Making Cluster IP primary interface ?

[Andy_M]

Hi All

I've a 2 node cluster on Solaris 8 and I'm having some interface problems.

node1 has a single NIC with a real IP of xxx.xxx.xxx.86
node2 has a single NIC with a real IP of xxx.xxx.xxx.87

When the cluster is running on either of the nodes it has the virtual IP if of xxx.xxx.xxx.85

The cluster is behind various firewalls , all set to only allow traffic to/from .85

My problem is when node becomes the live node , tarffice is still going out using the real IP rather than the cluster IP. The only way I can get round it doing a manual down'ing of the Real IP. Once down traffic flows throught the Cluster IP and bring the Real IP back up again.

Any ideas how I can force the server to use the cluster IP once its become the live node ? are there any settings in VCS to help with this problem ?

Many thanks
Andy

[Hywel_Mallett]

Depending upon what application you are running, is it possible that you could bind the application to the virtual IP address?
I think your problem is solved at the application level, rather than by removing the nodes Ip address.

[Gene_Henriksen]

There is also a setting on ifconfig to not use the IP as the source IP. We do this in the MultiNICB lab. Read the man page on ifconfig and look at deprecated. It essentially will not use the IP as the source IP unless there is no other IP on the interface. This may solve the problem.

[Andy_M]

Ok thanks for the replies !

I'll try the deprecated option as its not an application specific problem , simple things like ping and ssh dont work when the node is live using the .85 address.

I'm thinking this could be more OS releated than cluster related and as you say , ifconfig might help me out.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks
Andy

[M_Aziz]

i dont see people deprecating real IP ,

If its only firewall issue ..

use physical IPs for outbound connection
virtual IP for incoming connection

when sending ACL requests to your Firewall team

i always use this approach and works fine ,

[Gene_Henriksen]

Perhaps your firewall team allows it. Others will not allow the source IP to change or they block it. We hear of this regularly.

[Andy_M]

Hi

I've made the real interface deprecated on each node using the command :
ifconfig bge0 deprecated.

Now when I failover traffic uses the virtual IP as the source !.

So it looks like its working, all I need to do is test the nodes with a reboot to see if my /etc/hostname.bge0 settings take hold.

Does any know the correct syntax for /etc/hostname.bge0 on solaris 8 ?
All have done is append the word deprecated. Will this force the interface deprecated on boot up ?

# cat /etc/hostname.bge0
emsleeint01 deprecated
#

Thanks to all.
Andy

[Gene_Henriksen]

You may need to have "+ deprecated" in there. Here is an example from the lab in VCS for MultiNICB

/etc/hostname.qfe3
trainX_qfe3 netmask + broadcast + deprecated
-failover up

You would need the + deprecated, you don't need -failover (that prevents MNICB from failing a base address to an alternate port on the same system.

[Andy_M]

Just to let you. The deprecated interface option has fixed my problem.

Many thanks to all who helped
Regards
Andy

[Gene_Henriksen]

And you can award points to those who answered. That is how those orange and green lightbulbs appear beside some questions and the only reward for those who answer questions.