Managing HP Serviceguard A.12.00.00 for Linux, June 2014

To generate a package configuration file that creates a multi-node package, include-m
sg/multi_node on the cmmakepkg command line. See “Generating the Package
Configuration File” (page 201).
• System multi-node packages. System multi-node packages are supported only for applications
supplied by HP.
NOTE: The following parameters cannot be configured for multi-node packages:
• failover_policy
• failback_policy
• ip_subnet
• ip_address
Volume groups configured for packages of this type must be activated in shared mode.
For more information about types of packages and how they work, see “How the Package Manager
Works” (page 41). For information on planning a package, see “Package Configuration Planning”
(page 103).
When you have decided on the type of package you want to create, the next step is to decide
what additional package-configuration modules you need to include; see “Package Modules and
Parameters” (page 180).
6.1.2 Differences between Failover and Multi-Node Packages
Note the following important differences in behavior between multi-node and failover packages:
• If a multi-node package has auto_run disabled (set to no in the package configuration file)
it will not start when the cluster is started. You can use cmmodpkg to enable package switching
and start the package for the first time. But if you then halt the multi-node package via
cmhaltpkg, it can be re-started only by means of cmrunpkg, not cmmodpkg.
• If a multi-node package is halted via cmhaltpkg, package switching is not disabled. This
means that the halted package will start to run on a rebooted node, if it is configured to run
on that node and its dependencies are met.
• When a multi-node package is started the first time (either at cluster startup, or subsequently
if auto_run is set to no, and package switching is then enabled) any dependent package
will start on its primary node. But if a multi-node package is halted along with its dependent
packages, and the multi-node package is then restarted, dependent packages which have
had package switching re-enabled will start on the first eligible node on which an instance of
the multi-node package comes up; this may not be the dependent packages’ primary node.
To ensure that dependent failover packages restart on their primary node if the multi-node
packages they depend on need to be restarted, make sure the dependent packages’ package
switching is not re-enabled before the multi-node packages are restarted. You can then either
restart the dependent failover packages with cmrunpkg, specifying the node you want them
to start on, or enable package switching for these packages after the multi-node package
startup is complete.
6.1.3 Package Modules and Parameters
The table that follows shows the package modules and the configuration parameters each module
includes. Read this section in conjunction with the discussion under “Package Configuration
Planning” (page 103).
Use this information, and the parameter explanations that follow (page 184) to decide which modules
(if any) you need to add to the failover, multi-node, or system multi-node module, to create your
package.
180 Configuring Packages and Their Services