hp.com home products and services support and drivers solutions how to buy
cd-rom home
End of Jump to page title
HP OpenVMS systems
documentation

Jump to content


Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations

Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations


Previous Contents Index

7.7.2 Checking the Firmware Version

You can check the installation of the firmware version in two ways: from the console during system initialization, or by using the efiutil utility:

7.7.3 Configuring the Boot Device Paths on the FC

For configuration booting on a Fibre Channel storage device, HP recommends that you use the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager (BOOT_OPTIONS.COM) after completing the installation of HP OpenVMS Version 8.2. Follow these steps:

  1. From the OpenVMS Installation Menu, choose Option 7 "Execute DCL commands and procedures" to access the DCL prompt.
  2. At the DCL prompt, enter the following command to invoke the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager utility:


    $$$ @SYS$MANAGER:BOOT_OPTIONS 
    

  3. When the utility is invoked, the main menu is displayed. To add your system disk as a boot option, enter 1 at the prompt, as shown in the following example:


    OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager Boot Options List Management Utility 
     
    (1) ADD an entry to the Boot Options list 
    (2) DISPLAY the Boot Options list 
    (3) REMOVE an entry from the Boot Options list 
    (4) MOVE the position of an entry in the Boot Options list 
    (5) VALIDATE boot options and fix them as necessary 
    (6) Modify Boot Options TIMEOUT setting 
     
    (B) Set to operate on the Boot Device Options list 
    (D) Set to operate on the Dump Device Options list 
    (G) Set to operate on the Debug Device Options list 
     
    (E) EXIT from the Boot Manager utility 
     
    You can also enter Ctrl-Y at any time to abort this utility 
     
    Enter your choice: 1
    

    Note

    While using this utility, you can change a response made to an earlier prompt by typing the "^" character as many times as needed. To abort and return to the DCL prompt, enter Ctrl/Y.
  4. The utility prompts you for the device name. Enter the system disk device you are using for this installation, as in the following example where the device is a multipath Fibre Channel device $1$DGA1: (press Return):


    Enter the device name (enter "?" for a list of devices): $1$DGA1:
    

  5. The utility prompts you for the position you want your entry to take in the EFI boot option list. Enter 1 as in the following example:


    Enter the desired position number (1,2,3,,,) of the entry. 
    To display the Boot Options list, enter "?" and press Return. 
    Position [1]: 1
    

  6. The utility prompts you for OpenVMS boot flags. By default, no flags are set. Enter the OpenVMS flags (for example, 0,1) followed by a Return, or press Return to set no flags as in the following example:


    Enter the value for VMS_FLAGS in the form n,n. 
    VMS_FLAGS [NONE]: 
    

  7. The utility prompts you for a description to include with your boot option entry. By default, the device name is used as the description. You can enter more descriptive information as in the following example.


    Enter a short description (do not include quotation marks). 
    Description ["$1$DGA1"]: $1$DGA1 OpenVMS V8.2 System
     
    efi$bcfg: $1$dga1 (Boot0001) Option successfully added 
     
    efi$bcfg: $1$dga1 (Boot0002) Option successfully added 
     
    efi$bcfg: $1$dga1 (Boot0003) Option successfully added 
    

  8. When you have successfully added your boot option, exit from the utility by entering E at the prompt.


    Enter your choice: E
    

  9. Log out from the DCL prompt and shut down the I64 System.

For more information on this utility, refer to the HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 1: Essentials.

7.8 Setting Up a Storage Controller for Use with OpenVMS

The HP storage array controllers and the manuals that provide specific information for configuring them for use with OpenVMS follow:

7.8.1 Setting Up the Device Identifier for the CCL

Defining a unique device identifier for the Command Console LUN (CCL) of the HSG and HSV is not required by OpenVMS, but it may be required by some management tools. OpenVMS suggests that you always define a unique device identifier since this identifier causes the creation of a CCL device visible using the SHOW DEVICE command. Although this device is not directly controllable on OpenVMS, you can display the multiple paths to the storage controller using the SHOW DEVICE/FULL command, and diagnose failed paths, as shown in the following example for $1$GGA3, where one of the two paths has failed.


