22.2 Setting Up Your Messenger System in a Linux Cluster

You should have already reviewed Section 22.1, Planning Your Messenger System in a Linux Cluster and filled out the Section 22.5, Messenger Clustering Worksheet and the Novell Messenger Worksheet in the Messenger 2.0 Installation Guide.

22.2.1 Creating Your Messenger System and Installing the Messenger Agents

The Messenger Installation program walks you through setting up your Messenger system and installing the Messenger agents. The first time you run the Messenger Installation program, you create your Messenger system, which includes creating various Messenger objects in eDirectory™ and installing the Messenger software on the node where you run the Messenger Installation program. After that, you run the Messenger Installation program on each node in the Messenger failover list to install the Messenger software on each node, but you do not create any more objects in eDirectory.

Running the Messenger Installation Program on the Preferred Node

  1. Mount the Messenger partition (Messenger Clustering Worksheet item 6) on the mount point for shared storage (Messenger Clustering Worksheet item 9).

  2. From the Messenger 2 Administrator for Linux CD, run the Messenger Installation program, following the steps provided in Starting the Messenger Installation Program on Linux in Installing a Novell Messenger System in the Messenger 2.0 Installation Guide.

  3. When asked if you are installing to a cluster, enter y for Yes.

  4. From the options list, enter 1 for Create a new system.

  5. Specify the mount point for the shared storage.

  6. Set up your Messenger system, following the steps provided in Configuring Your Messenger System on Linux in Installing a Novell Messenger System in the Messenger 2.0 Installation Guide.

  7. Continue with Running the Messenger Installation Program on Subsequent Nodes.

Running the Messenger Installation Program on Subsequent Nodes

  1. On the next node in the Messenger failover list (Messenger Cluster Worksheet item 8), mount the Messenger partition on the mount point for shared storage.

  2. From the Messenger 2 Administrator for Linux CD, run the Messenger Installation program.

  3. When asked if you are installing to a cluster, enter y for Yes.

  4. From the options list, enter 2 for Install a new server to an existing system.

  5. Specify the mount point for the shared storage.

    The Messenger Installation program then accesses the Messenger files that were created on the shared storage when the Messenger agents were installed on the preferred node. From these files, the Messenger Installation program lists the probable configuration for the Messenger agents you are installing on the current node.

  6. Enter 1 for Proceed with these settings.

    or

    Enter 2 for Change the settings, then modify the configuration for the Messenger agents as needed.

  7. When asked if you want to start the agents, enter n for No.

  8. Repeat Step 1 through Step 7 for each node on the Messenger failover list.

  9. Continue with Setting Up Non-root Access on NSS Volumes on Each Node.

Setting Up Non-root Access on NSS Volumes on Each Node

If your cluster uses NSS volumes, as described in Creating NSS Volumes in Installation and Setup in the OES Novell Cluster Services 1.8.2 Administration Guide for Linux, you must set up non-root access to those NSS volumes, as described in Setting Up Non-root Access on an NSS Volume on Novell Open Enterprise Server Linux in Installing a Novell Messenger System in the Messenger 2.0 Installation Guide. Then continue with Testing Your Messenger Agent Installation on Each Node.

Testing Your Messenger Agent Installation on Each Node

  1. Test the Messenger agents by starting them as daemons, as described in Starting the Linux Messenger Agents in Installing a Novell Messenger System in the Messenger 2.0 Installation Guide.

    /etc/init.d/novell-nmma start
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa start
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmma status
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa status
    
  2. Stop the Messenger agents.

    /etc/init.d/novell-nmma stop
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa stop
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmma status
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa status
    
  3. Return to Running the Messenger Installation Program on the Preferred Node for each node in the Messenger failover list (Messenger Clustering Worksheet item 8).

When you have installed the Messenger agents on all of the nodes in the Messenger failover list, continue with Changing Messenger Paths to Locations on the Messenger Partition.

22.2.2 Changing Messenger Paths to Locations on the Messenger Partition

During installation, various Messenger paths are set to locations on the node where the software is installed. After installation, you need to set these paths to locations on the Messenger partition, so that the files stored at these locations are available to the Messenger agents regardless of which node in the cluster the agents are running on:

After settings these directories, continue with Section 22.2.3, Configuring the Messenger Cluster Resource to Load and Unload the Messenger Agents.

Setting the Store Path

The store path is the location where you want the archive created. During installation, the default store path is created in /var/opt/novell/messenger/aa/store on each node, but you need the archive to be stored on the Messenger partition.

  1. Choose a directory where you want to store the archive and create that directory on the Messenger partition.

  2. In ConsoleOne®, browse to and select the Novell Messenger Service object (MessengerService), then click Messenger Server > Archive Agent.

