This chapter provides information about configuring the IRIS FailSafe 2.0 INFORMIX database option for use on an IRIS FailSafe 2.0 system. The major sections in this chapter are as follows:
The required software for INFORMIX failover is as follows:
INFORMIX database software
See the Informix Installation Guide Version 7.3 for UNIX Products for installation instructions.
Base IRIS FailSafe software
See the section “Installing the IRIS FailSafe Software” in Chapter 2 of the IRIS FailSafe 2.0 Administrator's Guide for a complete list of required base software.
IRIS FailSafe INFORMIX software
The IRIS FailSafe 2.0 INFORMIX Administrator's Guide subsystem is failsafe2_informix.books.book_AG.
The man pages subsystem is failsafe2_informix.man.man.
The release notes subsystem is failsafe2_informix.man.relnotes.
The software subsystem is failsafe2_informix.sw.base.
The following subsections discuss choosing the location of key INFORMIX files and INFORMIX databases. They also describe an example configuration of INFORMIX files and the IRIS FailSafe configuration parameters for this configuration.
In configuring INFORMIX on an IRIS FailSafe cluster, consider the locations of these components:
INFORMIX software (installed in $INFORMIXDIR, for example /usr/informix)
INFORMIX configuration file (specified by $ONCONFIG)
INFORMIX databases
You have the flexibility to use different copies of each component, for example INFORMIX software, for each database server (the INFORMIX software must be identical on both nodes). In addition, the INFORMIX configuration file for one database server can be different on each node. For example, if the two nodes have different amounts of memory, you may want different parameter values in the INFORMIX configuration file on the two nodes. However, the two configuration files must have identical pathnames.
To plan an IRIS FailSafe configuration for INFORMIX, you must answer these questions:
Do all of the database servers use the same INFORMIX software?
Is the INFORMIX configuration file identical on each node for each database server?
After answering all of the preceding questions, follow these guidelines for each database server to decide whether to use shared or non-shared disks for each of the INFORMIX components for that server:
INFORMIX databases must be on one or more XFS file systems or XLV logical volumes that are on shared disks.
If the INFORMIX configuration file is identical on each node, it can be on a shared disk or replicated on a non-shared disk on each node.
If the INFORMIX configuration file is not identical on each node, it must be on non-shared disks on each node.
INFORMIX software can be on a shared disk or replicated on non-shared disks (it must be identical on each node).
For a simple INFORMIX configuration with one database server called informix1 whose primary node is xfs-ha2, an example configuration is as follows:
| INFORMIX software |
| |
| INFORMIX configuration file |
| |
| INFORMIX database |
|
Table 2-1 lists the label and configuration parameters for the INFORMIX database in the configuration described in the previous section, “Example INFORMIX Configuration.”
Table 2-1. INFORMIX Resource Type Configuration Parameters
Label or Parameter | Example Value | Comments |
|---|---|---|
resource-name | informix1 | Database server name, also known as $INFORMIXSERVER. |
label | informix1 | Database server name, also known as $INFORMIXSERVER. |
release-dir | /usr/informix | The database installation directory, also known as $INFORMIXDIR. |
db-master-fs | /usr | The file system on which INFORMIX is installed. |
informix-user | informix | The UNIX user of INFORMIX. |
config-file | onconfig | The INFORMIX startup configuration file, also known as $ONCONFIG. |
monitor-level | 1 | The type of monitoring to perform; you can specify one of the following levels: 1 Uses the onstat command to determine if the database is accessible 2 Posts an SQL query to the database |
search-string | "On-line" | The value must begin and end with a double quote (") and represents the search string to use on the onstat command. This string is used in an egrep(1M) command. |
db-probe-time | 30 | The agent monitor interval, specified in seconds. |
shutdown-options | 1 | Database shutdown types; you can specify one of the following types: 0 Normal shutdown. 1 Shutdown with nowait and no checkpoint. 2 Shutdown with nowait and checkpoint. |
sqlhosts-file | /usr/informix/sqlhos ts.test | The location of the sqlhosts file. |
Table 2-2 shows the configuration parameters that control monitoring. They are specified per database instance, so you can choose different monitoring for each database.