Paver> sh dev gg /mul 
Device                  Device           Error         Current 
 Name                   Status           Count  Paths    path 
$1$GGA1:                Online               0   2/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0011-AF08 
$1$GGA3:                Online               0   1/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0011-B158 
$1$GGA4:                Online               0   2/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0015-2C58 
$1$GGA5:                Online               0   2/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0015-22A8 
$1$GGA6:                Online               0   2/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0015-2D18 
$1$GGA7:                Online               0   2/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0015-2D08 
$1$GGA9:                Online               0   2/ 2  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0007-04E3 
 
Paver> show dev /full $1$gga9: 
 
Device $1$GGA9:, device type Generic SCSI device, is online, shareable, device 
    has multiple I/O paths. 
 
    Error count                    0    Operations completed                  0 
    Owner process                 ""    Owner UIC                      [SYSTEM] 
    Owner process ID        00000000    Dev Prot    S:RWPL,O:RWPL,G:RWPL,W:RWPL 
    Reference count                0    Default buffer size                   0 
    WWID   02000008:5000-1FE1-0007-04E0 
 
  I/O paths to device              2 
  Path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0007-04E3  (PAVER), primary path, current path. 
    Error count                    0    Operations completed                  0 
  Path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0007-04E1  (PAVER). 
    Error count                    0    Operations completed                  0 

7.8.2 Setting Up the Device Identifier for Disk Devices

The device identifier for disks is appended to the string $1$DGA to form the complete device name. It is essential that all disks have unique device identifiers within a cluster. Device identifiers can be between 0 and 32767, except a device identifier of 0 is not valid on the HSV. Device identifiers greater than 9999 cannot be MSCP served to other systems.

7.9 Creating a Cluster with a Shared FC System Disk

To configure nodes in an OpenVMS Cluster system, you must execute the CLUSTER_CONFIG.COM (or CLUSTER_CONFIG_LAN.COM) command procedure. (You can run either the full version, which provides more information about most prompts, or the brief version.)

For the purposes of CLUSTER_CONFIG, a shared Fibre Channel (FC) bus is treated like a shared SCSI bus, except that the allocation class parameters do not apply to FC. The rules for setting node allocation class and port allocation class values remain in effect when parallel SCSI storage devices are present in a configuration that includes FC storage devices.

To configure a new OpenVMS Cluster system, you must first enable clustering on a single, or standalone, system. Then you can add additional nodes to the cluster.

Example 7-5 shows how to enable clustering using brief version of CLUSTER_CONFIG_LAN.COM on a standalone node called FCNOD1. At the end of the procedure, FCNOD1 reboots and forms a one-node cluster.

Example 7-6 shows how to run the brief version of CLUSTER_CONFIG_LAN.COM on FCNOD1 to add a second node, called FCNOD2, to form a two-node cluster. At the end of the procedure, the cluster is configured to allow FCNOD2 to boot off the same FC system disk as FCNOD1.

The following steps are common to both examples:

  1. Select the default option [1] for ADD.
  2. Answer Yes when CLUSTER_CONFIG_LAN.COM asks whether there will be a shared SCSI bus. SCSI in this context refers to FC as well as to parallel SCSI.
    The allocation class parameters are not affected by the presence of FC.
  3. Answer No when the procedure asks whether the node will be a satellite.

Example 7-5 Enabling Clustering on a Standalone FC Node

$ @CLUSTER_CONFIG_LAN BRIEF 
 
                   Cluster Configuration Procedure 
                    Executing on an Alpha System 
 
    DECnet Phase IV is installed on this node. 
 
    The LAN, not DECnet, will be used for MOP downline loading. 
    This Alpha node is not currently a cluster member 
    
 
MAIN MENU 
 
   1. ADD FCNOD1 to existing cluster, or form a new cluster. 
   2. MAKE a directory structure for a new root on a system disk. 
   3. DELETE a root from a system disk. 
   4. EXIT from this procedure. 
 
