Planning the Sun Cluster Configuration
This chapter provides planning information and guidelines for installing a Sun Cluster configuration.
The following overview information is in this chapter:
Where to Find Sun Cluster Installation Tasks
The following table shows where to find instructions for various installation tasks for Sun Cluster software installation and the order in which you should perform the tasks.
Table 1-1 Sun Cluster Software Installation Task Information
Task | Instructions |
|---|---|
Set up cluster hardware. |
|
Plan cluster software installation. | |
Install a new cluster or add nodes to an existing cluster. | |
Install and configure Solstice DiskSuite™/Solaris Volume Manager software. |
|
Install and configure VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) software. |
|
Configure cluster framework software and optionally install and configure the Sun Cluster module to Sun Management Center. | |
Plan, install, and configure resource groups and data services. | Sun Cluster 3.1 Data Service Planning and Administration Guide |
Develop custom data services. | Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 Data Services Developer's Guide |
Upgrade to Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 software. |
Planning the Solaris Operating Environment
This section provides guidelines for planning Solaris software installation in a cluster configuration. For more information about Solaris software, see your Solaris installation documentation.
Guidelines for Selecting Your Solaris Installation Method
You can install Solaris software from a local CD-ROM or from a network installation server by using the JumpStart™ installation method. In addition, Sun Cluster software provides a custom method for installing both the Solaris operating environment and Sun Cluster software by using the JumpStart installation method. If you are installing several cluster nodes, consider a network installation.
See How to Install Solaris and Sun Cluster Software (JumpStart) for details about the scinstall JumpStart installation method. See your Solaris installation documentation for details about standard Solaris installation methods.
Solaris Operating-Environment Feature Restrictions
The following Solaris operating-environment features are not supported in a Sun Cluster configuration:
Solaris interface groups are not supported in a Sun Cluster configuration. The Solaris interface groups feature is disabled by default during Solaris software installation. Do not re-enable Solaris interface groups. See the ifconfig(1M) man page for more information about Solaris interface groups.
Automatic power-saving shutdown is not supported in Sun Cluster configurations and should not be enabled. See the pmconfig(1M) and power.conf(4) man pages for more information.
Solaris Software Group Considerations
Sun Cluster 3.1 software requires at least the Solaris End User System Support software group. However, other components of your cluster configuration might have their own Solaris software requirements as well. Consider the following information when you decide which Solaris software group you are installing.
Check your server documentation for any Solaris software requirements. For example, Sun Enterprise 10000 servers require the Entire Distribution + OEM software group.
If you intend to use SCI-PCI adapters or the Remote Shared Memory Application Programming Interface (RSMAPI), ensure that you install the RSMAPI software packages (SUNWrsm, SUNWrsmx, SUNWrsmo, and SUNWrsmox). The RSMAPI software packages are included in only some Solaris software groups. For example, the Solaris Developer System Support software group includes the RSMAPI software packages but the End User System Support software group does not.
If the software group that you are installing does not include the RSMAPI software packages, install the RSMAPI software packages manually before you install Sun Cluster software. Use the pkgadd(1M) command to manually install the software packages. See the Solaris 8 Section (3RSM) man pages for information about using the RSMAPI.
You might need to install other Solaris software packages that are not part of the End User System Support software group. The Apache HTTP server packages are one example. Third-party software, such as ORACLE®, might also require additional Solaris software packages. See your third-party documentation for any Solaris software requirements.
System Disk Partitions
Add this information to the appropriate Local File System Layout Worksheet.
When you install the Solaris operating environment, ensure that you create the required Sun Cluster partitions and that all partitions meet minimum space requirements.
swap - The combined amount of swap space that is allocated for Solaris and Sun Cluster software must be no less than 750 Mbytes. For best results, add at least 512 Mbytes for Sun Cluster software to the amount that is required by the Solaris operating environment. In addition, allocate any additional swap amount that is required by applications that are to run on the cluster node.
/globaldevices - Create a 512-Mbyte file system that is to be used by the scinstall(1M) utility for global devices.
Volume manager - Create a 20-Mbyte partition on a slice at the end of the disk (slice 7) for volume manager use. If your cluster uses VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) and you intend to encapsulate the root disk, you need to have two unused slices available for use by VxVM.
To meet these requirements, you must customize the partitioning if you are performing interactive installation of the Solaris operating environment.
See the following guidelines for additional partition planning information: