HP XC System Software Administration Guide Version 3.0

Understanding the Configuration and Management Database
The HP XC system stores information about the nodes and system configuration in the configuration and
management database (cmdb). This is a MySQL database that runs on the node with the node management
role. The cmdb is constructed during HP XC system installation. It contains data on hardware and software
configuration and on the connectivity of the system.
The configuration parameters stored in the cmdb include:
• Node names
• Server types
• Memory
• Processors
• MAC addresses
• IP addresses
• Switch ports
• Services
• Roles
• Metrics
The following custom management tools access the data stored in cmdb:
• The shownode command searches the database and displays a list of services defined for a given
parameter.
• The dbsysparams command searches the database and displays the value of the given attribute.
• The managedb command enables you to archive metrics data from the cmdb, back up the cmdb, and
dump (display) the cmdb data.
Additionally, you can interrogate the cmdb and modify parameters.
Although it is possible to access the cmdb with mysql, the MySQL interactive client, this practice is
discouraged.
Chapter 5.: Managing the Configuration and Management Database (page 57) describes the tasks that
are performed in conjunction with the cmdb.
Networking
The HP XC system uses the Linux Virtual Server, Network Time Protocol, Network Address Translation, and
Network Information Service.
Linux Virtual Server for HP XC System Alias
The HP XC system uses the Linux Virtual Server (LVS) to present a single host name for user logins. LVS is a
highly scalable virtual server built on a cluster of real servers. By using LVS, the architecture of the HP XC
system is transparent to end users, and they see only a single virtual server. This eliminates the need for users
to know how the cluster is configured in order to successfully log in and use the cluster. Any changes in the
system configuration are transparent to end users. LVS also provides load balancing across login nodes,
which distributes login requests to different servers. Figure 1-1. illustrates the use of LVS in an HP XC system.
Understanding the Configuration and Management Database 29