3.10 Caveats to Consider Before You Install

IMPORTANT:As support packs are released, there are sometimes new caveats identified. Be sure to always check the OES Readme for items specific to each support pack.

This section discusses the following installation/migration caveats:

3.10.1 Adding a Linux Node to NetWare Cluster

After you add a Linux node to a cluster, you cannot add more NetWare nodes. For more information, see Converting a NetWare Cluster to Linux in the OES 2: Novell Cluster Services 1.8.4 for Linux Administration Guide.

3.10.2 Do Not Create Local (POSIX) Users

During the OES 2 Linux install you are prompted to create at least one user besides root and warned if you bypass the prompt.

Creating local users is not recommended on OES 2 Linux servers because user management in OES 2 is managed entirely in eDirectory. The only local user you need on the server is the root user. Creating other local users can, in fact, cause unnecessary confusion and result in service-access problems that are difficult to troubleshoot.

eDirectory users are enabled for POSIX* access through the Linux User Management (LUM) technology installed by default on every OES 2 Linux server.

Also be aware that not all OES services require that users are LUM-enabled. Novell Client users, for example, can access NCP and NSS volumes on OES 2 Linux servers just as they do on NetWare without any additional configuration.

For more information about this topic, see Section 15.2, Linux User Management: Access to Linux for eDirectory Users.

3.10.3 Samba Enabling Disables SSH Access

Enabling users for Samba automatically disables SSH access for them. However, this default configuration can be changed. For more information, see Section 11.4, SSH Services on OES 2 Linux.

3.10.4 Cluster Upgrades Must Be Planned Before Installing OES 2

Because of differences between Novell Cluster Services on OES 2 NetWare and OES 2 Linux, there are important issues to consider before combining them into a mixed node cluster, as explained in the following sections.

Service Failover in a Mixed Cluster

The only cluster-enabled service that can fail over cross-platform (run on either OES 2 Linux or OES 2 NetWare) is cluster-enabled NSS pools. All other services (iPrint, iFolder, etc.) can only fail over between servers that are the same platform. For example, an iPrint service that is running on an OES 2 Linux server can fail over to another OES 2 Linux server in the cluster, but the service cannot fail over to an OES 2 NetWare server.

Working with Mixed Node Clusters

The following points apply to working with mixed NetWare and OES Linux clusters:

  • You cannot create a Linux traditional file system as cluster resource using EVMSGUI until the entire cluster is migrated to Linux.

  • You cannot migrate or fail over a Linux traditional file system cluster resource to a NetWare cluster node.

  • Only NSS pool cluster resources that are created on a NetWare cluster node can be failed over between Linux and NetWare nodes.

  • NetWare to Linux failover requires that the Linux node be configured for NSS and that the version of NSS supports the NSS media format and features being used by the NSS pool cluster resource.

  • The new NSS media format in OES 2 is not available for OES 1 SP2 Linux and earlier. After a volume has been upgraded to the new media format, you cannot fail it over to a node that is running OES 1 SP2 Linux or earlier.

3.10.5 Direct Migration of Some File Services from NetWare to Linux Is not Provided

Direct migration of CIFS services is not provided in OES. You must carefully plan the manual migration of services prior to installing OES.

For example, if you plan to replace CIFS (Windows) file services on a NetWare server with OES Samba running on OES 2 Linux, you must plan to have the Samba service in place before shutting down the current CIFS service. For more information on implementing Samba, see the OES 2: Samba Administration Guide.

AFP is under development and is expected to be released with OES 2 SP1.

3.10.6 Follow the Instructions for Your Chosen Platforms

Although installing OES 2 services on Linux or NetWare is a straightforward process, the installation processes are platform-specific, requiring different sets of media and different installation programs.

Use the links in the following sections to access instructions for installing OES on your chosen platforms.

3.10.7 iFolder 3.6 Considerations

For best results, be sure you read and carefully follow the instructions in the Novell iFolder 3.6 Administration Guide, starting with Deploying iFolder Server in a Multi-server Environment. This is especially critical if you plan to use NSS for your iFolder 3.6 data volume.

3.10.8 Installing into an Existing eDirectory Tree

Novell Support has reported a significant number of installation incidents related to eDirectory™ health and time synchronization. To avoid such problems, do the following prior to installing OES:

Consider Coexistence and Migration Issues

If you are installing a new OES 2 server into an existing eDirectory tree, be sure to read and follow the instructions in Installing the Server into an Existing eDirectory Tree in the OES 2: NetWare Installation Guide.

