HP Geocluster Software User Manual
3PAR GeoCluster
1.0.0.14 for Windows
User’s Guide
3PAR Inc.
4209 Technology Drive
Fremont, CA 94538 U.S.A.
320-200263 November 2010
3PAR GeoCluster 1.0.0.14 for Windows User’s Guide
Revision Notice
This is the first release of this manual. A complete revision history is provided at the end of this manual.
Changes
The material in this document is for information only and is subject to change without notice. While reasonable
efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, 3PAR Inc. assumes no liability
resulting from errors or omissions in this document or from the use of the information contained herein.
3PAR reserves the right to make changes in the product design without reservation and without notification to its
users.
Updates to the Documentation at 3PAR Central
Any updates to this document or other 3PAR technical documents, can be found by logging into 3PAR Central’s
Document Control System from 3PAR’s Support page, at: http://www.3PAR.com/support/index.html.
3PAR Technical Support and Services
Contact your local service provider for technical support and services.
Sales and Ordering Information
For sales and ordering information, contact
3PAR Inc.
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Fremont, CA 94538 U.S.A.
Telephone: 510-413-5999
Fax: 510-413-5699
E-mail: salesinfo@3PAR.com
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E-mail your comments and suggestions about this document to: ReaderComments@3PAR.com
Copyright
Printed Material
Copyright © 2010 3PAR Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior written consent of 3PAR Inc., 4209 Technology Drive, Fremont, CA 94538. By way of
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3PAR, InServ, InForm, InSpire and Serving Information are registered trademarks of 3PAR Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are owned by their respective owners.
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Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Audience
1.2 Related Documents
1.3 Organization
1.4 Typographical Conventions
1.5 Advisories
2 Overview
2.1 What is 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows?
2.1.1 Microsoft Cluster Server
2.1.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows and Remote Copy
2.1.3 Cluster Resources
2.1.4 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
2.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Failover Algorithm
2.2.1 Failover Sequence from an MSCS Perspective
2.2.2 Failover Sequence from a Remote Copy Perspective
2.2.3 Failover Outcome
2.3 Practical Considerations and Best Practices
3 Installation and Configuration
3.1 Pre-Installation Requirements
3.2 Installation
3.3 Configuration
3.3.1 Integrating the 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Resource in a Services and
Applications Group
3.3.2 Configuring 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Resource’s Parameters
3.4 Configuration Best Practices
3.4.1 Cluster Design and Configuration
3.4.2 Resources Configuration
3.4.3 Remote Copy Groups Configuration
3.4.4 SSH
4 Using 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
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4.1 Recovering from a Failover
4.1.1 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Resource Decision Matrix
4.1.1.1 Remote Copy is Fully Functional
4.1.1.2 Remote Copy’s Function is Altered
4.1.1.3 Remote Copy is Disrupted
4.1.2 Failover Scenarios and Recovery Operations
4.1.2.1 Failover to a Local Site Node
4.1.2.2 Failover to a Remote Site Node, with no Remote Copy Interruption
4.1.2.3 Failover to a Remote Site Node, with Remote Copy Interrupted
4.2 Uninstalling 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
4.3 Other Useful Operations
4.3.1 CLI commands
4.3.1.1 Checking Remote Copy Groups Status
4.3.1.2 Checking Remote Copy Links
4.3.1.3 Checking Latency on Remote Copy Links
5 Troubleshooting
5.1 Cluster.log Report
5.1.1 Extracting the Cluster.log Report
5.1.1.1 Useful Switches
5.1.2 Reading the Cluster.log
5.1.2.1 Reading Cluster.log events
5.1.2.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Specific Events
5.1.2.3 Troubleshooting a 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Resource Failure
5.2 Known Issues
5.2.1 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Resource Deletion
5.3 Event Catalog
5.3.1 Online and Online Thread Events
5.3.2 Offline Events
5.3.3 Open and Close Events
5.3.4 Terminate Events
5.3.5 Health Check Events and Other Events
6 Revision history
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1
Introduction
In this chapter
1.1 Audience 1
1.2 Related Documents 2
1.3 Organization 2
3PAR GeoCluster 1.0.0.14 for Windows User’s Guide
1.4 Typographical conventions 3
1.5 Advisories 3
This user’s guide provides the information needed to install, configure and use
3PAR GeoCluster for Windows.
1.1 Audience
This user guide is intended for system administrators in charge of the installation and
management of Windows Clusters and SAN storage administrators.
