[Gluster-users] glusterfs as centralized and high-availability storage for virtualization

[admin at proxydienst.de]

hello.

I am using glusterfs 3.0.3. and I think it is a realy cool project.  
thanks a lot to all developers.

my idea was to use glusterfs for a centralized and highavailability  
backend-storage for virtual xen-domus. but I had different errors in  
my tests. what I have done:

2x server as glusterfs-server - called server[1,2]
1x server as clusterfs-client - called client1

example gluster-config on the servers:
---------------------
volume brick1
    type storage/posix
    option directory /test
end-volume

# posix locks
volume brick1-locks
   type features/posix-locks
   subvolumes brick1
end-volume

volume brick2
    type protocol/client
    option transport-type tcp/client
    option remote-host 192.168.11.214   # IP address of server2
    option remote-subvolume brick1-locks   # use brick1 on server2

end-volume

volume replicate
    type cluster/replicate
    subvolumes brick2 brick1-locks
end-volume

volume server
    type protocol/server
    option transport-type tcp/server
    subvolumes brick1-locks replicate
    option auth.ip.brick1-locks.allow 192.168.11*,127.0.0.1
    option auth.ip.replicate.allow 192.168.11*,127.0.0.1
end-volume
---------------------




on client1
* I run xen 3.4.1
* I have "mounted" glusterfs from server[1,2] -> in this mount-point  
there is my xen-image


so my idea is following:
if server1 has a problem or has to be shutdown -> then the xen-image  
has to run on server2 without interruption and errors
if server2 has a problem or has to be shutdown -> then the xen-image  
has to run on server1 without interruption and errors



so I tried both - server-side-replication and client-side-replication.
here are my test-results:


client-side-replication
---------------------
* I shut down (killed) server1 -> the xen-domu runs further on server2  
without any interruption
* after server1 comes up again -> self-healing takes places -> the  
virtual xen-domu is not reachable until self-healing ends


server-side-replication
---------------------
with server-side-replication I tried 2 different configuration. one  
with HA and one with round robin dns -> both have the same result.
-> HA: the client has not mounted the glusterfs-mount via the real  
address of server1 or server2 -> but it has mounted it via a  
HA-IP-adress between server1 and server2 -> so if one of the servers  
has a problem, the HA-IP will be switched
-> rrdns: like explained here:  
http://gluster.com/community/documentation/index.php/High-availability_storage_using_server-side_AFR

the result of both possibilitys:
* I shut down (killed) server1 -> the xen-domu runs further on server2  
but there are many errors -> I have to stop the xen-domu and start it  
again -> then everything seems to be fine
* after server1 comes up again -> self-healing takes places -> the  
virtual xen-domu is not reachable until self-healing ends (same  
problem as with the client-side-replication)




so my question is:
is it possible to have a centralized, high availablity glusterfs  
storage for virtual images?
if so, what am I doing wrong?
if not so, why?


if I forgot something to mention or you need another config-file,  
please be so kind and tell me. I will give it to you.


thank you very very much!!


arian