SGLX in VMware

[unixdaddy]

According to the link below SGLX in VMWARE is possible using VMWARE server (as well as esx), does anyone have an instructions on doing this in VMWARE Server? In the link below Erick describes his setup, but no instructions on setting it up.

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1221017

[Stephen Doud]

See "Using Serviceguard for Linux with VMware Virtual Machines, October 2007"
( Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux )
PDF @ http://docs.hp.com/en/12122/SGLX-VMware.pdf

[unixdaddy]

Stephen thanks for the reply. i've actually seen that document already however it seems more closely related to VMware ESX rather than VMware Server. As an example it talks about raw device mappings for your disk type which you don't get in vmware server version (unless my verision is out of date).

In the link i mentioned Erick said he had done this in VMware Server, so rather than reinvent the wheel i'd hoped that he (or someone else) had documented what they'd done.

[Serviceguard for Linux · Accepted solution]

SGLX can run in VMware server under certain conditions, but is NOT SUPPORTED. There are a number of reasons it is not supported. Specifically, Lock LUN cannot be supported because of how shared storage is supported in VMware server (not very well). Also, for similar reasons, there is a possibility of data corruption in VMware server.

For practical reasons, HP cannot support our products in a platform that is not offically supported by a vendor. Since VMware server is free, it is not officially supported by VMware. Therefore, if we had issues, we could not support our customers.

That said, I have used VMware server as a training vehicle. The "trick" is setting up additional LUNs as shared storage. The only process I have generated is one that has all virtual machines that are part of the cluster on the same servers and using files that represent shared storage. You can see why this is only for training (or some development).

Given this STRONG statement of non-support, and given the following is on the web (although difficult to find) here is the process. Read this 3 times before trying this.

First, make sure the virtual servers are powered off. Before adding any extra disks add the following lines to the servers â .vmxâ files. Watch for typos, especially on the last line since it is slightly different.

scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
scsi1.sharedBus = "virtualâ
disk.locking = "FALSE"

Note the â lsilogicâ assumes that scsi0 is also â lsilogicâ

Edit virtual machine Node1 (using the VMware GUI, not an editor)
Add
Hard disk
Create new virtual disk
SCSI
Size
When it asked for disk file I suggest the following:
Use a different directory than the servers. For instance, use the â .vmdkâ extension. For example: shares/share1.vmdk
Before selecting Finished â select Advanced (this is important)
Select a SCSI address with scsi1:x (recommend 1 for first package (LUN), etc).
Select â independentâ (persistent will be selected by default)
Select â Finishedâ - A disk will now be created

Edit the â .vmxâ file for the first server and you will find â independent-persistentâ listed for the new disk. Make this be â persistentâ .

Each disk should have the following entries: scsi1:x.present = â trueâ
scsi1:x.filename = â this will be the pathâ
scsi1:x.mode = â persistentâ
scsi1:x.deviceType = â plainDiskâ

For the second machine do the same except select the â use an existing diskâ . Everything else is the same. Make sure you select the same SCSI identifier for the disk, e.g. 1:1

Some of this info is on the web. You now had a lot of keywords to google if you need.

Expect that you may have to reboot servers an extra couple of times if you have ANY problems related to disk access.

[unixdaddy]

Thanks. i had seen some of these references on the web but was unsure as to whether it would work for serviceguard for Linux.

As for your non-support statement i understand. This is not for production or development purposes. i have been working on HPUX for over 10 years and until recently had a test (play) lab made up of a couple of D-Class servers (Cannibalised) using serviceguard 11.15.

However as all things come to an end one of my nodes died recently and i had to lay it to rest. so i'm looking for another play area and servicguard in linux via vmware server looked to be a reasonable lower cost approach.

[Serviceguard for Linux]

OK. And it should be clear but the funny characters are standard double quotes

"

I think the copy and paste had some side effects.