VERITAS Cluster Server for UNIX,

Fundamentals

Lesson 6
VCS Configuration Methods
Lesson Introduction
 Lesson 1: High Availability Concepts
 Lesson 2: VCS Building Blocks
 Lesson 3: Preparing a Site for VCS
 Lesson 4: Installing VCS
 Lesson 5: VCS Operations
 Lesson 6: VCS Configuration Methods
 Lesson 7: Preparing Services for VCS
 Lesson 8: Online Configuration
 Lesson 9: Offline Configuration
 Lesson 10: Sharing Network Interfaces
 Lesson 11: Configuring Notification
 Lesson 12: Configuring VCS Response to Faults
 Lesson 13: Cluster Communications
 Lesson 14: System and Communication Faults
 Lesson 15: I/O Fencing
 Lesson 16: Troubleshooting
Lesson Topics and Objectives

Topic After completing this lesson, you

will be able to:
Starting and Stopping Start and stop VCS.
VCS
Overview of Configuration Compare and contrast VCS
Methods configuration methods.
Online Configuration Describe the online configuration
method.
Offline Configuration Describe the offline configuration
method.
Controlling Access to VCS Set user account privileges to control
access to VCS.
Topic 1: Starting and Stopping VCS

After completing this topic, you

will be able to start and stop VCS.
VCS Startup Behavior

S1 S2
Local Build Current_
Cluster No config in
Discover
Conf memory
_Wait

4
2 main.cf main.cf 6

had had
hashadow hashadow
5
1
hastart 3 7 hastart
VCS Startup Behavior (continued)

S1 S2
Running Remote
Cluster
Cluster Cluster Build
Conf
Conf Conf

10

main.cf main.cf

had had
hashadow hashadow

8 9

Link to Pre-5.0 Slides

Stopping VCS
Before stopping: haconf –dump -makero
S1 S2
S1 S2

had had
had had
3 hastop –all -force
1 hastop -local

S1 S2

S1 S2 had had
had had
4 hastop -all
2 hastop -local -evacuate
Modifying VCS Shutdown Behavior
The EngineShutdown cluster attribute controls hastop.
Value Behavior
Enable (default) Process all hastop commands.

Disable Reject all hastop commands.

PromptClusStop Prompt for hastop –all only.

DisableClusStop Ignore hastop –all; process all

other hastop commands.
PromptLocal Prompt for hastop –local only.

PromptAlways Prompt for all hastop commands.

! hastop –force is not subject to

EngineShutdown settings.
Topic 2: Overview of Configuration
Methods

After completing this topic, you

will be able to compare and
contrast VCS configuration
methods.
Configuration Methods
 Online configuration tools: HAD is running
– Java and Web GUIs graphical user interface
– VCS CLI and shell scripts
 Offline configuration methods: HAD must restart
– Manual modification of configuration files
– Modification using the VCS Simulator
# vi main.cf
~
include "types.cf"
cluster vcs_train (
…
)
system train1 (
)
system train2 (
)
group ClusterService (
…
)
Topic 3: Online Configuration

After completing this topic, you

will be able to describe the online
configuration method.
How VCS Changes the Online Cluster
Configuration
Open the configuration.

Add a service group.

hagrp –add …
Config
Config
In-memory
configuration In-memory
configuration
Opening the Cluster Configuration

1 ReadOnly=0
haconf -makerw Shared cluster configuration
in memory
hares –modify ... .
2 In-memory configuration
main.cf not equal to main.cf
main.cf
Saving the Cluster Configuration

ReadOnly is still 0 and the

haconf -dump configuration is still open.

Shared cluster configuration

in memory

main.cf main.cf
Closing the Cluster Configuration

haconf –dump -makero

1 ReadOnly=1
Shared cluster configuration
2 in memory

main.cf main.cf

Link to Pre-5.0 Slides

How VCS Protects the Cluster Configuration
When the configuration is open:
 Configuration in memory may not match main.cf
 ReadOnly cluster attribute is set to 0:
haclus –value ReadOnly
 VCS warns you to close the configuration if you:
– Stop VCS on all systems.
Use of hastop –all –force bypasses warning; you can lose
configuration changes
– Close the GUI.

