HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

When multipath support is enabled, you can display the multiple paths to a device using either of the following variants of the SHOW DEVICE DCL command:

SHOW DEVICE/FULL device-name
 
SHOW DEVICE/MULTIPATH_SET device-name

The SHOW DEVICE/FULL device-name command displays the traditional information about the device first and then lists all the paths to a device by their path identifiers (described in Section 6.7.4).

The SHOW DEVICE/MULTIPATH_SET device-name command lists only some brief multipath information about devices that have multiple paths.

Multipath information is displayed only on nodes that are directly connected to the multipath device.

6.7.5.1 Displaying Paths With SHOW DEVICE/FULL

The following example shows the output of a SHOW DEVICE/FULL device-name command. Note that the use of multiple paths is shown at the beginning of the display ( device has multiple I/O paths ), and the multiple path descriptions are shown toward the end of the display, beneath I/O paths to device . Note, too, that the values for Error count and Operations completed shown at the beginning of the display are the sums of the counts for each path.

$ SHOW DEVICE/FULL $1$DGA23: 
 
Disk $1$DGA23: (WILD8), device type HSG80, is online, mounted, file-oriented 
    device, shareable, device has multiple I/O paths, served to cluster via MSCP 
    Server, error logging is enabled. 
 
    Error count                    3    Operations completed           32814199 
    Owner process                 ""    Owner UIC                      [SYSTEM] 
    Owner process ID        00000000    Dev Prot            S:RWPL,O:RWPL,G:R,W 
    Reference count                9    Default buffer size                 512 
    WWID   01000010:6000-1FE1-0000-0D10-0009-8090-0677-0034 
    Total blocks            17769177    Sectors per track                   169 
    Total cylinders             5258    Tracks per cylinder                  20 
    Host name                "WILD8"    Host type, avail HP AlphaServer GS160 6/731, yes 
    Alternate host name     "W8GLX1"    Alt. type, avail HP AlphaServer GS160 6/731, yes 
    Allocation class               1 
 
    Volume label      "S5SH_V72_SSS"    Relative volume number                0 
    Cluster size                  18    Transaction count                     8 
    Free blocks             12812004    Maximum files allowed            467609 
    Extend quantity                5    Mount count                           8 
    Mount status              System    Cache name          "_$1$DGA8:XQPCACHE" 
    Extent cache size             64    Maximum blocks in extent cache  1281200 
    File ID cache size            64    Blocks currently in extent cache      0 
    Quota cache size               0    Maximum buffers in FCP cache       1594 
    Volume owner UIC           [1,1]    Vol Prot    S:RWCD,O:RWCD,G:RWCD,W:RWCD 
 
  Volume Status:  ODS-2, subject to mount verification, file high-water marking, 
      write-back XQP caching enabled, write-through XFC caching enabled. 
  Volume is also mounted on H2OFRD, FIBRE3, NORLMN, SISKO, BOOLA, FLAM10, 
          W8GLX1. 
 
  I/O paths to device              5 
  Path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D12  (WILD8), primary path. 
    Error count                    2    Operations completed             130666 
  Path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D13  (WILD8), current path. 
    Error count                    1    Operations completed           30879310 
  Path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D11  (WILD8). 
    Error count                    0    Operations completed             130521 
  Path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D14  (WILD8). 
    Error count                    0    Operations completed             130539 
  Path MSCP (W8GLX1). 
    Error count                    0    Operations completed            1543163 

For each path of the multipath device, the path identifier, the host name associated with that path, the path status, the error count, and the operations count are displayed.

The terms that may appear in the multiple paths portion of the display are described in Table 6-4.

You can obtain a brief listing of multiple paths for a specific device, for all the devices in an allocation class, or for all devices with the DCL command:

SHOW DEVICE/MULTIPATH_SET [device-name] 

The device name is optional; when omitted, all devices that have formed multipath sets are shown. For each multipath device found, the device name, host name, device status, error count, number of accessible paths, total number of paths, and the current path's path identifier are displayed.

The number of accessible paths can be less than the total number of paths for two reasons:

• A system manager disabled the path with the command SET DEVICE/PATH=pathname/NOENABLE.
• If a path is designated as Not Responding, the operating system decrements the total number of paths. This action was introduced in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3--1.

