Monitoring file systems backup Post: 302901048

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Special Forums UNIX and Linux Applications Infrastructure Monitoring Monitoring file systems backup Post 302901048 by hicksd8 on Sunday 11th of May 2014 07:45:52 AM

05-11-2014

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You don't state what hardware platform you have, what the cluster software suite is, or what the backup software is.

Your post indicates that you have a good understanding of how a (generically speaking) cluster works and that any one filesystem can only be under the control of one node at a time. Having multiple nodes thinking they could write to the volume would be anarchy and a clear recipe for data corruption. It is definitely the job of the cluster software suite to ensure that that never happens. Having said that, different cluster suites can have starkly different functionality.

Similarly, backup software suites also vary in the manner of operation.

So discussing cluster backup in generic terms I would say that there are two options for implementing backups. Firstly, when node-A fails and node-B takes over (by checking orphaned filesystems and then mounting them, taking over and broadcasting the cluster name and ip address (node-C and ipaddr-C) some cluster software will also failover scheduled jobs (eg, backup). Of course, the backup device(s) need to be still available (or node-B needs to have its own tape drive, for example) for this to work. Alternatively, like all the user community who only know about node-C and ipaddr-C, the backup is run from a machine outside the cluster which "calls in" on node-C, accesses or NFS mounts the filesystem, and backs it up. Usually, this is the preferred method.

Now in this scenario the backup software has no knowledge that it is backing up a cluster volume and it should work exactly the same way as it would with a local volume, ie, if it loses communication with the volume, it will report a backup failure. Some backup software suites (eg, NetBackup) are of client/server architecture which are very intelligent and will report failures in exactly the same way they usually do.

So in summary, the fact that it is a cluster should be largely irrelevant to reporting errors in backup schedules. How the success of a backup is verified is the same as the non-cluster scenario.

Hope that helps. Feel free to continue your questions but please give us all a clue of the platform and software(s) involved.

Last edited by hicksd8; 05-11-2014 at 12:46 PM..

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LEARN ABOUT HPUX

norewind_close_disabled

norewind_close_disabled(5)					File Formats Manual					norewind_close_disabled(5)

NAME

       norewind_close_disabled - determine whether access to tape device special files without the no-rewind-on-close option is allowed

VALUES

   Default
   Allowed values
DESCRIPTION

       Note: this tunable was named in releases prior to HP-UX 11i v3.

       This  tunable  notifies the tape driver whether it should allow access to device special files without the no-rewind-on-close option.  When
       this tunable is on, the tape driver will fail any open on a tape device special file that does not have the no-rewind-on-close option (that
       is, or with a status of

       The  tunable  allows  the  safe	sharing of tape devices in SAN tape backup solution configurations.  The disabling of device special files
       without no-rewind-on-close in a SAN tape backup solution configuration prevents the accidental sending of a rewind command  on  close  from
       HP-UX systems via standard tape commands like which would corrupt a backup in process.

   Who Is Expected to Change This Tunable?
       Anyone.

   Restrictions on Changing
       Changes to this tunable take effect immediately.

   When Should the Tunable Be Turned On?
       This tunable should be turned on if the system is going to be used in a SAN tape backup solution configuration.

   What Are the Side Effects of Turning the Tunable On?
       The  tape  driver  will	fail any open to a tape device special file that does not have the no-rewind-on-close option with a status of This
       behavior prevents the usage of any tape device special file without the no-rewind-on-close option.

   When Should the Tunable Be Turned Off?
       This tunable should be turned off if the system is not part of a SAN tape backup solution configuration or the  system  utilizes  will  not
       function unless it has access to device special files without the no-rewind-on-close option.

   What Are the Side Effects of Turning the Tunable Off?
       A rewind may be issued accidentally from this system on close, possibly corrupting a backup being issued from another system on the SAN.

   What Other Tunables Should Be Changed at the Same Time?
       None.

EXAMPLES

       Query the current value of the tunable:

       Set the value of the tunable to

       To save the value of the tunable across reboots:

WARNINGS

       All  HP-UX kernel tunable parameters are release specific.  This parameter may be removed or have its meaning changed in future releases of
       HP-UX.

       Installation of optional kernel software, from HP or other vendors, may cause changes to tunable  parameter  values.   After  installation,
       some  tunable  parameters may no longer be at the default or recommended values.  For information about the effects of installation on tun-
       able values, consult the documentation for the kernel software being installed.	For information about optional kernel  software  that  was
       factory installed on your system, see at

AUTHOR

       was developed by Hewlett-Packard.

SEE ALSO

       scsi_tape(7), scsimgr_estape(7).

							     Tunable Kernel Parameters					norewind_close_disabled(5)