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For Information About…
Read the…
CLI commands and their usage
3PAR InForm OS Command Line
Interface Reference
Identifying storage server
components and
detailed alert information
3PAR InForm OS Messages and
Operator’s Guide
Using the Command Line Interface
(CLI) to configure and manage
InServ Storage Servers
3PAR InForm OS CLI
Administrator’s
Manual
Using the InForm Graphical User
Interface (GUI) to configure and
administer InServ Storage Servers
3PAR InForm OS Management
Console Online Help
Using 3PAR Remote Copy
3PAR Remote Copy User’s Guide
1.2 Related Documents
The following documents also provide information related to the InServ Storage Server:
1.3 Organization
This document is organized as follows:
This chapter provides an overview of this guide, including intended audience, related
documentation, typographical conventions and advisories.
Chapter 2, Overview, provides an overview of 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows, including
how it interfaces with Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS), 3PAR InServ and 3PAR Remote
Copy.
Chapter 3, Installation and Configuration, describes how to install and configure 3PAR
GeoCluster for Windows.
Chapter 4, Using, describes how to operate 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
Chapter 5, Troubleshooting, describes how to assess errors and provides a list of
known issues.
This guide also contains a revision history and index for reference.
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Typeface
Meaning
Example
ABCDabcd
Used for dialog box
elements such as titles and
button labels.
Enter your system name in the
Value box and click OK
ABCDabcd
Used for file names, paths
and screen output and for
text you are to enter.
Found < 12 > 73G disks.
Enter cli at the Windows
command prompt.
<ABCDabcd>
Used for variables in file
names, paths and screen
output and variables in
user input.
[root@(<systemIDnodeID>)root]
To continue Enter your
system name ==>
<systemname>
NOTE: Notes are reminders, tips or suggestions that supplement the
procedures included in this guide.
CAUTION: Cautions alert you to actions that can cause damage to
equipment, software or data.
WARNING: Warnings alert you to actions that can cause injury to people
or irreversible damage to data or the operating system.
1.4 Typographical conventions
The following typographical conventions are used in this guide:
3PAR GeoCluster 1.0.0.14 for Windows User’s Guide
1.5 Advisories
To avoid injury to people or damage to data and equipment, be sure to observe the
cautions and warnings in this guide. Always be careful when handling any electrical
equipment.
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2
Overview
In This Chapter
2.1 What is 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows? ........................................................................................... 8
2.1.1 Microsoft Cluster Server ............................................................................................................. 9
2.1.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows and Remote Copy ................................................................... 10
2.1.3 Cluster Resources ..................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.4 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows ................................................................................................. 12
2.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Failover Algorithm ......................................................................... 13
2.2.1 Failover Sequence from an Microsoft Cluster Server Perspective ........................................... 13
2.2.2 Failover Sequence from a Remote Copy Perspective .............................................................. 13
2.2.3 Failover Outcome ..................................................................................................................... 14
2.1 What is 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows?
3PAR GeoCluster for Windows is an add-on to Microsoft Cluster Server. It manages the
hosting of Microsoft Cluster Server nodes on 3PAR InServ storage arrays in synergy with
3PAR Remote Copy, allowing the nodes to be located in geographically remote sites and
replicated in real-time. It ensures continuity of service in most cases of site failure and an
enhanced Recovery Time Objective in case continuity of service has been disrupted.
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2.1.1 Microsoft Cluster Server
Microsoft Cluster Server revolves around the active/passive clustering of several Windows
servers, called nodes. The cluster structure allows single resources to be shared by all the
nodes, with typically only one node, the owner node being able to access these at a given
time. Clustering also allows failover capability, which ensures continuity of service in case
one or more nodes experience problems by making sure the owner role is transferred to a
functional node.
MSCS avoids split-brain scenarios, where, in case of communication failure, each node is
likely to conclude being the active one, resulting in simultaneous resource access and data
corruption, using specific methods. Among those methods, 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
supports the following:
Majority Node Set, which, in order to be ideally configured, requires an odd number
of servers. In case of failure, the new owner node can only be selected from nodes
able to perceive at least 50% of the total number of nodes, plus themselves. Nodes
not meeting this requirement at any time will exclude themselves from the cluster.
The odd node can be located remotely from all the other nodes and is traditionally
named “Quorum”.
Majority Node Set with File Share, which instead of the odd node configuration
makes a shared storage space that hosts a file called the file share witness accessible
to all the nodes.
Locating nodes on sites geographically remote from each other further ensures continuity
of service by protecting the cluster against site failure. However, the implementation of
remote sites has its own specific constraints. This design is called metropolitan clusters or
geographically dispersed clusters.
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2.1.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows and Remote Copy
3PAR GeoCluster for Windows allows cluster resources to be hosted on an InServ storage
array and replicated on a remote site via 3PAR Remote Copy. This way, the safety of critical
production data is ensured. Moreover, in case of a site failure and the ensuing cluster
failover to the remote site, 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows manages the failover of Remote
Copy, reversing the source and target Remote Copy groups, in a timeframe transparent to
hosted applications tolerant to Microsoft Cluster Server failover.
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Figure 2-1: Typical 4-nodes configuration.
