3.5.1 Matrix Server Administration Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction 9

Matrix Server Databases

Matrix Server uses the following databases to store matrix information:

• Shared Memory Data Store (SMDS). The SANPulse daemon stores

filesystem status information in this database. The database contains

cp_status and sp_status files that are located in the directory

/var/opt/polyserve/run on each server. These files should not be

changed.

• Device database. The SCL assigns a device name to each shared disk

imported into the matrix. It then stores the device name and the

physical UID of the disk in the device database. The database is

located on the membership partitions that you selected when

installing the Matrix Server product. (The membership partitions are

also used for functions related to SAN control.)

• Volume database. This database stores information about dynamic

volumes and is located on the membership partitions.

Export Groups and Virtual NFS Services

An Export Group specifies the PSFS filesystems that are to be exported by

NFS. Each filesystem is listed in an export record, which is equivalent to a

record in the /etc/exports file of a traditional NFS server. An export record

identifies a filesystem and directory sub-tree to be exported via NFS, the

list of clients authorized to mount and access the specified filesystem sub-

tree, and the options that modify how the filesystem sub-tree will be

shared with clients (for example, read-write or read-only).

A Virtual NFS Service is a virtual host that is dedicated to NFS file

service. Its primary purpose is to associate a “virtualized” IP address

with an Export Group and to ensure, for high availability, that this

virtualized IP address and the associated Export Group and NFS service

are always available on one node of the cluster. A virtualized IP address

is a portable IP address that can be moved from one node in the cluster to

another when a failover action occurs

NFS clients connect to the filesystem via the virtualized IP address. The

clients will always remain connected to their Virtual NFS Service (with