[Linux-cluster] using GNBD with other cluster filesystem

[Benjamin Marzinski]

On Sat, Jan 28, 2006 at 10:29:26AM +0530, gaurav wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I am new to the clusters in Linux.
> 
> I am trying to work with Oracle 10g RAC.
> I came to know that GFS is not supported with oracle 10g
> so i cannot use GFS with oracle 10g ,so can i use some other FS like
> OCFS2 with GNBD server exporting this fileysystem.
> 
> i know the best thing is to try out the same but i do not have access
> to a test machine right now
> 
> The main intention of using GNBD was to replace the required shared
> storage device in a 2 node Oracle RAC setup.
> 
> Also as NBD can export RAW devices so i think GNBD will atleast allow
> me to use RAW devices.(but this is the last thing that i will like to
> do)
> 
> any insight in this respect will be highly usefull

If you use gnbd to export storage, the gnbd clients should view this as a
regular shared block device. You are definitely able to put other filesystems
on top of GNBD... with some caveats. GNBD is tied pretty closely with the
RHCS cluster manager. The only way you can export devices uncached is with
a cluster set up.  If you don't need to export uncached devices, you can use
the -n (no cluster) option to avoid setting up a RHCS cluster.

When devices are exported in cached mode, reads will use the buffer cache on
the GNBD server. This is a problem if you want to use the exported block device
directly on the server, or want to export the same shared storage device from
multiple gnbd servers. If you aren't doing either of those, you should be able
to use the -n option.

-Ben

> PS. i am going for this setup not for production  use but for learning
> about the Cluster thing in the Oracle 10g RAC and as i do not have a
> shared storage device so i an looking for a replacement with GNBD/NBD.

Another alternative would be to use iscsi, with a software iscsi target.

 
> regards
> 
> gaurav
> 
> 
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> 
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