  3. Right-click the File Module object, then click Properties.

  4. In the Store Path field, specify your archive store path, then click OK.

Setting the Messaging Agent Queue Path

When archiving is enabled, the Messaging Agent passes conversations to the Archive Agent when the conversations are completed. If the Messaging Agent cannot communicate with the Archive Agent when it has a conversation to archive, it saves the conversation in its holding directory (queue) until it can communicate with the Archive Agent again. During installation, the default Messaging Agent queue path is created in /var/opt/novell/messenger/ma/queue, but you need the queue directory to be located on the Messenger partition.

  1. Choose a directory for the Messaging Agent queue and create that directory on the Messenger partition.

  2. In ConsoleOne, browse to and select the Novell Messenger Service object (MessengerService), then click Messenger Server.

  3. Right-click the Messaging Agent object, then click Properties.

  4. Click Agent > Messaging.

  5. In the Messaging Queue Path field, specify the Messaging Agent queue path, then click OK.

Setting the Archive Agent Queue Path

When the Archive Agent receives a conversation to archive, if it is already busy processing other conversations, it temporarily stores the conversation in its holding directory (queue). During installation, the default Archive Agent queue path is created in /var/opt/novell/messenger/aa/queue, but you need the queue directory to be located on the Messenger partition.

  1. Choose a directory for the Archive Agent queue and create that directory on the Messenger partition.

  2. In ConsoleOne, browse to and select the Novell Messenger Service object (MessengerService), then click Messenger Server.

  3. Right-click the Archive Agent object, then click Properties.

  4. Click Agent > Messaging.

  5. In the Messaging Queue Path field, specify the Archive Agent queue path, then click OK.

Setting the Messaging Agent Log Path

During installation, the default Messaging Agent log path is created in /var/opt/novell/log/messenger/ma, but you need the log file directory to be located on the Messenger partition.

  1. Choose a directory for the Messaging Agent log files and create that directory on the Messenger partition.

  2. In ConsoleOne, browse to and select the Novell Messenger Service object (MessengerService), then click Messenger Server.

  3. Right-click the Messaging Agent object, then click Properties.

  4. Click Agent > Log Settings.

  5. In the Log Files Path field, specify the Messaging Agent log path, then click OK.

Setting the Archive Agent Log Path

During installation, the default Archive Agent log path is created in /var/opt/novell/log/messenger/aa, but you need the log file directory to be located on the Messenger partition.

  1. Choose a directory for the Archive Agent queue and create that directory on the Messenger partition.

  2. In ConsoleOne, browse to and select the Novell Messenger Service object (MessengerService), then click Messenger Server.

  3. Right-click the Archive Agent object, then click Properties.

  4. Click Agent > Log Settings.

  5. In the Log Files Path field, specify the Archive Agent log path, then click OK.

22.2.3 Configuring the Messenger Cluster Resource to Load and Unload the Messenger Agents

The properties of the Messenger Cluster Resource object define how the Messenger partition functions within the cluster, how the Messenger agents are loaded and unloaded, and how failover and failback situations are handled.

Modifying the Cluster Load Script for the Messenger Agents

To set up the load script in iManager:

  1. Expand Clusters, then click Cluster Options.

  2. In the Cluster field, browse to the Cluster object where the Messenger cluster resource is located.

  3. Click the Cluster object to display the cluster resources that belong to the cluster.

  4. Select the Messenger cluster resource that you created when you set up the Messenger partition, then click Properties.

    The default load script from a generic IP service template appears as follows:

    #!/bin/bash 
    . /opt/novell/ncs/lib/ncsfuncs
    
    # mount the file system
    exit_on_error mount -t reiserfs /dev/evms/vol /mnt/generic
    
    # add the IP address
    exit_on_error add_secondary_ipaddress a.b.c.d
    
    # start the service
    exit_on_error /etc/init.d/myservice start
    
    # return status
    exit 0
    
  5. If this is an NSS volume or a shared pool, make the following changes to set up the Messenger load script:

    1. As needed, in the mount command, change reiserfs to whatever file system type is in use on nodes in the cluster.

    2. In the mount command, change vol to the actual device name in use on nodes in the cluster.

    3. In the mount command, change /mnt/generic to the mount point directory in use on nodes in the cluster.

    4. In the add_secondary_ipaddress command, change a.b.c.d to the secondary IP address of the Messenger partition.

    5. In the start service command, change myservice start to the command to start the Messenger agents.

      /etc/init.d/novell-nmma start
      /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa start
      
