Installing Cluster Infrastructure ("CI") on Red Hat 9

These instructions describe how to install a CI cluster 
on Red Hat 9 ("RH9") with minimal hardware requirements. All you 
need is two or more computers, connected with a private 
ethernet network. This network is called the "interconnect", 
and should be private for security and performance reasons. 
Each individual computer in the cluster is called a "node".

CI contains a subset of the functionality of OpenSSI 
(http://OpenSSI.org). It provides an in-kernel CLuster Membership 
Service ("CLMS") and Internode Communication Subsystem ("ICS").

CLMS keeps track of nodes joining and leaving the cluster and 
guarantees an identical view of cluster membership on every node.
An included library, libcluster, allows access to CLMS information 
from user-mode. Various man pages document the libcluster API.
There are also several programs that provide command-line access
to the libcluster API.

CLMS depends on ICS, which is a protocol for passing Remote 
Procedure Calls ("RPCs") between nodes, using node numbers as 
addresses. ICS stacks on top of TCP, and is architected so that it 
can be ported on top of other reliable transport protocols. There 
is currently no API for using ICS from user-mode, although 
docs/enhancing.txt discusses how to use both ICS and CLMS from 
kernel-mode.

These instructions assume you are doing a fresh install of 
CI. They must be followed for each node you wish to add to 
the cluster.

1. Install RH9.

2. When configuring your firewall, do one of the following:

  (a) designate as "trusted" the interface for the cluster interconnect

  (b) open the port for tftp-server (port 69)

  (c) disable the firewall

3. Extract the CI tarball and run the ./install script. It will
  install the necessary packages, and prompt you to reboot.
  Select the CI kernel during boot.

4. Create a /etc/cluster.conf file. This will contain the boot 
  parameters used by cluster_config to add the node to the cluster. 
  Each boot parameter should be on a line of its own.

	IFCONFIG=eth<x>:<ipaddr>:<netmask> 
	CLUSTER_MASTER=<y>:<clms_ipaddr1>[,<z>:<clms_ipaddr2>]
	CLUSTER_NODENUM=<a>
	[ICS_ROUTE="default"|<host ipaddr>:<gateway ipaddr>:<metric>]

  The IFCONFIG variable contains information about the ICS interface, 
  separated by colons:
	x = ethernet device number for the ICS network card
	ipaddr = IP address used for this node's ICS interface
	netmask = netmask address used for this node's ICS interface

  The CLUSTER_MASTER variable contains a comma separated list of 
  potential CLMS master nodes. The cluster cannot be formed without
  a CLMS master node. Each master node needs a node number and IP 
  address specified, separated by a colon:
	y = Node number of the first potential CLMS master
	clms_ipaddr1 = IP address of the first potential CLMS master
	z, clms_ipaddr2 = node number and IP address of other potential 
	  CLMS masters

  The CLUSTER_NODENUM variable contains the node number for this particular
  machine. It should be within the range of 1 to NSC_MAX_NODE_VALUE.
	a = Node number of this cluster machine.

  The ICS_ROUTE line is optional. Use this to set a default gateway or
  a route to a specific host. All routes are static and run over the ICS
  interface. Multiple ICS_ROUTE lines can be specified to setup multiple
  routes (the maximum is 32). This feature allows cluster nodes to span across
  multiple subnets.

5. Run the cluster_start script to add this node to the cluster:
	/usr/sbin/cluster_start

6. Repeat steps 1-5 for each node you want to add.

  If you have questions or comments that are not addressed on 
  the website, do not hesitate to send a message to the CI
  discussion forum:

  ci-linux-devel@lists.sf.net

Maintained by Brian J. Watson <Brian.J.Watson@hp.com>