Enter choice [1]: 1 
Is the node to be a clustered node with a shared SCSI or Fibre Channel bus (Y/N)? Y 
 
    Note: 
        Every cluster node must have a direct connection to every other 
        node in the cluster.  Since FCNOD1 will be a clustered node with 
        a shared SCSI or FC bus, and Memory Channel, CI, and DSSI are not present, 
        the LAN will be used for cluster communication. 
 
Enter this cluster's group number: 511 
Enter this cluster's password: 
Re-enter this cluster's password for verification: 
 
Will FCNOD1 be a boot server [Y]? Y 
    Verifying LAN adapters in LANACP database... 
    Updating LANACP LAN server process volatile and permanent databases... 
    Note: The LANACP LAN server process will be used by FCNOD1 for boot 
          serving satellites. The following LAN devices have been found: 
    Verifying LAN adapters in LANACP database... 
 
    LAN TYPE    ADAPTER NAME    SERVICE STATUS 
    ========    ============    ============== 
    Ethernet    EWA0            ENABLED 
 
 
  CAUTION: If you do not define port allocation classes later in this 
           procedure for shared SCSI buses, all nodes sharing a SCSI bus 
           must have the same non-zero ALLOCLASS value. If multiple 
           nodes connect to a shared SCSI bus without the same allocation 
           class for the bus, system booting will halt due to the error or 
           IO AUTOCONFIGURE after boot will keep the bus offline. 
 
Enter a value for FCNOD1's ALLOCLASS parameter [0]: 5 
Does this cluster contain a quorum disk [N]? N 
    Each shared SCSI bus must have a positive allocation class value. A shared 
    bus uses a PK adapter. A private bus may use: PK, DR, DV. 
 
    When adding a node with SCSI-based cluster communications, the shared 
    SCSI port allocation classes may be established in SYS$DEVICES.DAT. 
    Otherwise, the system's disk allocation class will apply. 
 
    A private SCSI bus need not have an entry in SYS$DEVICES.DAT. If it has an 
    entry, its entry may assign any legitimate port allocation class value: 
 
       n   where n = a positive integer, 1 to 32767 inclusive 
       0   no port allocation class and disk allocation class does not apply 
      -1   system's disk allocation class applies (system parameter ALLOCLASS) 
 
    When modifying port allocation classes, SYS$DEVICES.DAT must be updated 
    for all affected nodes, and then all affected nodes must be rebooted. 
    The following dialog will update SYS$DEVICES.DAT on FCNOD1. 
 
    There are currently no entries in SYS$DEVICES.DAT for FCNOD1. 
    After the next boot, any SCSI controller on FCNOD1 will use 
    FCNOD1's disk allocation class. 
 
 
Assign port allocation class to which adapter [RETURN for none]: PKA 
Port allocation class for PKA0: 10 
 
        Port Alloclass   10    Adapter FCNOD1$PKA 
 
Assign port allocation class to which adapter [RETURN for none]: PKB 
Port allocation class for PKB0: 20 
 
        Port Alloclass   10    Adapter FCNOD1$PKA 
        Port Alloclass   20    Adapter FCNOD1$PKB 
 
  WARNING: FCNOD1 will be a voting cluster member. EXPECTED_VOTES for 
           this and every other cluster member should be adjusted at 
           a convenient time before a reboot. For complete instructions, 
           check the section on configuring a cluster in the "OpenVMS 
           Cluster Systems" manual. 
 
    Execute AUTOGEN to compute the SYSGEN parameters for your configuration 
    and reboot FCNOD1 with the new parameters. This is necessary before 
    FCNOD1 can become a cluster member. 
 
Do you want to run AUTOGEN now [Y]? Y 
 
    Running AUTOGEN -- Please wait. 
 
The system is shutting down to allow the system to boot with the 
generated site-specific parameters and installed images. 
 
The system will automatically reboot after the shutdown and the 
upgrade will be complete. 

Example 7-6 Adding a Node to a Cluster with a Shared FC System Disk

$ @CLUSTER_CONFIG_LAN BRIEF 
 
                   Cluster Configuration Procedure 
                    Executing on an Alpha System 
 
    DECnet Phase IV is installed on this node. 
 
