Performing a rolling cluster conversion from NetWare 6.5 SP8 to OES 11 SP1 lets you keep your cluster up and running and lets your users continue to access cluster resources while the conversion is being performed.
During a rolling cluster conversion, one server is converted to Linux while the other servers in the cluster continue running NetWare. Then another server can be converted to OES 11 SP1, and then another, until all servers in the cluster have been converted to Linux.
IMPORTANT:Before you begin, ensure that you system meets the requirements and caveats in Planning for Novell Cluster Services
in the OES 11 SP1: Novell Cluster Services 2.1 for Linux Administration Guide. Also verify that your system meets the requirements in Section 1.0, Planning the Cluster Conversion.
If you are converting from NetWare 6.5 SP8 on physical servers to OES 11 SP1 on virtual servers (guest operating systems running on virtual machines), you can use the same methods and processes as those used on a physical server. No additional changes or special configuration is required. For information, see Mixed Physical and Virtual Node Clusters
in the OES 11 SP1: Novell Cluster Services 2.1 for Linux Administration Guide.
To perform a rolling cluster conversion from NetWare 6.5 SP8 to OES 11 SP1:
Before you add the first Linux node to the NetWare cluster, if the NetWare cluster uses an SBD, ensure that the device (or devices) being used by the SBD are marked as .
You can use NSSMU or iManager to mark the SBD devices as shareable. It is not necessary to bring the cluster down when changing the device attribute to .
Using NSSMU:
Log in to the master node of the NetWare cluster as the administrator user.
Enter nssmu at the server console prompt.
In the NSSMU main menu, select .
In the list, highlight the device that contains the SBD partition, then press F5 to select it.
Press F6 to mark the device as .
If the SBD partition is mirrored, repeat Step 1.d and Step 1.e to also mark the mirror device as .
Press Esc to exit NSSMU.
Make a note of the services that are installed on the server you are converting.
You might want to install the same components on the Linux node if they are available.
On the NetWare server that you want to convert to Linux, remove eDirectory.
You can do this by running NWConfig, then selecting > .
Bring down the NetWare server you want to convert to Linux.
Any cluster resources that were running on the server should fail over to another server in the cluster.
You can also manually cluster migrate the resources to another server in the cluster prior to bringing down the server. This prevents the resources from failing back to the node after you have completed the upgrade.
In Novell eDirectory, remove (delete) the NetWare node’s Cluster Node object, the Server object, and all corresponding objects relating to the downed NetWare server.
Depending on your configuration, there could be 10 or more objects that relate to the downed NetWare server.
Run DSRepair from another server in the eDirectory tree to fix any directory problems.
If DSRepair finds errors or problems, run it multiple times until no errors are returned.
Install OES on the server, but do not install the Novell Cluster Services option in OES Services at this time.
You can use the same server name and IP address that were used on the NetWare server. This is suggested, but not required.
See the OES 11 SP1: Installation Guide for more information.
Set up and verify SAN connectivity for the Linux node.
Consult your SAN vendor documentation for SAN setup and connectivity instructions.
Install Novell Cluster Services and add the node to your existing NetWare 6.5 cluster.
Log in to the OES server as the root user.
In YaST, select .
On the Software Selection page under , click .
Services that you have already installed are indicated by a blue check mark in the status check box next to the service.
For information about other install options, see Installing Novell Cluster Services during an OES 11 SP1 Installation
in the OES 11 SP1: Novell Cluster Services 2.1 for Linux Administration Guide.
Click to begin the install, then click to accept changed packages.
Continue through the installation process until you reach the Novell Open Enterprise Server Configuration page.
Reconfigure to specify the credentials for the container administrator user (or non-administrator user) who has the eDirectory rights needed to install Novell Cluster Services.
For information about what rights are needed, see Assigning Install Rights for Container Administrators or Non-Administrator Users
in the OES 11 SP1: Novell Cluster Services 2.1 for Linux Administration Guide.
On the Novell Open Enterprise Server Configuration page under , click the link to enable re-configuration.
The sentence changes to .
Click the link to open the LDAP Configuration page.
Specify the following values:
Admin name and context: The user name and context (in LDAP form) of the container administrator user (or non-administrator user) who has the eDirectory rights needed to install Novell Cluster Services.
Admin password: The password of the container administrator (or non-administrator user).
Click .
The install returns to the Novell Open Enterprise Server Configuration page.
On the Novell Open Enterprise Server Configuration page under , click the link to enable configuration.
The sentence changes to .
Click the link to open the Novell Cluster Services Configuration page.
Click , specify the fully distinguished name (FDN) of the cluster, then click .
IMPORTANT:Use the comma format illustrated in the example. Do not use dots.
This is the name and eDirectory context of the cluster that you are adding this server to.
Select the IP address that Novell Cluster Services will use for this node.
Some servers have multiple IP addresses. This step lets you choose which IP address Novell Cluster Services uses.
Deselect .
Click , then continue through the rest of the OES installation.
After the install is complete, use the Software Updater (or other update methods) to install any patches from the OES 11 SP1 patch channel and the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP2 patch channel.
If you have a shared disk system on the cluster, enter sbdutil -f at the Linux terminal console to verify that the node can see the cluster (SBD) partition on the SAN.
sbdutil -f also tells you the device on the SAN where the SBD partition is located.
Reboot the server.
(Optional) Manually migrate the resources that were on the old server nodes to this Linux server.
Some cluster resources for services on NetWare cannot be used on Linux. For information, see Section 1.0, Planning the Cluster Conversion.
The resources can automatically fail back if all of the following apply:
The failback mode for the resources was set to Auto.
You used the same node number for this Linux server that was used for the former NetWare server.
This only applies if this Linux server is the next server added to the cluster.
This Linux server is the preferred node for the resources.
Continue with Section 4.2, Adding New OES 11 SP1 Nodes to Your NetWare Cluster.