Using Serviceguard Extension for RAC, 10th Edition, April 2013

For information on configuring CFS and CVM with Serviceguard, refer to the latest edition of the
Managing Serviceguard user’s guide at www.hp.com/go/hpux-serviceguard-docs —>
HP Serviceguard.
Package Dependencies
When CFS is used as shared storage, the application and software using the CFS storage should
be configured to start and stop using Serviceguard packages. These application packages should
be configured with a package dependency on the underlying multi-node packages, which manages
the CFS and CVM storage reserves.
Configuring the application to be start/stop through Serviceguard package is to ensure the
synchronization of storage activation/deactivation and application startup/shutdown.
With CVM configurations using multi-node packages, CVM shared storage should be configured
in Serviceguard packages with package dependencies.
Refer to the latest edition of the Managing Serviceguard user’s guide for detailed information on
multi-node packages.
Storage Configuration Options
CFS provides SGeRAC with additional options, such as improved manageability. When planning
a RAC cluster, application software could be installed once and be visible by all cluster nodes. A
central location is available to store runtime logs, for example, RAC alert logs.
Oracle RAC data files can be created on a CFS, allowing the database administrator or Oracle
software to create additional data files without the need of root system administrator privileges.
The archive area can be on a CFS. Oracle instances on any cluster node can access the archive
area when database recovery requires the archive logs.
About Veritas CFS and CVM from Symantec
Veritas Cluster File System (CFS) and Cluster Volume Manager (CVM) are supported on some, but
not all current releases of HP-UX. Check the latest Release Notes for your version of Serviceguard
for up-to-date information at www.hp.com/go/hpux-serviceguard-docs —> HP
Serviceguard Extension for RAC.
CAUTION: Once you create the disk group and mount point packages, you must administer the
cluster with CFS commands, including cfsdgadm, cfsmntadm, cfsmount, and cfsumount.
You must not use the HP-UX mount or umount command to provide or remove access to a shared
file system in a CFS environment. Using these HP-UX commands under these circumstances is not
supported. Use cfsmount and cfsumount instead.
If you use the HP-UX mount and umount commands, serious problems could occur, such as writing
to the local file system instead of the cluster file system. Non-CFS commands could cause conflicts
with subsequent CFS command operations on the file system or the Serviceguard packages, and
will not create an appropriate multi-node package, which means cluster packages will not be
aware of file system changes.
IMPORTANT: To avoid cluster wide panics and/or database failures, Storage Foundation for
Oracle RAC (SFRAC/SFCFS for RAC) installations using Cluster Volume Manager (CVM) shared
disk groups must have a dgfailpolicy of leave. For additional information, read the latest version
of this technote at
www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH144672
16 Introduction to Serviceguard Extension for RAC