirror.
Continue with Creating NSS Volumes.