The host name displayed is the host name of the current path. For direct paths, this will be the local system's host name. For MSCP served paths, this will be the host name of the remote system which is serving access to the device.

The following example shows the output of a SHOW DEVICE/MULTIPATH command.

$ SHOW DEVICE/MULTIPATH 
Device                  Device           Error  Paths  Current 
 Name                   Status           Count Avl/Tot   path 
$1$DGA8:      (H2OFRD)  Mounted              3   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D12 
$1$DGA10:     (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      1   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D14 
$1$DGA11:      (WILD8)  ShadowSetMember      3   3/ 3  MSCP 
$1$DGA23:     (H2OFRD)  Mounted              6   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D13 
$1$DGA30:     (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      8   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D13 
$1$DGA31:      (WILD8)  ShadowMergeMbr       5   3/ 3  MSCP 
$1$DGA33:     (H2OFRD)  Online               0   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D12 
$1$DGA40:     (H2OFRD)  Mounted              2   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D13 
$1$DGA41:     (H2OFRD)  ShadowMergeMbr       8   5/ 5  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D12 
$70$DKA100:   (H2OFRD)  Mounted              0   3/ 3  PKD0.1 
$70$DKA104:   (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKD0.1 
$70$DKA200:   (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKD0.2 
$70$DKA300:   (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKC0.3 
$80$DKA1104:  (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKD0.11 
$80$DKA1200:  (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKD0.12 
$80$DKA1204:  (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKC0.12 
$80$DKA1207:  (H2OFRD)  Mounted              0   3/ 3  PKD0.12 
$80$DKA1300:  (H2OFRD)  Mounted              0   3/ 3  PKD0.13 
$80$DKA1307:  (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKD0.13 
$80$DKA1500:  (H2OFRD)  Mounted              0   3/ 3  PKD0.15 
$80$DKA1502:  (H2OFRD)  ShadowSetMember      0   3/ 3  PKD0.15 

If you choose to specify a partial device name, such as $70$DKA, the display shows all devices with multiple paths whose names begin with $70$DKA.

6.7.6 Path Polling

When SCSI multipath support is in effect, the system periodically polls all the I/O paths from each host adapter to each HSZ or HSG controller or to an MDR to determine the status of each I/O path. If the system detects any changes to a path, it outputs a message, similar to the following messages, to the console and to the operator's log:

All multipath devices on path PKB0.5 are either disabled or not reachable. 

or

At least one multipath device on path PKB0.5 is enabled and reachable. 

If all the devices on a path are removed, a path failure is reported. The path from the host to the HSx controller may still function, but this cannot be determined when there are no devices to poll.

You can turn polling on or off with the following command:

SET DEVICE device/[NO]POLL/PATH=path-identifier

Turning off polling for a path that will be out of service for a prolonged period is useful because it can reduce system overhead.

6.7.7 Switching Current Paths Manually

You can switch a device's current path manually using the SET DEVICE command with the /SWITCH qualifier. The most common reason for doing this is to balance the aggregate I/O load across multiple HSx controller modules, MDRs, and buses.

The command syntax for switching the current path is:

SET DEVICE device-name/SWITCH/PATH=path-identifier

This command requires the OPER privilege. Additionally, if the device is currently allocated by another process, as tape devices often are, the SHARE privilege is needed.

The following command switches the path of device $2$DKA502 to an MSCP served path.

$ SET DEVICE $2$DKA502/SWITCH/PATH=MSCP 

Note that this command initiates the process of switching the path and then returns to the DCL prompt immediately. A delay may occur between when the DCL prompt reappears and when the path switch is complete.

A manual path switch of a mounted device takes place within mount verification, which is triggered by the path switch command. It is accompanied by the usual mount verification messages and a path switch message, as shown in Example 6-1.

 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  15-JUN-2001 09:04:23.05  %%%%%%%%%%% 
 Device $1$DGA23: (H2OFRD PGA) is offline. 
 Mount verification is in progress. 
 
 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  15-JUN-2001 09:04:25.76  %%%%%%%%%%% 
 09:04:25.76 Multipath access to device $1$DGA23: has been manually switched 
 from path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D11 to path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D14 
 
 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  15-JUN-2001 09:04:25.79  %%%%%%%%%%% 
 Mount verification has completed for device $1$DGA23: (H2OFRD PGA) 

You can check for completion of a path switch by issuing the SHOW DEVICE/FULL command, or the SHOW DEVICE/MULTIPATH command.

