to boot or not to boot (Solaris)

Tue, 1 Oct 2002 14:27:21 -0400

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I concur with Iztok's method as described below.  Please be wary that most
intelligent network hardware will not forward packets to your new
hot-standby even after you change the IP address to that of the down box.
This is due to the network hardware working with the MAC address (Ethernet
Address), not the IP.  When you ifconfig the new interface, you should also
change it's MAC address to match your down server's MAC address.  Otherwise,
the default refresh on Cisco switches in 10 minutes, during which you would
look down to the customers.

In Solaris you change the EA as an option to ifconfig.

# ifconfig hme0 ether 8:0:20:ff:ff:ff

Brett Albertson            brett.albertson@stratech.com
Senior Research Analyst    voice (919) 379-8449
Strategic Technologies     fax (919) 379-8100
vs lbh pna ernq guvf, lbh'er n pevzvany gunaxf gb gur QZPN.

-----Original Message-----
From: Iztok Umek [mailto:iztok@si-con.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 1:39 PM
To: ncsa-discussion@ncsysadmin.org
Subject: Re: to boot or not to boot (Solaris)

Lisa Lorenzin <lorenzin@1000plus.com> said:

>
> Hi all,
>
> I have a quick question for the Solaris geeks in the house...
>
> I'm running Solaris 2.7 on a new Sun E220R.  This server is a hot backup
> for another server, but can't be connected to the network (same IP
> addresses configured on the NICs).
>
> SO - what's the best state to keep this box in while it's offline?

How can you talk about hot backup if machine is down? ;)

I would do the following:

Assign both servers different IPs and third (virtual) IP for the application
(here I am assuming that you need hot backup for the app).

Keep both machines up. Patch both with the same patches, same upgrades to
your
application etc.

Then either use some HA package or write little shell scripts that would
check
for the "pulse" on the primary machine and if app is not responding, then
take
the virtual IP and start working. You might want to have a simmilar script
on
the secondary box so when it comes back on-line it will not mess things up.

http://www.bolthole.com/freeha/
http://www.fatalmind.com/projects/hatools/
http://www.lemuria.org/Heart/

This one is Linux, but you might get some ideas: http://linux-ha.org/

--
Iztok Umek
Smart Information Consulting
CCSA/CCSE, SCSA/SCNA, GISO

_______________________________________________
ncsa-discussion mailing list
ncsa-discussion@ncsysadmin.org
http://www.ncsysadmin.org/mailman/listinfo/ncsa-discussion

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<TITLE>RE: to boot or not to boot (Solaris)</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I concur with Iztok's method as described =
below.&nbsp; Please be wary that most intelligent network hardware will =
not forward packets to your new hot-standby even after you change the =
IP address to that of the down box.&nbsp; This is due to the network =
hardware working with the MAC address (Ethernet Address), not the =
IP.&nbsp; When you ifconfig the new interface, you should also change =
it's MAC address to match your down server's MAC address.&nbsp; =
Otherwise, the default refresh on Cisco switches in 10 minutes, during =
which you would look down to the customers.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>In Solaris you change the EA as an option to =
ifconfig.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2># ifconfig hme0 ether 8:0:20:ff:ff:ff</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Brett =
Albertson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp; brett.albertson@stratech.com</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Senior Research Analyst&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; voice =
(919) 379-8449</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Strategic Technologies&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; fax =
(919) 379-8100</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>vs lbh pna ernq guvf, lbh'er n pevzvany gunaxf gb =
gur QZPN.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>-----Original Message-----</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>From: Iztok Umek [<A =
HREF=3D"mailto:iztok@si-con.com">mailto:iztok@si-con.com</A>]</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 1:39 PM</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>To: ncsa-discussion@ncsysadmin.org</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Subject: Re: to boot or not to boot (Solaris)</FONT>
</P>
<BR>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Lisa Lorenzin &lt;lorenzin@1000plus.com&gt; =
said:</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Hi all,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; I have a quick question for the Solaris geeks =
in the house...</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; I'm running Solaris 2.7 on a new Sun =
E220R.&nbsp; This server is a hot backup</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; for another server, but can't be connected to =
the network (same IP</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; addresses configured on the NICs).</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; SO - what's the best state to keep this box in =
while it's offline?</FONT>
</P>

How can you talk about hot backup if machine is down? =
;)

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I would do the following:</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Assign both servers different IPs and third (virtual) =
IP for the application</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>(here I am assuming that you need hot backup for the =
app).</FONT>
</P>

Keep both machines up. Patch both with the same =
patches, same upgrades to your
 application etc.

Then either use some HA package or write little shell =
scripts that would check
 for the &quot;pulse&quot; on the primary machine and =
if app is not responding, then take
 the virtual IP and start working. You might want to =
have a simmilar script on
 the secondary box so when it comes back on-line it =
will not mess things up.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2><A HREF=3D"http://www.bolthole.com/freeha/" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.bolthole.com/freeha/</A></FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2><A =
HREF=3D"http://www.fatalmind.com/projects/hatools/" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.fatalmind.com/projects/hatools/</A></FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2><A HREF=3D"http://www.lemuria.org/Heart/" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.lemuria.org/Heart/</A></FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>This one is Linux, but you might get some ideas: <A =
HREF=3D"http://linux-ha.org/" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://linux-ha.org/</A></FONT>
</P>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>--</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Iztok Umek</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Smart Information Consulting</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>CCSA/CCSE, SCSA/SCNA, GISO</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT =
SIZE=3D2>_______________________________________________</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>ncsa-discussion mailing list</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>ncsa-discussion@ncsysadmin.org</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2><A =
HREF=3D"http://www.ncsysadmin.org/mailman/listinfo/ncsa-discussion" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.ncsysadmin.org/mailman/listinfo/ncsa-discus=
sion</A></FONT>
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