[Ocfs2-users] UEK Kernel install to get OCFS2 1.6 installed ..

[Sérgio Surkamp]

Hi Mr. Salaices,

> After some Monkeying around I got to where I can install the UEK
> Kernel on Centos/RHEL (Unbreakable 5.5) systems by running ...
> 
> *On a Unbreakable Linux (RHEL) 5.5 Servers*
> 
> /yum --disableexcludes=all --disablerepo base --disablerepo updates 
> --enablerepo el5_u5_base --enablerepo ol5_u5_base  install kernel
> /
> *On a Centos 5.5 Servers*
> 
> /yum --disableexcludes=all --enablerepo el5_u5_base --enablerepo 
> ol5_u5_base  install kernel/

I still think its easier to install the UEK using the instructions
provided in the Oracle's YUM public repository.

---

2. Download and copy the appropriate yum configuration file in place, by
   running the following commands as root: Oracle Linux 4, Update 6 or
   Newer

   [--cut--]

   Oracle Linux 5

   # cd /etc/yum.repos.d
   # wget http://public-yum.oracle.com/public-yum-el5.repo

   [--cut--]

3. Enable the appropriate repository by editing the yum configuration
   file

   Open the yum configuration file in a text editor Locate the section
   in the file for the repository you plan to update from, e.g.
   [el4_u6_base] Change enabled=0 to enabled=1

---
Step by step got from: http://public-yum.oracle.com/

Then:

# yum install oracle-linux

> So the questions:
> 
> *1.- Once I do that I would install oracle-linux on the Unbreakable 
> Linux Servers via YUM and make sure I have installed 
> ocfs2-tools-1.6.3-2.el5 and ocfs2console-1.6.3-2.el5 on the
> Centos/RHEL 5.5 Servers
> Right ?
> *

Sorry, think I didn't understood. If you talking about installing the
"oracle-linux" metapakage from the Oracle's repository, then yes, it
will include the UEK and OCFS2 related packages.

> *2.- Once I have 1.6 Installed can I simply use the existing OCFS2 
> Volumes formatted with 1.4.7 or do I have to reformat them with 1.6 ?
> *

You don't need to reformat your volume as you can enable the 1.6
exclusive features by using the tunefs.ocfs2 tool.

Reformatting your volume could add the benefit of JBD2 journal.

> *3.- If I want to use 1.4 I can just simply boot the old kernel,
> Right ? Even if I formatted the volumes with 1.6 ?
> *

If you have enabled any feature exclusive from 1.6, you will need to
disable the feature using the tunefs.ocfs2 tool first, but yes, you
could rollback to an older kernel with 1.4.

WARNING: Some new features could take a long time to be disabled.
Checkout OCFS2 1.6 Users Guide page 18 for more on incompatible
features.

> *4.- Is there a compatibility mode that can be enabled to have the
> 1.6 kernel Modules allow to talk to a server with 1.4 installed ?
> *

The OCFS2 1.6 Users Guide says it is possible, but I wouldn't do that:

"File System Compatibility
OCFS2 Release 1.6 is fully compatible with OCFS2 Release 1.4. A node
with the new release can join a cluster of nodes running the older file
system.
OCFS2 Release 1.6 is on-disk compatible with OCFS2 Release 1.2.
A node with the new release can mount a volume used by the older
release."

Anyway, obviously, you shouldn't enable any 1.6 only feature if you are
going to try.

Regards,
-- 
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