Table 2-2. Configuration Parameters for Monitoring
Parameter | Possible Values | Comment |
|---|---|---|
monitoring-level | 1 | If the value is 1, the onstat command is used for monitoring. If the value is 2, an SQL query is used.
|
search-string | "string|string" | The value must begin and end with a double quote ("). It can contain one string or multiple strings separated by an “or” symbol (|). See the following examples of strings. |
An example of the parameter search-string is as follows:
search-string = "On-Line|Recovery" |
In this example, the IRIS FailSafe INFORMIX database agent determines that the database is running if the output contains the string On-Line or Recovery. For example:
# /disk2/server/bin/onstat | egrep "On-Line|Recovery" INFORMIX Dynamic Server Version 7.30.UC2 -- On-Line -- Up 1 days 00:08:20 -- 9216 Kbytes ... |
This section describes procedures that show you how to create the INFORMIX_DB resource type, resource, resource group, and configuration database (CDB) that include INFORMIX configuration information. These procedures assume that a CDB has been created, installed, and tested as described in the IRIS FailSafe 2.0 Administrator's Guide , and that it does not contain any INFORMIX information. Using the following procedures, you can create the INFORMIX resource type, create the INFORMIX resource information, and test the configuration.
To create the INFORMIX resource type, this section assumes that you are already familiar with the concepts of resource types. The INFORMIX_DB resource type defines the following resource attributes. See Table 2-1 for the definitions of these resource attributes.
resource_name
label
release-dir
db-master-fs
informix-user
config-file
monitor-level
search-string
db-probe-time
shutdown-options
sqlhosts-file
The INFORMIX_DB resource type is created at cluster creation time. If this automatic resource creation fails, the administrator must create the resource type before an INFORMIX resource is created. The INFORMIX_DB resource type must be installed if you want to add an INFORMIX resource to a cluster that was created before the INFORMIX software was installed.
Example 2-1. Example INFORMIX Installation Process
Inst> l * View: distribution Status: N=new, U=upgrade, S=same, D=downgrade Selection: i=install, r=remove, k=keep Subsystem Types [bdrpoc]: b=reBoot needed, d=Default, r=Required, p=patch, o=overlay, c=Client only i N failsafe2_informix.books.book_AG [d] 472+ FailSafe INFORMIX Plugin 2.0 Administrator's Guide i U failsafe2_informix.man.man [d] 0 FailSafe INFORMIX Plugin 2.0 release notes i U failsafe2_informix.man.relnotes [d] 0 FailSafe INFORMIX Plugin 2.0 release notes i U failsafe2_informix.sw.base [d] 12+ FailSafe INFORMIX Plugin 2.0 base software Disk space summary (Kbytes): / /apps Current free space 233880 4696292 - Selections net change 488+ 0 - Temporary inst overhead 1524+ 0 = Minimum free during install 231868 4696292 Final projected free space 233392 4696292 Inst> g Pre-installation check .. 8% Checking space requirements .. 16% Installing/removing files .. 16% Installing new versions of selected failsafe2_informix.books subsystems Installing/removing files .. 49% Upgrading selected failsafe2_informix.man subsystems Installing/removing files .. 62% Upgrading selected failsafe2_informix.sw subsystems Installing/removing files .. 94% Running exit-commands .. 99% Checking dependencies .. 100% Done. Installations and removals were successful. You may continue with installations or quit now. Inst> quit |
You can use one of the following methods to create the INFORMIX_DB resource type if it was not automatically installed:
Run cluster manager (cmgr) and manually create the resource type. For more information, see the IRIS FailSafe 2.0 Administrator's Guide.
Run cluster manager (cmgr) and install the resource type, as follows:
cmgr> show resource_types installed NFS template Netscape_web statd Oracle_DB MAC_address IP_address INFORMIX_DB filesystem volume cmgr> install resource_type INFORMIX_DB in cluster eagan cmgr> |
Use the template scripts supplied with IRIS FailSafe 2.0 located in /var/cluster/cmgr-template/cmgr-create-resource_type.
Execute /var/cluster/ha/resource_type/INFORMIX_DB/ create_resource_type and include the path of the CDB argument and the cluster name.
Use the Load Resource Type GUI task to load the resource type.
