topic Re: quorum question in Operating System - HP-UX

quorum question

Gerald Taylor — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 16:32:52 GMT

I have the HP doc that specifies how to configure a mirrored boot disk:
Use mkboot to add an AUTO file in boot LIF area:

# mkboot -a "hpux" /dev/rdsk/c0t5d0

Or, use the -lq option to allow the system to boot in the event that one of the disks is unavailable, resulting in a loss of quorum.

# mkboot -a "hpux -lq" /dev/rdsk/c0t5d0

NOTE: Use the -lq option when the root volume group contains only 2 disks. If more than 2 disks are in the root volume group, the -lq option is not needed as quorum will be maintained even if 1 disk fails.

Check the contents of the AUTO file with

# lifcp /dev/rdsk/c0t5d0:AUTO -

My question is should the AUTO file of the primary disk also have the -lq option? The directions do not instruct us to modify the AUTO file of the primary with the -lq option but it would seem that if the mirror disk failed we would fail quorum. Our system has two drives in vg00. Should both the drives have the -lq option, or not?

Re: quorum question

James R. Ferguson — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 16:38:08 GMT

Hi Gerald:

Put the '-lq' on all drives. That way, it doesn't matter "who's" available or not. The idea is to get booted up and deal with any issues that remain.

Regards!

...JRF...

Re: quorum question

David Lodge — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 16:38:12 GMT

In a word - yes.

The primary and mirror boot discs should have *exactly* the same contents - this includes the lif volume...

When HP's boot they load ISL from the boot disk and then follow the auto file from that same boot disk...

Ergo *both* disks need the quorum switch.

dave

Re: quorum question

Patrick Wallek — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 16:39:08 GMT

I think I would recommend that both have the -lq option so that if something happens to either disk, then the system can reboot, if necessary.

Just my $0.02

Re: quorum question

Roger Baptiste — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 16:42:22 GMT

<>

Yes, you are right. The primary too can have it. But, the reason why it is not done by
default is because you use the primary disk
to boot . Whereas the secondary disk is used
when the primary disk fails, so they have the
-lq option in it.

There is always the option of doing it manually through ISL , in case the secondary is down.

-raj