[Linux-cluster] Multiple Logical Volumes

[Robert Peterson]

isplist at logicore.net wrote:
> My setup includes multiple storage devices. I can either have multiple devices 
> or I can create one large filesystem for all of the nodes in this cluster. 
> Which do you think is best since I can keep adding or taking from a volume 
> group.
> My machines share CDROM/Floppy so can't boot from those automatically. I do 
> have network boot on each server however and of course, I'd like not to have 
> to use any drives on any of the blades. Then I could put more into the central 
> storage.
>   
> I'm using fibre channel so all of the nodes see the storage as their own.
>
> Thanks for all this info, I'll continue looking for more and build one of 
> these. I am sure it's exactly what I need over having to build multiple 
> machines all the time.
>
> Mike
>   
Hi Mike,

Given that all boxes can see the shared storage, I guess I'd recommend 
making
a separate file system for each diskless client's root partition.  That 
way, each can't
interfere with one another's root fs.

I may have to give some more thought to how I'd set this up.  The 
problem is,
your clients aren't going to have access to the GFS file systems until they
start running the init scripts, such as ccsd, cman, fenced, clvmd, etc.
Therefore the kernel won't be able to see it as a boot device when the 
kernel boots.

Since each client needs its own root partition, not to be touched by the 
others anyway,
perhaps you can create tiny ext3 partitions on the SAN for each one to 
boot from.
I'll have to think about that.

You could also look at: 
http://sources.redhat.com/cluster/faq.html#gfs_diskless

Regards,

Bob Peterson
Red Hat Cluster Suite