Configuring Failover; Agile Management Consoles; Agile Management Console Modes; Agile Management Consoles And Failover - HP StorageWorks x9300 Administrator's Manual

4 Configuring failover

This chapter describes how to configure failover for agile management consoles, file serving nodes,
network interfaces, and HBAs.

Agile management consoles

The management console maintains the cluster configuration and provides graphical and
command-line user interfaces for managing and monitoring the cluster. Typically, one active
management console and one passive management console are installed when the cluster is
installed. This is called an agile management console configuration.
NOTE: Optionally, the management console can be installed on a dedicated Management
Server. This section describes the agile management console configuration.

Agile management console modes

An agile management console can be in one of the following modes:
active. In this mode, the management console controls console operations. All cluster
administration and configuration commands must be run from the active management console.
passive. In this mode, the management console monitors the health of the active management
console. If the active management console fails, the passive management console becomes
the active console.
maintenance. In this mode, the management console does not participate in console operations.
Maintenance mode should be used for operations such as manual failover of the active
management console, X9000 Software upgrades, and blade replacements.

Agile management consoles and failover

Using an agile management console configuration provides high availability for management
console services. If the active management console fails, the cluster virtual interface will go down.
When the passive management console detects that the cluster virtual interface is down, it will
become the active console. This management console rebuilds the cluster virtual interface, starts
management console services locally, transitions into active mode, and take over management
console operation.
Failover of the active management console affects the following features:
User networks. The virtual interface used by clients will also fail over. Users may notice a brief
reconnect while the newly active management console takes over management of the virtual
interface.
Support tickets. The existing support ticket information is not moved to the newly active
management console. Support Ticket operations are always handled by the active management
console and the final output of the operations is stored there.
Management console GUI. You will need to reconnect to the management console VIF after
the failover.
Failing over the management console manually
To fail over the active management console manually, place the console into maintenance mode.
Enter the following command on the node hosting the console:
ibrix_fm -m maintenance
The command takes effect immediately.
24 Configuring failover