Managing HP Serviceguard A.11.20.20 for Linux, May 2013

7.8.8 Allowable Package States During Reconfiguration
In many cases, you can make changes to a package’s configuration while the package is running.
The table that follows shows exceptions — cases in which the package must not be running, or in
which the results might not be what you expect — as well as differences between modular and
legacy packages.
CAUTION: Be extremely cautious about changing a package's configuration while the package
is running.
If you reconfigure a package online (by executing cmapplyconf on a package while the package
itself is running) it is possible that the package will fail, even if the cmapplyconf succeeds,
validating the changes with no errors.
For example, if a file system is added to the package while the package is running, cmapplyconf
does various checks to verify that the file system and its mount point exist. But the actual file system
check and mount of the file system can be done only after cmapplyconf succeeds; and if one of
these tasks fails in a running package, the entire package will fail.
Another example involves renaming, modifying, or replacing an external script while the package
that uses it is running. If the package depends on resources that are managed by the script, the
package will fail when you replace the script. See “Renaming or Replacing an External Script Used
by a Running Package” (page 241).
In general, you have greater scope for online changes to a modular than to a legacy package. In
some cases, though, the capability of legacy packages has been upgraded to match that of modular
packages as far as possible; these cases are shown in the table. For more information about legacy
and modular packages, see Chapter 6 (page 169).
NOTE: If neither legacy nor modular is called out under “Change to the Package”, the “Required
Package State” applies to both types of package. Changes that are allowed, but which HP does
not recommend, are labeled “should not be running”.
IMPORTANT: Actions not listed in the table can be performed for both types of package while
the package is running.
In all cases the cluster can be running, and packages other than the one being reconfigured can
be running. You can make changes to package configuration files at any time; but do not apply
them (using cmapplyconf or Serviceguard Manager) to a running package in the cases indicated
in the table.
NOTE: All the nodes in the cluster must be powered up and accessible when you make package
configuration changes.
Table 14 Types of Changes to Packages
Required Package StateChange to the Package
Package must not be running.
NOTE: You cannot delete a package if another package has a dependency on
it.
Delete a package
Package must not be running.Change package type
Package can be running.Add or delete a module: modular
package
Package can be running, but should not be starting.
Timing problems may occur if the script is changed while the package is starting.
Change run script contents: legacy
package
7.8 Reconfiguring a Package 243