I've run into something that is a bit beyond my Linux skills at this point.  
So, I could use some advice.

I have several RHEL 7 servers running on z/VM that are booting from SAN LUNs, 
not ECKD.  That isn't our normal practice, so it is different for me.  I use 
LOADDEV to define the port and LUN, and dedicate the device addresses to each 
server.  (All are using NPIV addressing and are zoned to a DS8870 on the SAN.)  
Here is what one of the directory entries looks like:

   IPL 2000
   LOADDEV PORT 500507630628D700
   LOADDEV LUN 4000400700000000
   MACHINE ESA 4
   OPTION CHPIDV ONE
   DEDICATE 2000 5000
   DEDICATE 3000 6000

This works fine, the servers come up, everything is happy.  But, I noticed that 
only 1 path is used.  (We have 2 SAN fabrics for redundancy.)  Right now, each 
server is dependent on path 1 being available in order to boot.  Once up, they 
only use path 1, and would have a problem if that fabric went down.

Our usual build for Marist uses ECKD for the operating system, so this isn't an 
issue.  Multipath drivers are used to talk to SAN based LUNs, so we can use 
both fabrics for redundancy.

I don't know what to do with this situation, though, to get full use of the 2nd 
fabric.  First there is the IPL issue...how can I have an alternate IPL address 
if 2000 doesn't work?  Then, there is the issue of Linux once it boots...not 
sure how to get multipath drivers introduced after the boot process is already 
done.  The LUN contains the operating system as well as data.

Any ideas or suggestions?  These servers are not "production" yet, but will be 
eventually.  I'd like to be able to get them fixed before that happens.

Martha



Martha McConaghy

Marist:  System Architect/Technical Lead

SHARE Association:  Vice President

Marist College IT

Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

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