Administering Array Support Library Packages

VxVM provides Dynamic MultiPathing (DMP) support for new disk arrays in the form of Array Support Library (ASL) software packages. You can obtain ASL packages for new arrays from:

• The VxVM release CDROM CD1 in the veritas_enabled directory.
• The Storage Array Vendor' s support site.
• The VERITAS Technical Support site, http://support.veritas.com. Select "Volume Manager" from the Product Family menu and "Volume Manager on Unix" from the Product men. Then click on Knowledge Base Search and enter "asl" followed by the vendor and/or model name.

VxVM 4.1 allows an ASL to be added to a running VxVM system (see Adding an ASL package). This means that you can add support for a particular disk array type (including multipathing support by Dynamic Multipathing, DMP) without having to: stop VxVM, reboot the system, or modify the VxVM package.

You can also remove ASL packages from a running VxVM system (see Removing an ASL Package). If the associated disk array type contains active volumes, these will remain available during and after the addition or removal of the ASL package.

Only one version of an ASL for a specific type/model of disk array can be active in the system. To install a different version of an ASL, you need to first remove the previous version of the ASL package, then install the new package (see Upgrading an ASL Package).

Commands Used to Maintain ASL Packages

The following packaging commands are available for installing, removing, and listing ASL packages.

See the appropriate manual page for more information on these commands.

Adding an ASL package

Only one version of an ASL can be active in the system. If you find a version of the ASL is already installed, you need to refer to Upgrading an ASL Package.

To find out if package (ASL_name) is already installed; enter:

You will find the ASL packages on the Storage foundation CDROM CD1 in the /mount_point/storage_foundation/veritas_enabled directory. They have the format, packagename.gz.tar.

To add an ASL package from CD-ROM, proceed as follows:

1. Change directory to the ASL packages directory;
   # cd /mount_point/storage_foundation/veritas_enabled
2. Copy the required package to a temporary directory:
   # cp packagename.tar.gz /tmp
3. Change directory to the temporary directory:
   # cd /tmp
4. Unzip and extract the package:
   # gzcat packagename.tar.gz | tar -xvf -
5. Use swinstall to install the package:
   # swinstall ASL_Name

   If vxconfigd is active, invoke Device Discovery Layer (DDL) to allow the newly installed ASL libraries to claim the disk arrays:

   
   # vxdctl enable

   Otherwise DDL is started automatically the next time vxconfigd is activated.

6. Verify that disk array was claimed by the ASL_name library:
   # vxdmpadm listenclosure all
   # vxdisk list cxtxdxs2
   # vxdmpadm getsubpaths ctlr=cx 

   where x is the appropriate control unit number.

   ---

     Note    If disk array has multiple paths, use the above commands to verify that all paths to disk are claimed.

   ---

Removing an ASL Package

Before removing an ASL package, first find out if the package (ASL_name) is installed; enter:

1. To remove an ASL package, enter:
   # swremove ASL_name
2. If vxconfigd is active, invoke Device Discovery Layer (DDL) through the vxdctl command to allow the arrays to be reclaimed:
   # vxdctl enable

   Otherwise DDL is started automatically the next time vxconfigd is activated.

3. Verify that disk array was claimed as "Disk".
   # vxdmpadm listenclosure all

   ---

     Note    If the disk array has multiple paths, they must all be claimed as "Disk" (use the vxddladm addjbod command); otherwise, duplicate disk ID errors will be detected.

   ---

Upgrading an ASL Package

Before upgrading an ASL package (installing a new version of an already installed package), first find out if the old package (ASL_name) is already present; enter:

1. Remove the package (ASL_name):
   # swremove ASL_name
2. Proceed to add the new ASL package as described by Adding an ASL package.