3.1.2 Matrix Server Installation Guide

Table Of Contents

Appendix B: Install the SLES9 Operating System and Kernel 53

3. HBA Drivers and Matrix Server

When configuring the operating system, you will need to consider

whether the HBA driver should be loaded either during the initial

booting of the kernel or when Matrix Server is started. The following

scenarios describe the appropriate action for common Matrix Server

configurations. You may need to take certain steps to ensure that the HBA

driver is booted at the correct point.

Matrix Server-Provided HBA

If you will be using an HBA driver provided with Matrix Server, the HBA

driver should not be loaded during the initial boot of the kernel. Instead,

when Matrix Server is started, it will load its own HBA driver.

To prevent the HBA driver from being loaded with the kernel, you will

need to take the following steps.

• Remove the HBA drivers from the “initrd” kernel image. This is done

by editing the /etc/sysconfig/kernel file as described under step “4.

Modify System Files” on page 55.

•Run the mk_initrd command as described under step “5. Run

mkinitrd If Necessary” on page 57.

NOTE: Although this procedure removes the HBA drivers from the initrd

image, you will likely see the HBA drivers loaded after the first

reboot (in step 6). The kernel HBA modules will be exempted

from loading after the Matrix Server rpm is installed and the

blacklist is updated.

Third-Party MPIO Solution

If you will be using a third-party MPIO solution such as EMC PowerPath

or IBM RDAC, the HBA driver must be loaded during the initial booting

of the kernel. (The MPIO drivers are dependent on the HBA drivers and

require that they be loaded first.) When Matrix Server starts later in the

boot process, it recognizes the third-party MPIO driver and does not try

to load its own HBA driver. (You may need to take steps to ensure that

the appropriate HBA driver is loaded. See your vendor documentation

for more information.)