RHEL 5.5 update & Device Mapper Multipath Enablement Kit

[Robert_Boyd]

Has anyone got any info on using Device Mapper Multipath Enablement Kit with RHEL 5.5? The download kit that's available from the HP Support & Driver section only lists support up to RHEL 5.4. The kit will not install on 5.5. Any suggestions or word about updates to the kit would be appreciated.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Robert,

HP generally waits 3-6 months before they add support for the latest greatest Red Hat release.


You should if you need the kit wait for a version for 5.5 RHEL

SEP

[Tim Nelson]

not to hijack this thread but I am curious what this does that the RHEL included mulitpath ?

could not find much on the new and improved (not) business support website

[Alzhy]

True..

HPDMmultipath-4.4.0 only seems to support up to RHEL 5.4. Have you tried editing the INSTALL File to force it to install?

Try editing Line 57 and copying it so you add:

@rhel54arr=("RHEL5", "release 5", "5.4", "RHEL5U5", "RHEL5.5", 0, 0);

Hey Bob -- are you the Bob Boyd from Pleasanton sir?

[Alzhy]

Yikes!

My RHEL 5.4 Systems after the latest "yum updates" now sport a "/etc/redhat-release" of:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.5 (Tikanga)

This normal?

I thought If you're installed distribution is say 5.4 -- no matter how you patch it, it stays at RHEL 5.4. Untrue then?

[Thomas Callahan]

The "update" version of your RedHat install changes as patches are applied. IIRC, it's the redhat-release rpm that would change the /etc/redhat-release file itself.

I have several servers that use Multipath, over EVA's and XP's, and I never have used HP's Multipath Enablement Kit. You don't "need" it, it just installs their own /etc/multipath.conf file.

You are better off learning about how that config file works, so you can better tune multipath to your local environment.

[Alzhy]

"I have several servers that use Multipath, over EVA's and XP's, and I never have used HP's Multipath Enablement Kit. You don't "need" it, it just installs their own /etc/multipath.conf file."

Untrue and dangerous pronouncement.


The HPDM kit also installs one or two /sbin binaries that are refeenced in the multipath.conf file.

[Thomas Callahan]

To clarify...

HP DM Enablement kit includes a "patched" version of scsi_id, which is NOT installed (Look at the installer) for RHEL 5.4 and above, hence my comment.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

I would not run yum update on systems until the HP PSP releases are there to support it.

I have worked with multi-path on RHEL 4 and 5, native and find it confusing, difficult to deal with and less robust than EMC tools. I don't like how EMC tools install and work with OS updates though.

Sorry about the yum update surprise above, but if you look at the output and don't do yum -y update and instead do yum update, you will get a list of updates a yes no choice and the chance to back out on a major upgrade.

RH has provided a major release update option for some time, the language is confusing in the text based yum. There is no Major version update, e.g. 5.x to 6.x that works with yum.

You can build a repository or stick in new media and boot/update the box, but that in my experience is a really good way to brick the box.

SEP