Managing Serviceguard Nineteenth Edition, Reprinted June 2011

This paper includes instructions for setting up a sample package that uses an NFS-imported file
system.
See also the description of fs_name (page 238), fs_type (page 238), and the other file
system-related package parameters.
Planning for Expansion
You can add packages to a running cluster. This process is described in “Cluster and Package
Maintenance” (page 248).
When adding packages, be sure not to exceed the value of max_configured_packages as
defined in the cluster configuration file; see “Cluster Configuration Parameters ” (page 105). You
can modify this parameter while the cluster is running if you need to.
Choosing Switching and Failover Behavior
To determine the failover behavior of a failover package (see “Package Types” (page 48)), you
define the policy that governs where Serviceguard will automatically start up a package that is not
running. In addition, you define a failback policy that determines whether a package will be
automatically returned to its primary node when that is possible.
The following table describes different types of failover behavior and the settings in the package
configuration file that determine each behavior. See “Package Parameter Explanations” (page 222)
for more information.
Table 7 Package Failover Behavior
Parameters in Configuration FileSwitching Behavior
Package switches normally after detection of
service, network, or EMS failure, or when a
• node_fail_fast_enabled set to no. (Default)
• service_fail_fast_enabled set to NO for all services. (Default)
configured resource dependency is not met.
Halt script runs before switch takes place.
(Default)
• auto_run set to yes for the package. (Default)
• failover_policy set to min_package_node.
Package fails over to the node with the fewest
active packages.
• failover_policy set to configured_node. (Default)
Package fails over to the node that is next on
the list of nodes. (Default)
• failback_policy set to automatic.
Package is automatically halted and restarted
on its primary node if the primary node is
available and the package is running on a
non-primary node.
If desired, package must be manually
returned to its primary node if it is running on
a non-primary node.
• failback_policy set to manual. (Default)
• failover_policy set to configured_node. (Default)
All packages switch following a system reset
(an immediate halt without a graceful
• service_fail_fast_enabled set to yes for a specific service.
• auto_run set to yes for all packages.
shutdown) on the node when a specific
service fails. Halt scripts are not run.
All packages switch following a system reset
on the node when any service fails. An
• service_fail_fast_enabled set to yes for all services.
• auto_run set to yes for all packages.
attempt is first made to reboot the system prior
to the system reset.
Failover packages can be also configured so that IP addresses switch from a failed LAN card to
a standby LAN card on the same node and the same physical subnet. To manage this behavior,
use the parameter local_lan_failover_allowed (page 229) in the package configuration
file. (yes, meaning enabled, is the default.)
Package Configuration Planning 127