    The LAN, not DECnet, will be used for MOP downline loading. 
    FCNOD1 is an Alpha system and currently a member of a cluster 
    so the following functions can be performed: 
 
MAIN MENU 
 
   1. ADD an Alpha node to the cluster. 
   2. REMOVE a node from the cluster. 
   3. CHANGE a cluster member's characteristics. 
   4. CREATE a duplicate system disk for FCNOD1. 
   5. MAKE a directory structure for a new root on a system disk. 
   6. DELETE a root from a system disk. 
   7. EXIT from this procedure. 
 
Enter choice [1]: 1 
 
    This ADD function will add a new Alpha node to the cluster. 
 
  WARNING: If the node being added is a voting member, EXPECTED_VOTES for 
           every cluster member must be adjusted.  For complete instructions 
           check the section on configuring a cluster in the "OpenVMS Cluster 
           Systems" manual. 
 
  CAUTION: If this cluster is running with multiple system disks and 
           common system files will be used, please, do not proceed 
           unless appropriate logical names are defined for cluster 
           common files in SYLOGICALS.COM. For instructions, refer to 
           the "OpenVMS Cluster Systems" manual. 
 
Is the node to be a clustered node with a shared SCSI or Fibre Channel bus (Y/N)? Y 
Will the node be a satellite [Y]? N 
What is the node's SCS node name? FCNOD2 
What is the node's SCSSYSTEMID number? 19.111 
    NOTE: 19.111 equates to an SCSSYSTEMID of 19567 
Will FCNOD2 be a boot server [Y]? Y 
What is the device name for FCNOD2's system root 
[default DISK$V72_SSB:]? Y 
What is the name of FCNOD2's system root [SYS10]? 
    Creating directory tree SYS10 ... 
    System root SYS10 created 
 
  CAUTION: If you do not define port allocation classes later in this 
           procedure for shared SCSI buses, all nodes sharing a SCSI bus 
           must have the same non-zero ALLOCLASS value. If multiple 
           nodes connect to a shared SCSI bus without the same allocation 
           class for the bus, system booting will halt due to the error or 
           IO AUTOCONFIGURE after boot will keep the bus offline. 
 
Enter a value for FCNOD2's ALLOCLASS parameter [5]: 
Does this cluster contain a quorum disk [N]? N 
Size of pagefile for FCNOD2 [RETURN for AUTOGEN sizing]? 
 
    A temporary pagefile will be created until resizing by AUTOGEN. The 
    default size below is arbitrary and may or may not be appropriate. 
 
Size of temporary pagefile [10000]? 
Size of swap file for FCNOD2 [RETURN for AUTOGEN sizing]? 
 
    A temporary swap file will be created until resizing by AUTOGEN. The 
    default size below is arbitrary and may or may not be appropriate. 
 
Size of temporary swap file [8000]? 
    Each shared SCSI bus must have a positive allocation class value. A shared 
    bus uses a PK adapter. A private bus may use: PK, DR, DV. 
 
    When adding a node with SCSI-based cluster communications, the shared 
    SCSI port allocation classes may be established in SYS$DEVICES.DAT. 
    Otherwise, the system's disk allocation class will apply. 
 
    A private SCSI bus need not have an entry in SYS$DEVICES.DAT. If it has an 
    entry, its entry may assign any legitimate port allocation class value: 
 
       n   where n = a positive integer, 1 to 32767 inclusive 
       0   no port allocation class and disk allocation class does not apply 
      -1   system's disk allocation class applies (system parameter ALLOCLASS) 
 
    When modifying port allocation classes, SYS$DEVICES.DAT must be updated 
    for all affected nodes, and then all affected nodes must be rebooted. 
    The following dialog will update SYS$DEVICES.DAT on FCNOD2. 
 
Enter [RETURN] to continue: 
 
    $20$DKA400:<VMS$COMMON.SYSEXE>SYS$DEVICES.DAT;1 contains port 
    allocation classes for FCNOD2. After the next boot, any SCSI 
    controller not assigned in SYS$DEVICES.DAT will use FCNOD2's 
    disk allocation class. 
 
 
Assign port allocation class to which adapter [RETURN for none]: PKA 
Port allocation class for PKA0: 11 
 
        Port Alloclass   11    Adapter FCNOD2$PKA 
 
Assign port allocation class to which adapter [RETURN for none]: PKB 
Port allocation class for PKB0: 20 
 
        Port Alloclass   11    Adapter FCNOD2$PKA 
        Port Alloclass   20    Adapter FCNOD2$PKB 
 
Assign port allocation class to which adapter [RETURN for none]: 
 
  WARNING: FCNOD2 must be rebooted to make port allocation class 
           specifications in SYS$DEVICES.DAT take effect. 
Will a disk local only to FCNOD2 (and not accessible at this time to FCNOD1) 
be used for paging and swapping (Y/N)? N 
 
    If you specify a device other than DISK$V72_SSB: for FCNOD2's 
    page and swap files, this procedure will create PAGEFILE_FCNOD2.SYS 
    and SWAPFILE_FCNOD2.SYS in the [SYSEXE] directory on the device you 
    specify. 
 
What is the device name for the page and swap files [DISK$V72_SSB:]? 
%SYSGEN-I-CREATED, $20$DKA400:[SYS10.SYSEXE]PAGEFILE.SYS;1 created 
%SYSGEN-I-CREATED, $20$DKA400:[SYS10.SYSEXE]SWAPFILE.SYS;1 created 
    The configuration procedure has completed successfully. 
 
    FCNOD2 has been configured to join the cluster. 
 
    The first time FCNOD2 boots, NETCONFIG.COM and 
    AUTOGEN.COM will run automatically. 

7.9.1 Configuring Additional Cluster Nodes to Boot with a Shared FC Disk (I64 Only)

For configuring additional nodes to boot with a shared FC Disk on an OpenVMS Cluster system, HP requires that you execute the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager (BOOT_OPTIONS.COM).

After you have enabled clustering on a single or standalone system, you can add additional I64 nodes to boot on a shared FC Disk, as follows:

  1. Boot the HP OpenVMS Version 8.2 Installation Disk on the target node.
  2. From the OpenVMS Installation Menu, choose Option 7 "Execute DCL commands and procedures."
  3. Follow the instructions in Section 7.7.3. Make sure that you set the correct system root when asked to enter the OpenVMS boot flags.

    Note

    The OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager (BOOT_OPTIONS.COM) utility requires the shared FC disk to be mounted. If the shared FC disk is not mounted cluster-wide, the utility will try to mount the disk with a /NOWRITE option. If the shared FC disk is already mounted cluster-wide, user intervention is required. For more information on this utility, refer to the HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 1: Essentials.

7.9.2 Online Reconfiguration

The FC interconnect can be reconfigured while the hosts are running OpenVMS. This includes the ability to:

OpenVMS does not automatically detect most FC reconfigurations. You must use the following procedure to safely perform an FC reconfiguration, and to ensure that OpenVMS has adjusted its internal data structures to match the new state:

  1. Dismount all disks that are involved in the reconfiguration.
  2. Perform the reconfiguration.
  3. Enter the following commands on each host that is connected to the Fibre Channel:


    SYSMAN> IO SCSI_PATH_VERIFY 
    SYSMAN> IO AUTOCONFIGURE 
    

The purpose of the SCSI_PATH_VERIFY command is to check each FC path in the system's IO database to determine whether the attached device has been changed. If a device change is detected, then the FC path is disconnected in the IO database. This allows the path to be reconfigured for a new device by using the IO AUTOCONFIGURE command.

Note

In the current release, the SCSI_PATH_VERIFY command only operates on FC disk devices. It does not operate on generic FC devices, such as the HSG command console LUN (CCL). (Generic FC devices have names such as $1$GGAnnnnn. This means that once the CCL of an HSG has been configured by OpenVMS with a particular device identifier, its device identifier should not be changed.


Previous Next Contents Index