Binding to INADDR_ANY Versus Binding to Specific IP Addresses

Even when non-multihomed hosts are used, the Sun Cluster logical network address concept enables the machine to have more than one IP address. The machine has one IP address for its own physical host and additional IP addresses for each network address (logical host name) resource that it currently masters. When a machine becomes the master of a network address resource, it dynamically acquires additional IP addresses. When it gives up mastery of a network address resource, it dynamically relinquishes IP addresses.

Some data services cannot work properly in a Sun Cluster environment if they bind to INADDR_ANY. These data services must dynamically change the set of IP addresses to which they are bound as the resource group is mastered or unmastered. One strategy for accomplishing the rebinding is to have the starting and stopping methods for these data services kill and restart the data service's daemons.

The Network_resources_used resource property permits the end user to configure a specific set of network address resources to which the application resource should bind. For resource types that require this feature, the Network_resources_used property must be declared in the RTR file for the resource type.

When the RGM brings the resource group online or offline, it follows a specific order for plumbing, unplumbing and configuring network address up or down in relation to when it calls call data service resource methods. See Deciding on the Start and Stop Methods to Use.

By the time the data service's Stop method returns, the data service must have stopped using the resource group's network addresses. Similarly, by the time the Start method returns, the data service must have started to use the network addresses.

If the data service binds to INADDR_ANY rather than to individual IP addresses, the order in which data service resource methods are called and network address methods are called is not relevant.

If the data service's stopping and starting methods accomplish their work by killing and restarting data service's daemons, then the data service stops and starts using the network addresses at the appropriate times.