After you have defined the resource type, the administrator must define the INFORMIX resources based on the resource type. Each resource requires a unique resource name (for example, the INFORMIX_DB resource type is the INFORMIX instance name). Then, the administrator must supply the resource parameters. To create the resource, either use cluster manager (cmgr) or the FailSafe GUI. You can access the cmgr either interactively or by using the template script in /var/cluster/cmgr_templates/cmgr-create-resource-INFORMIX_DB. If you are using the template script, you must first edit the script, add the resource type attributes, and then execute the script. The following command can be used to access the template script:
cmgr> /usr/cluster/bin/cluster_mgr -f /var/cluster/cmgr_templates/cmgr-create-resource-INFORMIX_DB |
The following example uses cmgr to create the INFORMIX_DB resource named informix1.
# cluster_mgr cmgr> create resource informix1 of resource_type INFORMIX_DB in cluster eagan Enter commands, when finished enter either "done" or "cancel" Type specific attributes to create with set command: Type Specific Attributes - 1: shutdown-options Type Specific Attributes - 2: search-string Type Specific Attributes - 3: informix-user Type Specific Attributes - 4: config-file Type Specific Attributes - 5: monitor-level Type Specific Attributes - 6: db-probe-time Type Specific Attributes - 7: db-master-fs Type Specific Attributes - 8: sqlhosts-file Type Specific Attributes - 9: release-dir Type Specific Attributes - 10: label Resource type dependencies to add: Resource Dependency Type - 1: IP_address Resource Dependency Type - 2: filesystem resource informix1 ? set label to informix1 resource informix1 ? set release-dir to /disk2/server resource informix1 ? set db-master-fs to /disk2 resource informix1 ? set informix-user to informix resource informix1 ? set config-file to onconfig.test resource informix1 ? set monitor-level to 2 resource informix1 ? set search-string to "On-Line|Recovery" resource informix1 ? set db-probe-time to 30 resource informix1 ? set shutdown-options to 1 resource informix1 ? set sqlhosts-file to /usr/informix/sqlhosts.test resource informix1 ? done Successfully created resource informix1 cmgr> modify resource informix1 of resource_type INFORMIX_DB in cluster eagan Enter commands, when finished enter either "done" or "cancel" Type specific attributes to modify with set command: Type Specific Attribute - 1: shutdown-options Type Specific Attribute - 2: search-string Type Specific Attribute - 3: informix-user Type Specific Attribute - 4: config-file Type Specific Attribute - 5: monitor-level Type Specific Attribute - 6: db-probe-time Type Specific Attribute - 7: db-master-fs Type Specific Attribute - 8: sqlhosts-file Type Specific Attribute - 9: release-dir Type Specific Attribute - 10: label No resource type dependencies to add resource informix1 ? add dependency /disk2 of type filesystem resource informix1 ? add dependency 128.162.101.21 of type IP_address resource informix1 ? done Successfully modified resource informix1 cmgr> quit |
To create a resource group, you must first become familiar with the terms and concepts of FailSafe. A resource group can be created either by the GUI or by the cluster manager (cmgr).
To define an effective resource group, you must include all of the resources that the INFORMIX_DB resource is dependent on, such as file systems, volumes, and IP addresses. The following example shows how to create a typical resource group:
Example 2-3. Example INFORMIX Resource Group Creation Process
# cluster_mgr
Welcome to IRIS FailSafe Cluster Manager Command-Line Interface
cmgr> create resource_group informix in cluster eagan
Enter commands, when finished enter either "done" or "cancel"
resource_group informix1 ? set failover_policy to ordered-in-order
resource_group informix1 ? add resource informix1 of resource_type INFORMIX_DB
resource_group informix1 ? add resource 128.162.101.21 of resource_type IP_address
resource_group informix1 ? add resource /disk2 of resource_type filesystem
resource_group informix1 ? add resource alternate of resource_type volume
resource_group informix1 ? done
Successfully created resource group informix
cmgr> show resource_groups in cluster eagan
Resource Groups:
informix
cmgr>
|
To ensure that the INFORMIX resource has been correctly configured, you can test individual actions by executing the scripts. Each script, located at /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB, requires two arguments, an input file and an output file. The contents of these files are the resource names. The scripts will display either a 0 if they are successfully executed or a positive integer that indicates the error type. For more information on error codes, see the IRIS FailSafe 2.0 Programmer's Guide.
In the following example, you can test the start script by starting the INFORMIX resource with the resource name informix1.
$ cd /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB $ echo "informix1" > /tmp/ipfile $ ./start /tmp/ipfile /tmp/opfile |
This should start the informix1 instance, named by the INFORMIX resource informix1.
