[Linux-cluster] Upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit servers

[Rob Kenna]

Troy Dawson wrote:
> Lon Hohberger wrote:
> 
>> On Wed, 2005-11-02 at 16:49 +0000, Jan Bruvoll wrote:
>>
>>> Dear list,
>>>
>>> as we are quickly filling up our 8Tb GFS file system, we have started
>>> planning the migration to 64-bit linux "clients". In that respect I have
>>> been looking for information on how to "upgrade" the filesystem, and I
>>> haven't been able to find out whether we have to do anything in
>>> particular to the filesystem when switching, or whether the on-disk data
>>> structures will be the same for 64 bit machines? Can anybody on the list
>>> shed light on how we would move on from the 8Tb limitation?
>>
>>
>>
>> The GFS on-disk metadata structures are 64-bit clean.
>>
>> -- Lon
>>
> 
> I don't believe switching your machines to 64-bit is going to help you. 
>  I have both 64 bit and 32 bit using the same GFS file system without 
> any problem, and without doing anything to the filesystem.
> 
> Also, from the release notes for GFS 6.1
> http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/csgfs/release-notes/GFS_6_1-relnotes.txt
> ---------------------
>    Increased total storage supported
> 
>     Red Hat GFS now supports 8 terabytes of storage. For more 
> information about Red Hat GFS requirements, refer to the Red Hat GFS 6.1 
> Administrator's Guide, "Chapter 2. System Requirements".
> ---------------------
> 
> And if you are wondering about the guide, it again says 8 terabytes at

This needs some clarification.  GFS 6.1 is capable of supporting multiple 16TB 
filesystems on 32-bit OS architectures and 8EB on 64 bit OS architecures.  We 
are currently supporting multiple 8TB file systems and will officially support 
larger file systems in time.  The point is GFS is a 64 bit filesystem, with the 
same on-disk layout, regardless of the CPU architecture of the cluster nodes.

You can also run mixed 32/64 architecures across x86/EM64T/AMD64/ia64. 
Obviously, mixed 32/64 combo's can not exceed 16TB.


- Rob

> 
> http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/csgfs/browse/rh-gfs-en/s1-sysreq-fibredevice.html 
> 
> 
> Troy

-- 
Robert Kenna / Red Hat
Sr Product Mgr - Storage
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rkenna at redhat.com