topic Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000 in Disk Enclosures

Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Steve Shadbolt — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 07:17:48 GMT

We have a problem seeing files from both nodes of a cluster - if we write a file from one machine it can't be seen by the other. Any ideas?

The setup is:

Windows 2000 sp4, Oracle RAC, running on proliant ML380's, fibre connections, we also have open file manager. The MSA1000 disks have been set up with as 2 logical arrays. The first is formatted with OCFS the second as 4 NTFS partitions. It's the NTFS partitions we are having problems with.

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Uwe Zessin — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 11:33:11 GMT

Sorry, but plain Windows does not provide a shared file system - not even in MSCS (MicroSoft Cluster Server), which is a simple failover solution.

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Karthik S S — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 11:55:59 GMT

It should be possible with OCFS. Check this link on configuring RAC with OCFS,

http://www.remote-dba.cc/teas_aegis_rac29.htm

-Karthik S S

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Uwe Zessin — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 13:21:28 GMT

Karthik,
the problem is with the NTFS partitions.

Have you read that page? It says:
"It was designed for use of an Oracle database, not a new general-purpose file system."
or
"However, according to Oracle Metalink Note # 225550.1, the current version of OCFS does not support access from mapped drives in the Windows environments. In other words, it is not possible to copy a file from a client to a mapped OCFS drive."

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Karthik S S — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 15:38:56 GMT

Sorry about that, I didnt read the question properly :-(, No points please.

By the way, How r u Uwe??

-Karthik S S

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Uwe Zessin — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 00:46:13 GMT

That's fine with me - you gave me something interesting to read - thanks!

Apart from that - I'm fine. Much work to do & much honor to receive ;-)

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Steve Shadbolt — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 04:31:47 GMT

Sorry should have said the operating system is windows 2000 advanced server which does allow clustering.

Steve

Re: Problems sharing files on MSA1000

Uwe Zessin — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 04:35:11 GMT

Steve,
it does not matter if your Windows server supports 'clustering' or not - it does not support shared access to a single volume without additional software.