Link to Pre-5.0 Slide

Automatic Configuration Backups
Configuring automatic main.cf backups:
 BackupInterval is 0 by default.
 When set > 0, VCS saves the configuration in memory
to main.cf.autobackup.
haclus -modify BackupInterval 3
 BackupInterval minimum is 3 (minutes).

ls –l /etc/VRTSvcs/conf/config/main*
-rw------ 2 root other 5992 Oct 10 12:07 main.cf
-rw------ 1 root root 5039 Oct 8 8:01 main.cf.08Oct2006...
-rw------ 2 root other 5051 Oct 9 17:58 main.cf.09Oct2006...
-rw------ 2 root other 5992 Oct 10 12:07 main.cf.10Oct2006...
-rw------ 1 root other 6859 Oct 11 7:43 main.cf.autobackup
-rw------ 2 root other 5051 Oct 9 17:58 main.cf.previous
Topic 4: Offline Configuration

After completing this topic, you

will be able to describe the offline
configuration method.
Offline Configuration Characteristics
 Can be more efficient than online configuration for:
– Large configurations
– Many similar resources or service groups
– Many similar clusters
 Requires root to modify main.cf
 Requires restarting VCS
 Enables services to continue running, but they are
not highly available while VCS is being restarted
Example 1: Reusing a Cluster Configuration

group DB3 (
SystemList = {S3=1,S4=2}
AutoStartList = {S3}
DB1 DB2 )
main.cf


S1 S2
Cluster1 DB3 DB4
main.cf
group DB1 ( 
SystemList = {S1=1,S2=2}
AutoStartList = {S1}
S3 S4
) Cluster2
Example 2: Reusing a Service Group Definition
Service Group Definition Sample Value
Service Group Definition Sample Value
Group TestSG
Group AppSG
Required Attributes
Required Attributes
FailoverPolicy Priority
FailoverPolicy Priority
SystemList S1=0, S2=1
SystemList S1=0, S2=1
Optional Attributes
Optional Attributes
AutoStartList S1
AutoStartList S1

TestProcess
AppProcess
Test
Mount App
TestIP
AppIP Mount
Test TestVol
AppVol
NIC App
TestDG NIC
AppDG
Topic 5: Controlling Access to VCS

After completing this topic, you

will be able to set user account
privileges to control access to
VCS.
Relating VCS and UNIX User Accounts
In nonsecure mode:
 No UNIX to VCS user account mapping
 Cluster Administrator privileges given to root
 Nonroot users are prompted for a VCS account name and password when
using the CLI

Mode Authentication Authorization

Non-secure  System-level VCS
(default)  VCS

Secure (VxSS) System-level only VCS

Simplifying VCS Administrative Access
To simplify administration from the CLI:
1. Set the VCS_HOST environment variable to the node
name.
2. Log in to VCS:
halogin vcs_user_name
3. Type the password.
VCS User Account Privileges
VCS levels of authorization:
 Cluster Administrator
Full privileges
 Cluster Operator
All cluster, service group, and resource-level operations
 Cluster Guest
Read-only access; new users given Cluster Guest authorization by default
 Group Administrator
All operations for specified service group, except deletion
 Group Operator
Service group and resource online and offline; temporarily freeze or
unfreeze service groups
Creating Cluster User Accounts
To configure VCS user accounts:
1. Open the cluster configuration.
2. Add a user with the hauser command.
hauser –add user
3. Type a password.
GUI alternative.
4. Add privileges:
– Cluster:
hauser –addpriv user priv
– Groups:
hauser -addpriv user priv –group group
5. Save and close the configuration.
Lesson Summary
 Key Points
– Online configuration enables you to keep VCS
running while making configuration changes.
– Offline configuration is best suited for large-
scale modifications.
 Reference Materials
– VERITAS Cluster Server User's Guide
– VERITAS Cluster Server Command Line Quick
Reference
What Did You Learn?
 You are about to be
asked a series of
questions related to the
current topic.
 Click Answer to see the
solutions.
The main.cf file is the configuration file used
by _______ at startup.
A. GAB
B. LLT
C.hashadow
D.had

Answer
The main.cf file is the configuration file used
by _______ at startup.
A. GAB
B. LLT
C.hashadow
D.had
The correct answer is D.