Be Sure That eDirectory Is Healthy

Review and follow the guidelines in Keeping eDirectory Healthy in the Novell eDirectory 8.8 Administration Guide.

Be Sure That Network Time Is Synchronized

OES2 Linux and OES 2 NetWare servers can receive network time from either an existing eDirectory server or from an NTP time source. The critical point is that the entire tree must be synchronized to the same time sources. For example, do not set your new OES 2 server to receive time from an NTP source unless the whole tree is synchronized to the same NTP source.

For an in-depth explanation of OES time synchronization, see Section 12.3, Time Synchronization.

Be Sure that OpenSLP on OES 2 Linux Is Configured Properly

Novell SLP (NetWare) and OpenSLP (Linux) can coexist, but there are differences between the services that you should understand before deciding which to use or changing your existing SLP service configuration. For more information, see Section 12.5, SLP.

3.10.9 NetWare License Placement in the Tree

By default, NetWare licenses are installed in the same eDirectory container as NetWare servers. Because these licenses also apply to user connections, it is important to install them at or above the location of both servers and users.

For example, if your tree has containers named SERVERS and USERS that are siblings in the tree, you should install the NetWare licenses in a parent or higher container of these two containers.

3.10.10 NetWare Licenses and OES 2 Linux Trees

OES 2 Linux doesn’t use the traditional Novell Licensing Services (Section 4.4, Licensing). As a result, OES Linux servers don’t need nor do they create a license container in eDirectory as part of the server installation.

Therefore, when the first NetWare server is installed in the tree, it needs to add a license container, and to do this it must have a Read/Write replica of eDirectory accessible on the server. If the NetWare server is either the second or third server installed in the tree, it automatically has a replica added. If not, a replica is not added, the license container cannot be created at install time, and a license cannot be installed.

Unlicensed NetWare servers allow only two user connections. To be usable, therefore, the server needs either a 90-day evaluation or standard purchased license.

To install a license, you must do the following:

  1. Install iManager on the NetWare server, or use iManager Workstation.

    You can do this during initial installation or later as described in Installing iManager in the Novell iManager 2.7 Installation Guide.

  2. Add a Read/Write replica to the server as described in Adding a Replica in the Novell eDirectory 8.8 Administration Guide.

  3. Install the NetWare license as described in Installing and Removing License Certificates in the OES 2: Licensing Services for NetWare Administration Guide.

    The iManager Licensing plug-in is not installed on OES 2 Linux. If you have configured Role-Based Services, you need to make sure the plug-in is installed and added to the RBS collection. For more information, see Upgrading iManager in the Novell iManager 2.7 Installation Guide.

NOTE:This is only required for the first NetWare server in the tree. After the container exists, additional licenses can be installed as required.

3.10.11 NetWare 6.5 Servers Must Be Running SP3 or Later

If you are installing OES 2 Linux servers into a tree containing NetWare 6.5 servers, be sure that the following server types have been updated to SP3 or later prior to installing OES 2 Linux:

  • SLP Directory Agents: If the SLP Directory Agents on your network are not running NetWare 6.5 SP3 or later, installing an OES 2 Linux server into the tree can cause the DA servers to abend.

  • LDAP Servers: If the LDAP servers referenced in your installation are not running NetWare 6.5 SP3 or later, the servers might abend during a schema extension operation.

3.10.12 Novell Distributed Print Services Cannot Migrate to Linux

NDPS® clients are not supported on Linux. You must therefore migrate any NDPS clients to iPrint before you migrate your print services to OES 2 Linux. For more information, see Migrating NDPS Printers to iPrint in the OES 2: iPrint Administration Guide for NetWare.

3.10.13 NSS Caveats

About New Media Support

The new media support for hard links on OES 2 NSS volumes was not available for OES 1 SP2 Linux and earlier, but it was available for NetWare 6.5 SP4 and OES 1 NetWare SP1 and later.

If you've already upgraded the media format of the volume, you cannot fail over to a node that is running OES 1 SP2 Linux until you have upgraded the node to OES 2 Linux.

Removable Media Cannot Be Mounted on OES 2 Linux

CD and DVD media and image files cannot be mounted as NSS volumes on Linux; instead, they are mounted as Linux traditional file systems.

For more details about NSS compatibility, see Cross-Platform Issues for NSS Volumes in the OES 2: NSS File System Administration Guide.