To view the individual script actions, you must edit the script, and add “set -x” to the action function.
In the following example, to see what the start-informix() function does, edit the start script and add “set -x” to the start function.
#
# Start the resource on the local machine.
# Return HA_SUCCESS if the resource has been successfully started on
# the local machine and HA_CMD_FAILED otherwise. The resource name is
# the informix instance id.
#
start_informix()
{
set -x
# for all informix resource configured
...
|
You are now ready to run the script. In this example, /dev/null is the output file specification.
heb1# echo "informix1" > /tmp/ipfile # ./start /tmp/ipfile /dev/null + get_informix_info informix1 + [ 0 -ne 0 ] + ha_get_field shutdown-options 1 search-string On-Line|Recovery informix-user informix config-file onconfig.test monitor-level 2 db-probe-time 30 db-master-fs /disk2 sqlhosts-file /disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test release-dir /disk2/server label informix1 release-dir + [ 0 -ne 0 ] + release_dir=/disk2/server + informix_probe /disk2/server + [ 1 -ne 0 ] + ha_get_field shutdown-options 1 search-string On-Line|Recovery informix-user informix config-file onconfig.test monitor-level 2 db-probe-time 30 db-master-fs /disk2 sqlhosts-file /disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test release-dir /disk2/server label informix1 informix-user + [ 0 -ne 0 ] + user=informix + ha_get_field shutdown-options 1 search-string On-Line|Recovery informix-user informix config-file onconfig.test monitor-level 2 db-probe-time 30 db-master-fs /disk2 sqlhosts-file /disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test release-dir /disk2/server label informix1 label + [ 0 -ne 0 ] + server=informix1 + ha_get_field shutdown-options 1 search-string On-Line|Recovery informix-user informix config-file onconfig.test monitor-level 2 db-probe-time 30 db-master-fs /disk2 sqlhosts-file /disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test release-dir /disk2/server label informix1 config-file + [ 0 -ne 0 ] + config=onconfig.test + ha_get_field shutdown-options 1 search-string On-Line|Recovery informix-user informix config-file onconfig.test monitor-level 2 db-probe-time 30 db-master-fs /disk2 sqlhosts-file /disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test release-dir /disk2/server label informix1 sqlhosts-file + [ 0 -ne 0 ] + sqlhosts_file=/disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test + [ -x /disk2/server/bin/oninit ] + export ONCONFIG=onconfig.test + export INFORMIXSERVER=informix1 + export INFORMIXDIR=/disk2/server + export PATH=/usr/sbin:/usr/bsd:/sbin:/usr/bin:/etc:/usr/etc:/usr/bin/X11:/disk2/server + export INFORMIXSQLHOSTS=/disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test + HA_CMD=su informix -c “/disk2/server/bin/oninit” + ha_execute_cmd Informix startup on informix1 + [ 0 -eq 0 ] + ha_write_status_for_resource informix1 0 |
You can use the following procedure to test the start script.
To test the start script, you must shut down the database on the node (if it is already running), as in the following example:
# export INFORMIXDIR=/disk2/server # export INFORMIXSERVER=informix1 # export ONCONFIG=onconfig.test # export INFORMIXSQLHOSTS=/disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test # su informix -c “/disk2/server/bin/onmode -ky” |
The INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, ONCONFIG, and INFORMIXSQLHOSTS configuration parameters are from the INFORMIX_DB resource definition. This should stop the INFORMIX instance.
To start the INFORMIX instance, enter the following command:
# echo "resource-name" > /tmp/ipfile # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/start /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
You can now check to see if the database is running and if you can access the database. The user can check for the INFORMIX database processes by executing the following command:
# ps -ef | grep oninit |
You can use the following procedure to test the stop script.
To test the stop script, you must start the INFORMIX database on the node (if it is not already running), as in the following example:
# export ONCONFIG=onconfig.test # export INFORMIXSERVER=informix1 # export INFORMIXDIR=/disk2/server # export PATH=/usr/sbin:/usr/bsd:/sbin:/usr/bin:/etc:/usr/etc:/usr/bin/X11:/disk2/server # export INFORMIXSQLHOSTS=/disk2/informix/sqlhosts.test # su informix -c "/disk2/server/bin/oninit" |
The INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, ONCONFIG, and INFORMIXSQLHOSTS configuration parameters are from the INFORMIX_DB resource definition. This should start the INFORMIX instance.
