5.3 Migrating the DFS VLDB Service

This section describes how to migrate the control files and VLDB from a DFS replica site on a NetWare server to an OES 2 Linux server, along with the prerequisites for migration.

5.3.1 Prerequisites for Migrating the VLDB Service

Make sure your setup addresses the requirements in this section before you attempt to migrate the VLDB service.

DFS Management Context

The NetWare server and Linux server must reside within the same DFS management context.

NetWare Server

  • The NetWare server is running NetWare 6.5 SP6, OES 1 SP2 NetWare, or later.

  • The NetWare server hosts an instance of the VLDB service for the DFS management context.

  • The VLDB is up-to-date.

  • The VLDB service is running.

OES 2 Linux Server

The administrator must install and configure DFS and other OES 2 services that are needed for using DFS on the OES 2 Linux server:

  • Linux User Management

  • NCP Server

  • Novell eDirectory

  • Novell Storage Services (includes DFS)

  • Novell Storage Management Services™

  • SLP (Service Location Protocol)

For details, see Section 3.1, Requirements for OES 2 Services.

The Linux server cannot currently be the host of a VLDB service.

5.3.2 Migrating a VLDB Service by Adding It as a Replica Site

Adding the OES 2 Linux server as a replica site is the simplest way to migrate an instance of the VLDB service from a NetWare server to an OES 2 Linux server. Generally, you follow the same procedure as you might use to modify the replica sites for a DFS management context. You add the OES2 Linux server as a replica site, let the VLDB synchronize, then remove the replica site on the NetWare server. If you already have two replica sites defined, you must remove one of them before you can add the OES2 Linux server as a replica site.

A DFS management context can have only one or two replica sites. The procedure in this section assumes that you are beginning with two replica sites that are hosted on NetWare servers.

  1. Make sure that the instances of the VLDB service are loaded and running properly on the current DFS replica sites.

    For instructions on how to view the replica site status, see Section 9.7, Monitoring the Health of the VLDB Service.

  2. If you have two replica sites currently configured for the DFS management context, remove one of the two instances.

    WARNING:Do not remove the last remaining replica site because removing it also deletes the DFS management context.

    Removing a replica site deactivates and unloads the VLDB service on the replica server, deletes the VLDB database file on the replica server, then updates the DFS-VLDB-Hosts attribute for the DFS management context (that is, its O or OU container object) in Novell eDirectory.

    1. In iManager, select Distributed File Services > Manage Replica Sites.

    2. Select any server with an NSS volume that is located in the DFS management context that you want to manage.

      This action locates the DFS management context, lists the replica servers in that context that host an instance of its VLDB service, and reports the current status of the VLDB service on each replica.

    3. Visually verify that this is the DFS management context you want to manage.

    4. Select the check box next to the replica site you want to remove, then click Delete.

      This process can take up to 5 minutes. Do not click again on the page or elsewhere in the browser until the page refreshes with a message that confirms whether the delete was successful or not.

    5. Click OK to dismiss the confirmation message.

  3. Add the OES 2 Linux server as a replica site for the DFS management context.

    1. In iManager, select Distributed File Services > Manage Replica Sites.

    2. Select any server with an NSS volume that is located in the DFS management context that you want to manage.

      The NSS volume will have an entry in the VLDB, and this information allows DFS to walk the eDirectory tree to discover its management context.

    3. Visually verify that this is the DFS management context that you want to manage.

    4. Click New.

    5. Browse to locate and select the OES 2 Linux server where you want to host a VLDB service for the selected DFS management context.

    6. Specify the location (vol:\directorypath) where you want to put the VLDB file.

      The default location is /var/opt/novell/dfs on Linux, and sys:\etc on NetWare.

    7. Do one of the following:

      • Select Run VLDB service on server restart if you want the service to start automatically when you start the server.

      • Deselect Run VLDB service on server restart if you want to start the service manually or in a cluster environment.

    8. Click OK.

      This process can take up to 5 minutes. Do not click again on the page or elsewhere in the browser until the page refreshes with a message that confirms whether the delete was successful or not.

    9. Click OK to dismiss the confirmation message.

      The existing replica site automatically begins to synchronize the VLDB on the new site.

  4. Verify that the new site’s VLDB is synchronized with the existing instance of the replica site.

    For instructions on how to view the replica site status, see Section 9.7, Monitoring the Health of the VLDB Service.

  5. Remove the NetWare 6.5 instance of the replica site.

    Use the same steps as outlined in Step 2.a through Step 2.e.