6.1 Understand NetWare Server Consolidation Issues

Before running a consolidation project in a NetWare/eDirectory™ environment, be sure you have prepared your server as described in Section 5.2, Prepare the Source and Destination Servers.

You should also be aware of the issues discussed in this section.

6.1.1 Open Files Cannot Be Copied

The Novell® Server Consolidation Utility cannot copy files that are open and currently in use.

There is one exception to this rule. NSS has a feature called File Copy on Write. This permits a file that is being changed to be accessed in the same state as it was in when it was last closed by all processes.

This feature is enabled on an NSS volume either by using ConsoleOne® or by entering

nss /filecopyonwrite=volname

at the source server console to change the volume attributes.

For example, nss /filecopyonwrite=vol1 would enable File Copy on Write for the vol1: volume. The effect is immediate, but it affects only files that are currently closed and then opened later.

6.1.2 Cluster Failover Stops File Copy

If you run a server consolidation project involving a NetWare cluster and the cluster fails over during the consolidation, the file copy will stop. The consolidation project must be run again.