To stop the INFORMIX instance, enter the following command:
# echo "resource-name" > /tmp/ipfile # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/stop /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
You can now check to see if the database is running and if you can access the database. The user can check for the INFORMIX database processes by executing the following command:
# ps -ef | grep oninit |
Check to ensure that the database has shut down.
You can use the following procedure to test the monitor script.
To test the monitor script, enter the following command:
# echo "resource-name" > /tmp/ipfile # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/start /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
As with all scripts, the output is logged to the /var/cluster/ha/log/script_hostname files. To check that this script has worked, use the tail(1) command and execute the script as in the following example:
tail /var/cluster/ha/log/script_heb1 Mon Aug 17 11:36:07.161 <anonymous script 23295:0 Unknown:0> ./start: Mon Aug 17 11:36:07.360 <anonymous script 19943:0 Unknown:0> ./start: /usr/cluster/bin/ha_exec2 -s 0 -t /disk2/server/bin/oninit exited with status 101 Mon Aug 17 11:36:07.567 <anonymous script 23081:0 Unknown:0> ./start: Failed to find process /disk2/server/bin/oninit Mon Aug 17 11:36:07.789 <anonymous script 23119:0 Unknown:0> ./start: Informix startup on informix1 Mon Aug 17 11:36:15.521 <anonymous script 22694:0 Unknown:0> ./start: su informix -c "/disk2/server/bin/oninit" exited with status 0 Mon Aug 17 11:38:35.178 <anonymous script 23284:0 Unknown:0> monitor: monitor called with /tmp/ipfile and /dev/null Mon Aug 17 11:38:37.978 <anonymous script 23182:0 Unknown:0> monitor: Checking for informix process (/disk2/server/bin/oninit) Mon Aug 17 11:38:38.373 <anonymous script 23027:0 Unknown:0> monitor: /usr/cluster/bin/ha_exec2 -s 0 -t /disk2/server/bin/oninit exited with status 0 Mon Aug 17 11:38:38.704 <anonymous script 23168:0 Unknown:0> monitor: checking /disk2/server/bin/onstat for On-Line|Recovery Mon Aug 17 11:38:40.194 <anonymous script 23086:0 Unknown:0> monitor: /disk2/server/bin/onstat | egrep "On-Line|Recovery"> /var/cluster/ha/tmp/onstat.23271 2>&1 exited with status 0 |
You can use the following procedure to test the restart script.
To test the restart script, enter the following command:
# echo "resource-name" > /tmp/ipfile # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/restart /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
You can use the following procedure to test the exclusive and probe scripts.
To test the exclusive and the probe scripts, enter one of the following sets of commands. To test the exclusive script, enter the following command:
# echo "resource-name" > /tmp/ipfile # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/exclusive /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
To test the probe script, enter the following command:
# echo "resource-name" > /tmp/ipfile # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/probe /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
As with all scripts, the output is logged to the /var/cluster/ha/log/script_hostname files. To check that the script has worked, use the tail(1) command and execute the script as in the following example:
tail /var/cluster/ha/log/script_heb1 Mon Aug 17 11:39:35.376 <anonymous script 23191:0 Unknown:0> exclusive: exclusive called with /tmp/ipfile and /dev/null Mon Aug 17 11:39:37.615 <anonymous script 23240:0 Unknown:0> exclusive: Checking for informix process /disk2/server/bin/oninit Mon Aug 17 11:39:37.933 <anonymous script 23264:0 Unknown:0> exclusive: /usr/cluster/bin/ha_exec2 -s 0 -t /disk2/server/bin/oninit exited with status 0 Mon Aug 17 11:39:38.207 <anonymous script 23218:0 Unknown:0> exclusive: resource informix1 exclusive status: RUNNING # /var/cluster/ha/resource_types/INFORMIX_DB/probe /tmp/ipfile /dev/null |
You can test the failover policy by using either cmgr or the GUI to move the resource group to another node in the cluster. To ensure that the resource group correctly failed over, use cmgr or the GUI to display the resource group states. The following example uses cmgr to test the failover policy:
cmgr> admin offline resource_group informix in cluster eagan Resource group is changing state -- please wait cmgr> admin move resource_group informix in cluster eagan to node cm2 Resource group is changing state -- please wait cmgr> admin online resource_group informix in cluster eagan Resource group is changing state -- please wait |