Hi linux-ha list members,

 

I've hit a problem using an IPaddr2 resource with Linux HA 2.0.2.  I'm
using a 1.x style two node cluster with a single shared IPaddr2
resource.  The nodes are configured with unicast keepalives to each
other.  Backup serial keepalives are not possible in this configuration,
so split brain occurs when network connectivity is disrupted.  Our
application has synchronization mechanisms to deal with split brain
recovery.

 

Here's the series of events that makes the IP address managed by the
IPaddr2 resource inaccessible:

 

1.      Server 1 (active) and server 2 (standby) are paired.  Server 1
owns the IPaddr2 resource and the IP address is accessible from beyond
the router.
2.      Pull the cables on server 1.  Server 2 notices server 1 appears
dead.  Server 2 goes active and sends gratuitous ARPs.  The IPaddr2
resource is accessible and points to server 2.  Server 1 stays active
but notices that server 2 appears dead from its standpoint.
3.      Pull the cables on server 2.  Server 2 stays active, server 1
stays active.  Both think the other server is dead (split brain).  The
IPaddr2 resource is not accessible.
4.      Plug in server 1.  Server 1 is connected and still thinks he is
active and server 2 is dead.  From each server's standpoint, nothing has
changed.  Each thinks the other is dead.  Since server 1 never
transitioned from standby to active, no gratuitous ARPs were sent and
the router's ARP cache still points to server 2's MAC address.  The
IPaddr2 resource is inaccessible until the 4 hour default Cisco ARP
cache timeout on our router.

 

Is there another way to do this with Linux HA so that a shared IP
address will be handled correctly in this scenario?  We really need for
gratuitous ARPs to be sent when server 1 is plugged in again in step 4.
Without gratuitous ARPs when the server is reconnected, our router's
(Cisco 3560) ARP cache is not updated until its default 4 hour aging
time expires.

 

I tried using ping nodes to our router, thinking that when network
connectivity was reestablished it would resend the gratuitous ARPs, but
that appears not to be the case.

 

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

 

Regards,

Eric Blau

 

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