  6. If this is a traditional Linux volume, use the following load script:

    #! /bin/bash
    . /opt/novell/ncs/lib/ncsfunc
    
    # define the IP address
    RESOURCE_IP=123.123.1.
    
    # define the file system type
    MOUNT_FS=reiserf
    
    # define the device
    exit_on_error evms -f /var/opt/novell/ncs/ContainerActivate -rl
                                                     Share ‘uname -n‘
    MOUNT_DEV=/dev/evms/Share/dat
    
    # define the mount point
    MOUNT_POINT=/mnt/mount_point
    
    # mount the file system
    exit_on_error mount -t $MOUNT_FS $MOUNT_DEV $MOUNT_POINT
    
    # add the IP address
    exit_on_error add_secondary_ipaddress $RESOURCE_IP
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmma start
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa start
    
    exit 0
    

    Make the following changes to set up the load script for the Messenger agents:

    1. On the RESOURCE_IP line, change 123.123.1.1 to the secondary IP address of the GroupWise partition (Messenger Clustering Worksheet item 6 and Messenger Clustering Worksheet item 7)

    2. As needed on the MOUNT_FS line, change reiserfs to whatever file system type is in use on nodes in the cluster.

    3. On the MOUNT_DEV line, change /dev/evms/Share/dat to the actual device name in use on nodes in the cluster.

    4. On the MOUNT_POINT line, change /mnt/mount_point to the mount point directory in use on nodes in the cluster.

    5. Use the following command to start the Messaging Agent:

      /etc/init.d/novell-nmma start
      
    6. Use the following command to start the Archive Agent:

      /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa start
      
  7. Click Apply to save the load script.

Modifying the Cluster Resource Unload Script for the Messenger Agents

The cluster resource unload script executes whenever the Messenger cluster resource goes offline.

  1. On the Cluster Resource Properties page of the Monitor Agent cluster resource, click Scripts > Unload Script.

    The default unload script appears as follows:

    #!/bin/bash
    . /opt/novell/ncs/lib/ncsfuncs
    
    # request service stop
    ignore_error /etc/init.d/myservice stop
    
    # stop service otherwise
    sleep 8
    ignore_error fuser -k /mnt/generic
    
    # del the IP address
    ignore_error del_secondary_ipaddress a.b.c.d
    
    # umount the file system
    exit_on_error umount /mnt/generic
    
    # return status
    exit 0
    
  2. If this is an NSS volume or a shared pool, make the following changes to the Messenger unload script:

    1. In the stop service command, change myservice stop to the command to stop the Messenger agents.

      /etc/init.d/novell-nmma stop
      /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa stop
      
    2. Adjust the sleep command as needed so that the Messenger agents can shut down normally on your system without being inadvertently killed by the fuser -k command that follows.

    3. In the kill service command, used if the Messenger agents do not stop normally, change -k to -mk.

      The -m parameter obtains the PID numbers of the processes to kill.

    4. In the kill service command, change /mnt/generic to the mount point directory used in the load script.

    5. In the del_secondary_ipaddress command, change a.b.c.d to the secondary IP address used in the load script.

    6. In the umount command, change /mnt/generic to the mount point directory used in the load script.

  3. If this is a traditional Linux volume, use the following unload script:

    #!/bin/bash
    . /opt/novell/ncs/lib/ncsfuncs
    
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmma stop
    /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa stop
    
    # define the IP address
    RESOURCE_IP=172.16.5.18
    
    # define the mount point
    MOUNT_POINT=/mnt/mount_point
    
    sleep 8
    
    ignore_error fuser -k $MOUNT_POINT
    
    # del the IP address
    ignore_error del_secondary_ipaddress $RESOURCE_IP
    
    # umount the file system
    exit_on_error umount $MOUNT_POINT
    
    # return status
    exit 0
    

    Make the following changes to set up the unload script for the Messenger agents.

    1. Use the following command to stop the Messaging Agent:

      /etc/init.d/novell-nmma stop
      
    2. Use the following command to stop the Archive Agent:

      /etc/init.d/novell-nmaa stop
      
    3. On the RESOURCE_IP line, change 172.16.5.18 to the secondary IP address used in the load script.

    4. On the MOUNT_POINT line, change /mnt/mount_point to the mount point directory used in the load script.

    5. Adjust the sleep command as needed so that the Messenger agents can shut down normally on your system without being inadvertently killed by the fuser -k command that follows.

    6. In the fuser -k command (used if the agents do not stop normally), change -k to -mk.

      The -m parameter obtains the PID numbers of the processes to kill.

  4. Click Apply to save the unload script.

Setting the Failover List and Policies for the Messenger Agents

  1. On the Cluster Resource Properties page of the Messenger cluster resource, click General.

    The default policy settings are often appropriate. By default, a cluster resource:

  2. Under Preferred Nodes, arrange the nodes in the cluster into the desired failover list for the Messenger agents (under Messenger Clustering Worksheet item 3).

  3. Click OK.