3PAR GeoCluster 1.0.0.14 for Windows User’s Guide
CAUTION: Each 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource corresponds to a
single Remote Copy group. Though a 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
resource may manage several disk resources, all these disk resources have
to be located on VVs in the same Remote Copy group (see diagram below).
2.1.3 Cluster Resources
Cluster resources are grouped into Services and Applications groups. Several resources
grouped together can be organized via dependencies which ensures that a single resource
cannot be brought online (to a functional status) if any resource higher in the hierarchy is
itself not online--whether because it has been turned off or is dysfunctional.
In a typical 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows configuration, three following resources can be
found:
The 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource, on which the disk resources depend.
The disk storage resources, which correspond to Virtual Volumes located on InServ
storage arrays. They depend on the 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource and any
application resource depends on a disk storage resource.
The application resources, which are hosted on the disk resources on which they
depend.
Figure 2-2: Example of resources dependencies
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Figure 2-3: Example of correspondence between Cluster resources and InServ elements
2.1.4 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows
3PAR GeoCluster for Windows is packaged into a Microsoft Installer, which, once executed,
installs two .dll files to the relevant folders:
InServ ClRes.dll, which handles core operations.
InServ AdmExt.dll , which handles configuration.
3PAR GeoCluster for Windows is fully integrated into the MSCS architecture. The
configuration interface is integrated into the MSCS interface, in the corresponding resource
property window.
3PAR GeoCluster for Windows communicates with InServ Storage Arrays via an SSH
connection to the InForm OS.
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CAUTION: See section 3.4 Best Practices for considerations related to the
use of SSH.
2.2 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Failover Algorithm
This section describes the method 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows follows in order to handle
failovers.
2.2.1 Failover Sequence from a Microsoft Cluster Server Perspective
Failover occurs from one of the following:
An administrator's action results in an active node becoming unavailable.
One of the nodes’ cluster resources goes offline.
You can set whether a cluster resource failure will trigger a failover in its properties.
When a failover is triggered, it causes MSCS to bring the whole resource group offline and
search for a functional node to bring the resource group online. If the dependencies are set
correctly, MSCS will attempt to bring the 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource online.
The 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource will perform a decision algorithm, taking into
account conditions such as whether it is on the primary or secondary site and whether the
Remote Copy links are up.
Depending on the outcome of the decision process, that particular node may be able to
bring its 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource online. If online, the cluster will move to
the next node and so on, until it is able to find a node able to start its 3PAR GeoCluster for
Windows resource and the resources that depend on it or until it fails.
2.2.2 Failover Sequence from a Remote Copy Perspective
In a normal working situation, the InServ storage arrays and the Remote Copy groups they
host are considered by the 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource to have one of the
following roles:
Primary - This array is considered to be the replication’s source, when the cluster is in
normal working order.
Secondary - This array is considered to be the replication’s destination, when the
cluster is in normal working order.
If the Remote Copy replication fails, whether due to a failure or administrator action, and
MSCS has a node try to take hold of the replication VVs on the secondary InServ , then the
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CAUTION: In the latter scenario, the primary InServ will not automatically
switch to the secondary-rev role and will continue to identify itself as the
primary server. This scenario requires careful administrator consideration,
as it can result in data loss. For more information, see section 4.1.
secondary InServ will become Primary-rev (Primary in a reversed replication situation). The
VVs included in the Remote Copy groups will change from read-only to read-write status.
The Secondary-rev status can be set manually in certain scenarios. This implies that the
primary InServ has been set to be the replication destination while the secondary InServ
has become the primary-rev due to a failure.
2.2.3 Failover Outcome
Depending upon the site on which that owner node ends up being located, the failover will
do one of the followings:
The owner node stays on the local site – There is no consequence for the status of
the InServ storage arrays hosting the Remote Copy groups.
The owner node ends up being located on the remote site, with no disruption to the
replication - The primary and secondary InServs see their roles reversed with no
further notable effect. This scenario is typical of a manually initiated failover or a disk
or application resource failure.
The owner node ends up being located on the remote site, with the secondary InServ
becoming primary-rev because of a replication failure - While the disruption to
continuity of service will be limited, the restoration of the cluster to its original
situation will require additional manual operations, which are described in section
4.1.
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3
Installation and Configuration
In this Chapter
3.1 Pre-Installation Considerations 2
3.1.1 Support Considerations 2
3.1.2 Pre-Installation Requirements 2
3.2 Installation 3
3.3 Configuration 3
3.3.1 Integrating 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows Resource in a Services and
Applications Group 3
3.3.2 Configuring 3PAR GeoCluster for Windows resource’s parameters 4
3.4 Configuration Best Practices 7
3.4.1 Cluster Design and Configuration 7
3.4.2 Resource Configuration 8
3.4.3 Remote Copy Groups Configuration 10
3.4.5 SSH 11
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