Note that if the path that is designated in a manual path switch fails during the switch operation, then automatic path switching takes over. This can result in a switch to a path different from the one designated in the command.

If a manual path switch causes a logical unit to switch from one HSG80 controller to another controller, then the command can affect other nodes in the cluster. These nodes will experience a mount verification on their current path, causing an automatic switch to a path on the other HSG80 controller. Example 6-2 shows the messages that indicate this event.

 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  15-JUN-2001 09:04:26.48  %%%%%%%%%%% 
 Device $1$DGA23: (WILD8 PGA, H20FRD) is offline. 
 Mount verification is in progress. 
   
 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  15-JUN-2001 09:04:26.91  %%%%%%%%%%% 
 09:04:29.91 Multipath access to device $1$DGA23: has been auto switched from 
 path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D12 (WILD8) to path PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D13 (WILD8) 
 
 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM  15-JUN-2001 09:04:27.12  %%%%%%%%%%% 
 Mount verification has completed for device $1$DGA23: (WILD8 PGA, H20FRD) 

The WILD8 node name is displayed for each path because each path is a direct path on node WILD8. The node name field in the mount verification in progress and completed messages shows both a local path and an MSCP alternative. In this example, the WILD8 PGA, H20FRD name shows that a local PGA path on WILD8 is being used and that an MSCP path via node H20FRD is an alternative.

6.7.8 Path Selection by OpenVMS

The selection of the current path to a multipath device is determined by the device type as well as by the event that triggered path selection.

Path Selection for Initial Configuration at System Startup

When a new path to a multipath disk (DG, DK) or tape device (MG) is configured, the path chosen automatically as the current path is the direct path with the fewest devices. No operator messages are displayed when this occurs. (This type of path selection is introduced in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-1.) A DG, DK, or MG device is eligible for this type of path selection until the device's first use after a system boot or until a manual path switch is performed by means of the SET DEVICE/SWITCH command.

When a new path to a generic multipath SCSI device (GG, GK) is configured, the path chosen automatically as the current path is the first path discovered, which is also known as the primary path. For GG and GK devices, the primary path remains the current path even as new paths are configured. GG and GK devices are typically the console LUNs for HSG or HSV controller LUNs or for tape media robots.

Path Selection When Mounting a Disk Device

The current path to a multipath disk device can change as a result of a MOUNT command. The I/O performed by the MOUNT command triggers a search for a direct path that does not require the disk device to fail over from one HSx controller to another.

The path selection initiated by a MOUNT command on a DG or DK disk device proceeds as follows:

1. If the current path is a direct path and access to the device on this path does not require a controller failover, the current path is used.
2. If the current path is an MSCP path and it was selected by a manual path switch command, the current path is used.
3. All direct paths are checked, starting with the path that is the current path for the fewest devices. The direct paths are considered in order of increasing use as a current path for other devices. If a path is found on which access to the device does not require a controller failover, that path is selected. If the selected path is not the current path, an automatic path switch is performed and an OPCOM message is issued.
4. All direct paths are tried, starting with the path that is the current path for the fewest devices. The direct paths are considered in order of increasing use as a current path for other devices. If necessary, an attempt is made to fail over the device to the HSx controller on the selected path. If the selected path is not the current path, an automatic path switch is performed and an OPCOM message is issued.
5. The MSCP served path is tried. If the MSCP path is not the current path, an automatic path switch is performed and an OPCOM message is issued.

The MOUNT utility might trigger this path selection algorithm a number of times until a working path is found. The exact number of retries depends on both the time elapsed for the prior attempts and the qualifiers specified with the MOUNT command.

This path selection process, introduced in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-1, has the following benefits:

• Minimizes the disruption on other hosts in the cluster.
• Tends to preserve any static load balancing that has been manually set up on other nodes in the cluster.
• Enables the use of HSx console commands to set up an initial default distribution of devices between the two HSx controllers.
• Tends to balance the use of available paths from this host to the disk devices.
• Prefers direct paths over MSCP served paths.

Note that this selection process allows devices to be distributed between the two HSx controllers. You can accomplish this by using HSx console commands, such as the following:

HSG> SET UNIT PREFERRED_PATH=THIS_CONTROLLER 
 
HSG> SET UNIT PREFERRED_PATH=OTHER_CONTROLLER 

In addition, you can use the DCL commands for manual path switching described in Section 6.7.7, to select a different host bus adapter or a different port on the same HSx controller, or to force the device to fail over to a different HSx controller.

Path Selection When Mounting Tape Drive Device

Support for multipath tape drives and this type of path selection was introduced in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-1. Path selection when the MOUNT command is issued differs somewhat between multipath tape drives and disk devices for several reasons:

• Tape drives are not concurrently shareable by multiple hosts.
• Tape drives do not present the same concerns as disks do for disrupting I/O being performed by another host.
• There is no failover between direct and MSCP served paths to multipath tape devices.

The path selection initiated by a MOUNT command on an MG tape drive device proceeds as follows:

1. The current path is used if possible, even if a controller failover is required.
2. The direct paths are checked, starting with the path that is the current path for the fewest devices. The direct paths are considered in order of increasing use as a current path for other devices. If a path is found on which access to the device does not require a controller failover, that path is selected. If the selected path is not the current path, an automatic path switch is performed and an OPCOM message is issued.
3. The direct paths are checked again, starting with the path that is the current path for the fewest devices. The direct paths are considered in order of increasing use as a current path for other devices. If the selected path is useable and is not the current path an automatic path switch is performed and an OPCOM message is issued.

When an I/O operation fails on a device that is subject to mount verification, and the failure status suggests that retries are warranted, mount verification is invoked. If the device is a multipath device or a shadow set that includes multipath devices, alternate paths to the device are automatically tried during mount verification. This allows the system to recover transparently from cases in which the device has failed over from one HSx controller or MDR to another, and to recover transparently from failures in the path to the device.

The following devices are subject to mount verification:

• Disk devices that are mounted as Files-11 volumes, including host-based volume shadowing sets
• Tape devices that are mounted as ANSI tape volumes
• Tape devices that are mounted as foreign volumes

Note that foreign mounted disk volumes and generic SCSI devices (GG and GK) are not subject to mount verification and, therefore, are not eligible for automatic multipath failover.

Path selection during mount verification proceeds as follows:

1. If the current path is a direct path and access to the device on this path does not require controller failover, the current path is tried.
2. If the current path is an MSCP path and it was selected by a manual path switch command, the current path is tried (disks only).
3. All direct paths are checked, starting with the path that is the current path for the fewest devices. The direct paths are considered in order of increasing use as a current path for other devices. If a path is found on which access to the device does not require a controller failover, that path is selected.
4. Step 3 is repeated the number of times specified by the MPDEV_LCRETRIES system parameter. This provides additional bias toward selection of a path that does not require an HSx or MDR controller failover. The default value for MPDEV_LCRETRIES is 1.
5. All direct paths are tried, starting with the path that is the current path for the fewest devices. The direct paths are considered in order of increasing use as a current path for other devices. If necessary, an attempt is made to fail over the device to the HSx or MDR controller on the selected path.
6. If present, the MSCP served path is tried (disks only).

Steps 1 through 6 are repeated until either a working path is found or mount verification times out. If a working path is found and the path is different, the current path is automatically switched to the new path and an OPCOM message is issued. Mount verification then completes, the failed I/O is restarted, and new I/O is allowed to proceed. This path selection procedure attempts to avoid unnecessary failover of devices from one HSx controller to another because:

• Failover from one HSx controller module to another causes a delay of approximately 1 to 15 seconds, depending on the amount of cached data that needs to be synchronized.
• Other nodes that share access to the device must reestablish communication using an alternate path.

This path selection procedure prefers direct paths over MSCP served paths because the use of an MSCP served path imposes additional CPU and I/O overhead on the server system. In contrast, the use of a direct path imposes no additional CPU or I/O overhead on the MSCP-server system. This procedure selects an MSCP served path only if none of the available direct paths are working. Furthermore, this path selection procedure tends to balance the use of available direct paths, subject to the constraint of avoiding unnecessary controller failovers.