6.3 HP StoreAll Storage Release Notes (TA768-96086, April 2013)

Express Query Database
• If you use hard links, be aware that there could be some inconsistencies in the metadata stored
in the Express Query database. If you perform any file system operations on a hard link that
changes the system metadata, metadata stored in the file system is updated, and it is visible to a
stat call to any of the links to that file. For example, if hardlinkA and hardlinkB point to the same
file, and hardlinkA is updated, then the stat hardlinkA command produces the same (updated)
size as the stat hardlinkB command, since the stat command shows metadata from the
file system.
In contrast, Express Query treats hard links to the same file as if they are separate files. As a
result, only the hard link you modified has its metadata updated in Express Query. The Express
Query metadata for all other hard links to the same file are not updated. Express Query requests
for system::size for hardlinkA show the larger size, but requests for hardlinkB’s system::size
still report the old (smaller) size.
To find all hard linked files in a directory tree, enter the following command:
find <path> -links +1 -xtype f
Express Query treats soft links as “normal” paths. System metadata for the soft link is maintained
independently of the system metadata of the target. Custom metadata is also independent. You
can assign custom attributes to a soft link that differ from the custom attributes assigned to the
target of the link.
• The following Express Query audit event types are not yet audited when data validation scans
start and end, even when enabled.
◦ val_scan_started
◦ val_scan_ended
The audit event types are in place to support this functionality in the future.
• In the StoreAll REST API, the system::tier attribute is populated correctly when the file is first
created, or when it is first added to the metadata database if Express Query is enabled on an
existing file system. However, when the file system is moved to another tier by StoreAll file migration
utilities such as data tiering or rebalancer, that change does not yet update the system::tier
attribute available for query through the REST API.
• Root segment evacuation fails on a file system that has express query and retention enabled.
Before running segment evacuation, disable Express Query by entering the ibrix_archiving
–S command. You can re-enable Express Query after segment evacuation completes. To enable
Express Query, enter the ibrix_archiving –s command.
Failover
• When a system is configured for mode 6 bonding, a manual failover without power down might
result in an incomplete failover and a loss of connectivity for clients. You resolve access to the
NFS share by running the arping command from the new active server. Avoid this issue by
powering down during a failover.
• If you need to make cluster configuration changes such as adding, extending, or deleting a file
system, be sure that at least two file serving nodes in the cluster are UP and are not in nofmfailover
mode. If a configuration change is necessary and only one node is UP, save a copy of /usr/
local/ibrix/tmp/fmbackup.zip after each configuration change is completed. In the case
where only one node is UP, this copy can be used later if that node goes down before any of the
other nodes come up. In general, before you bring up cluster nodes that have been down for
some time, ensure that the cluster already has an active Fusion Manager running.
• When the active management console is moved to nofmfailover mode, a passive management
console will transition to active mode. Be sure that this transition is complete before you move the
10 Workarounds