Re: Reallocation of volumes

Steve Dobbelstein <[email protected]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:42:46 -0500
Newsgroups gmane.linux.evms.devel
Message-ID <OF1D226D83.DE739024-ON85257435.0075C6E3-86257435.0077486F@us.ibm.com>
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"Francois Pernet" <[email protected]> wrote on 04/23/2008 01:30:3=
5
AM:

> "Francois Pernet" <[email protected]>
> Sent by: [email protected]
>
> 04/23/2008 01:30 AM
>
> To
>
> <[email protected]>
>
> cc
>
> Subject
>
> [Evms-devel] Reallocation of volumes
>
> Hi there,
>
> Veritas apparently uses a technique in order to perform smooth backup=
.
> AFAIK, the goal is to create on a Volume Manager (LVM has been
> tested successfully), two mirrored volumes (soft RAID1). Of course,
> everything is on a SAN.
> Everything runs like that during normal operation. When backup
> starts, their agent, based on shell script, breaks the mirror,
> desallocates somehow one of mirrored voume. When mirror is broken,
> one of the volume is picked up by from another server which then can
> be backup without problem (no open files, can have large backup
> window's size, etc..).
> When backup is over, the volume is removed from the local LVM and
> reinserted in the original server.
> Mirror is then resynchronised...
>
> My question is : is it possible, with evms (we have SLES9 with evms
> installed and XFS file system on SAN) to to dynamically remove a volu=
me
from
> a storage container then add it into another storage container on
> another server , and the other way around ?
> Does somebody tried this Veritas feature with evms ?
>
> many thanks for your help
>
> Francois

Hi, Francois.

EVMS supports the concepts of "disk groups" for shared storage in a
cluster.  Disks that are on shared storage can be put into groups.  The=

groups can then be designated as shared among all nodes in the cluster =
or
private to only one node in the cluster.    EVMS running on one node wi=
ll
not display disks that are privately owned by another node.  EVMS suppo=
rts
changing of the ownership and the change from/to private and shared.  I=
t
coordinates the changes with the other nodes in the cluster, e.g., remo=
ves
it from the previous owning node and makes it available on the new owni=
ng
node.

It's pretty nifty functionality, IMHO, but I can think of two reasons w=
hy
it may not work for you.  One is that it only works in conjunction with=

clustering software.  (For safety, it checks to make sure the node is a=

member of the cluster.  If not, then it can't safely coordinate disk
configuration changes between the nodes.)  If you are not running your
machines in a cluster (EVMS supports Linux HA and IBM's RSCT) then it w=
on't
work for you.  (There are some ways to circumvent the safety checks, bu=
t
you do it at the risk of your own peril.)

Second is that the disk group feature must be the first thing put on a
disk.  After that the disk can be partitioned, put into a RAID, etc.  I=
f
you already have data on the disk(s)  Then the only way to install the =
disk
group function would be to backup your data, reconfigure your disk to b=
e in
a disk group, do whatever you did before to make volumes from the disk
(partition it, assign it to a RAID, etc.), and then restore your data t=
o
the volume.

Steve D.=

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<html><body>
<p><tt>&quot;Francois Pernet&quot; &lt;[email protected]&gt;</tt>=
<tt>&nbsp;w</tt><tt>rote on 04/23/2008 01:30:35 AM:<br>
<br>
&gt; &quot;Francois Pernet&quot; &lt;[email protected]&gt; </tt><=
br>
<tt>&gt; Sent by: [email protected]<br>
&gt; </tt><br>
<tt>&gt; 04/23/2008 01:30 AM</tt><br>
<tt>&gt; <br>
&gt; To</tt><br>
<tt>&gt; <br>
&gt; &lt;[email protected]&gt;</tt><br>
<tt>&gt; <br>
&gt; cc</tt><br>
<tt>&gt; <br>
&gt; Subject</tt><br>
<tt>&gt; <br>
&gt; [Evms-devel] Reallocation of volumes</tt><br>
<tt>&gt; <br>
&gt; Hi there,<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Veritas apparently uses a technique in order to perform smooth bac=
kup.<br>
&gt; AFAIK, the goal is to create on a Volume Manager (LVM has been <br=
>
&gt; tested successfully), two mirrored volumes (soft RAID1). Of course=
, <br>
&gt; everything is on a SAN.<br>
&gt; Everything runs like that during normal operation. When backup <br=
>
&gt; starts, their agent, based on shell script, breaks the mirror, <br=
>
&gt; desallocates somehow one of mirrored voume. When mirror is broken,=
 <br>
&gt; one of the volume is picked up by from another server which then c=
an<br>
&gt; be backup without problem (no open files, can have large backup <b=
r>
&gt; window's size, etc..).<br>
&gt; When backup is over, the volume is removed from the local LVM and =
<br>
&gt; reinserted in the original server.<br>
&gt; Mirror is then resynchronised... <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; My question is : is it possible, with evms (we have SLES9 with evm=
s <br>
&gt; installed and XFS file system on SAN) to to dynamically remove a v=
olume from<br>
&gt; a storage container then add it into another storage container on =
<br>
&gt; another server , and the other way around ?<br>
&gt; Does somebody tried this Veritas feature with evms ?<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; many thanks for your help<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Francois</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>Hi, Francois.<br>
</tt><br>
<tt>EVMS supports the concepts of &quot;disk groups&quot; for shared st=
orage in a cluster. &nbsp;Disks that are on shared storage can be put i=
nto groups. &nbsp;The groups can then be designated as shared among all=
 nodes in the cluster or private to only one node in the cluster. &nbsp=
; &nbsp;EVMS running on one node will not display disks that are privat=
ely owned by another node. &nbsp;EVMS supports changing of the ownershi=
p and the change from/to private and shared. &nbsp;It coordinates the c=
hanges with the other nodes in the cluster, e.g., removes it from the p=
revious owning node and makes it available on the new owning node.</tt>=
<br>
<br>
<tt>It's pretty nifty functionality, IMHO, but I can think of two reaso=
ns why it may not work for you. &nbsp;One is that it only works in conj=
unction with clustering software. &nbsp;(For safety, it checks to make =
sure the node is a member of the cluster. &nbsp;If not, then it can't s=
afely coordinate disk configuration changes between the nodes.) &nbsp;I=
f you are not running your machines in a cluster (EVMS supports Linux H=
A and IBM's RSCT) then it won't work for you. &nbsp;(There are some way=
s to circumvent the safety checks, but you do it at the risk of your ow=
n peril.)</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>Second is that the disk group feature must be the first thing put o=
n a disk. &nbsp;After that the disk can be partitioned, put into a RAID=
, etc. &nbsp;If you already have data on the disk(s) &nbsp;Then the onl=
y way to install the disk group function would be to backup your data, =
reconfigure your disk to be in a disk group, do whatever you did before=
 to make volumes from the disk (partition it, assign it to a RAID, etc.=
), and then restore your data to the volume.</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>Steve D.</tt></body></html>=

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