Guidelines for the Root (/) File System
As with any other system running the Solaris operating environment, you can configure the root (/), /var, /usr, and /opt directories as separate file systems. Or, you can include all the directories in the root (/) file system. The following describes the software contents of the root (/), /var, /usr, and /opt directories in a Sun Cluster configuration. Consider this information when you plan your partitioning scheme.
root (/) - The Sun Cluster software itself occupies less than 40 Mbytes of space in the root (/) file system. Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software requires less than 5 Mbytes, and VxVM software requires less than 15 Mbytes. To configure ample additional space and inode capacity, add at least 100 Mbytes to the amount of space you would normally allocate for your root (/) file system. This space is used for the creation of both block special devices and character special devices used by either Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager or VxVM software. You especially need to allocate this extra space if a large number of shared disks are in the cluster.
/var - The Sun Cluster software occupies a negligible amount of space in the /var file system at installation time. However, you need to set aside ample space for log files. Also, more messages might be logged on a clustered node than would be found on a typical standalone server. Therefore, allow at least 100 Mbytes for the /var file system.
/usr - Sun Cluster software occupies less than 25 Mbytes of space in the /usr file system. Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager and VxVM software each require less than 15 Mbytes.
/opt - Sun Cluster framework software uses less than 2 Mbytes in the /opt file system. However, each Sun Cluster data service might use between 1 Mbyte and 5 Mbytes. Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software does not use any space in the /opt file system. VxVM software can use over 40 Mbytes if all of its packages and tools are installed.
In addition, most database and applications software is installed in the /opt file system. If you use Sun Management Center software to monitor the cluster, you need an additional 25 Mbytes of space on each node to support the Sun Management Center agent and Sun Cluster module packages.
Guidelines for the /globaldevices File System
Sun Cluster software requires you to set aside a special file system on one of the local disks for use in managing global devices. This file system is later mounted as a cluster file system. Name this file system /globaldevices, which is the default name that is recognized by the scinstall(1M) command.
The scinstall command later renames the file system /global/.devices/node@nodeid, where nodeid represents the number that is assigned to a node when it becomes a cluster member. The original /globaldevices mount point is removed.
The /globaldevices file system must have ample space and ample inode capacity for creating both block special devices and character special devices. This guideline is especially important if a large number of disks are in the cluster. A file system size of 512 Mbytes should suffice for most cluster configurations.
Volume Manager Requirements
If you use Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software, you must set aside a slice on the root disk for use in creating the state database replica. Specifically, set aside a slice for this purpose on each local disk. But, if you only have one local disk on a node, you might need to create three state database replicas in the same slice for Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software to function properly. See your Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager documentation for more information.
If you use VxVM and you intend to encapsulate the root disk, you need to have two unused slices that are available for use by VxVM. Additionally, you need to have some additional unassigned free space at either the beginning or the end of the disk. See your VxVM documentation for more information about root disk encapsulation.
Example--Sample File-System Allocations
Table 1-2 shows a partitioning scheme for a cluster node that has less than 750 Mbytes of physical memory. This scheme is to be installed with the Solaris operating environment End User System Support software group, Sun Cluster software, and the Sun Cluster HA for NFS data service. The last slice on the disk, slice 7, is allocated with a small amount of space for volume-manager use.
This layout allows for the use of either Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software or VxVM. If you use Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software, you use slice 7 for the state database replica. If you use VxVM, you later free slice 7 by assigning the slice a zero length. This layout provides the necessary two free slices, 4 and 7, as well as provides for unused space at the end of the disk.
Table 1-2 Example File-System Allocation
Slice | Contents | Allocation (in Mbytes) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | / | 6.75GB | Remaining free space on the disk after allocating space to slices 1 through 7. Used for Solaris operating environment software, Sun Cluster software, data-services software, volume-manager software, Sun Management Center agent and Sun Cluster module agent packages, root file systems, and database and application software. |
1 | swap | 1GB | 512 Mbytes for Solaris operating environment software. 512 Mbytes for Sun Cluster software. |
2 | overlap | 8.43GB | The entire disk. |
3 | /globaldevices | 512MB | The Sun Cluster software later assigns this slice a different mount point and mounts the slice as a cluster file system. |
4 | unused | - | Available as a free slice for encapsulating the root disk under VxVM. |
5 | unused | - | - |
6 | unused | - | - |
7 | volume manager | 20MB | Used by Solstice DiskSuite/Solaris Volume Manager software for the state database replica, or used by VxVM for installation after you free the slice. |
Planning the Sun Cluster Environment
This section provides guidelines for planning and preparing the following components for Sun Cluster software installation:
For detailed information about Sun Cluster components, see the Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 Concepts Guide.
Licensing
Ensure that you have available all necessary license certificates before you begin software installation. Sun Cluster software does not require a license certificate, but each node installed with Sun Cluster software must be covered under your Sun Cluster software license agreement.
For licensing requirements for volume-manager software and applications software, see the installation documentation for those products.
Software Patches
After installing each software product, you must also install any required patches.
For information about current required patches, see "Patches and Required Firmware Levels" in Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 Release Notes or consult your Sun service provider.
For general guidelines and procedures for applying patches, see "Patching Sun Cluster Software and Firmware" in Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 System Administration Guide.
IP Addresses
You must set up a number of IP addresses for various Sun Cluster components, depending on your cluster configuration. Each node in the cluster configuration must have at least one public network connection to the same set of public subnets.
The following table lists the components that need IP addresses assigned. Add these IP addresses to any naming services that are used. Also add these IP addresses to the local /etc/inet/hosts file on each cluster node after you install Solaris software.
For more information about IP addresses, see System Administration Guide, Volume 3 (Solaris 8) or System Administration Guide: IP Services (Solaris 9).
For more information about test IP addresses to support IP Network Multipathing, see IP Network Multipathing Administration Guide.
Table 1-3 Sun Cluster Components That Use IP Addresses
Component | Number of IP Addresses Needed |
|---|---|
1 per subnet | |
| |
Cluster nodes | 1 per node, per subnet |
1 per domain | |
1 | |
Logical addresses | 1 per logical host resource, per subnet |