Next >>
You have decided that each application
manager is to have full access to only their
service groups. Which VCS user category
would you assign to each application manager?
A. Cluster Operator
B. Group Administrator
C. Group Operator
D. Service Administrator

Answer
You have decided that each application
manager is to have full access to only their
service groups. Which VCS user category
would you assign to each application manager?
A. Cluster Operator
B. Group Administrator
C. Group Operator
D. Service Administrator
The correct answer is B.

Next >>
You would like to provide read-only access
using the VCS Java GUI to users who are in the
UNIX group named vcsreaders. How would
you do this?
A. Change the UNIX group ownership for hagui to
vcsreaders.
B. VCS GUIs cannot be restricted to read-only
access.
C. Add each user to VCS in the Cluster Guest
category.
D. These users must use Web-based access to VCS.

Answer
You would like to provide read-only access
using the VCS Java GUI to users who are in the
UNIX group named vcsreaders. How would
you do this?
A. Change the UNIX group ownership for hagui to
vcsreaders.
B. VCS GUIs cannot be restricted to read-only
access.
C. Add each user to VCS in the Cluster Guest
category.
D. These users must use Web-based access to VCS.
The correct answer is C.

Next >>
You want to stop VCS on one system but leave
applications running. Which command line
do you use?
A. hastop -all -force
B. hastop -all -migrate
C. hastop -all -evacuate
D. hastop –local –force

Answer
You want to stop VCS on one system but leave
applications running. Which command line do
you use?
A. hastop -all -force
B. hastop -all -migrate
C. hastop -all -evacuate
D. hastop –local -force
The correct answer is D.

Next >>
If you want to be warned that the configuration
is open if you try to stop VCS:
A. Set EngineShutdown to Disable.
B. Do not use the –force -all option to
hastop.
C. Set ReadOnly to No.
D. Use the –warn option to hastop.

Answer
If you want to be warned that the configuration
is open if you try to stop VCS:
A. Set EngineShutdown to Disable.
B. Do not use the –force option to hastop.
C. Set ReadOnly to No.
D. Use the –warn option to hastop.

The correct answer is B.

Next >>
Lab 6: Starting and Stopping VCS

vcs1

train1 train2

# hastop –all -force

End of Presentation
Appendix

This appendix contains slides that are platform

specific and may be reviewed at the viewer’s
discretion and interest. You may opt to end the
presentation now.
Opening the Cluster Configuration

haconf -makerw

Shared cluster configuration

in memory

main.cf main.cf
.stale .stale

Next
Saving the Cluster Configuration

haconf -dump

Shared cluster configuration

in memory

main.cf main.cf
.stale .stale

Next
Closing the Cluster Configuration

haconf –dump -makero

Shared cluster configuration

1 in memory

main.cf 
main.cf

2 .stale .stale

Back
How VCS Protects the Cluster Configuration
The stale flag:
 Is a protection mechanism for online configuration
 Indicates that the in-memory configuration may not
match the main.cf file on disk

When the .stale file is present:

 VCS displays a warning if you
attempt to stop VCS on all
systems or close the GUI.
 VCS does not start without
administrative intervention.

Back
How VCS Starts Up by Default (4.x)

S1 S2
Local Build Current_
Cluster No config in
Discover
Conf memory
_Wait

5
3 main.cf main.cf 8
2 .stale .stale 7
had had
hashadow hashadow
6
1
hastart 4 9 hastart

Next
Next System Startup

S1 S2
Running Remote
Cluster
Cluster Cluster Build
Conf
Conf Conf

12

main.cf main.cf

had had
hashadow hashadow

10 11

Next
VCS Startup with a .stale File (4.x)

S1 S2
Stale Unknown
No config in
admin
memory
wait
5

3 main.cf main.cf
2 .stale .stale
had
hashadow

1 hastart 4

Next
Forcing VCS to Start from a Wait State (4.x)

S1 S2
Local Build Waiting
Cluster No config in
for a
Conf memory
running
6 config
5

1 main.cf main.cf

4 .stale .stale
had had
hashadow hashadow

3 hasys –force S1

2 hacf –verify /opt/VRTSvcs/conf/config Next

Forcing VCS to Start (continued) (4.x)

S1 S2
Running Remote
Cluster
Cluster Cluster Build
Conf
Conf Conf

10

main.cf main.cf
 9
.stale
had had
hashadow hashadow

7 8

Back