IP Network Multipathing Groups

Add this planning information to the Public Networks Worksheet.

Internet Protocol (IP) Network Multipathing groups, which replace Network Adapter Failover (NAFO) groups, provide public-network adapter monitoring and failover, and are the foundation for a network-address resource. A multipathing group provides high availability when the multipathing group is configured with two or more adapters. If one adapter fails, all of the addresses on the failed adapter fail over to another adapter in the multipathing group. In this way, the multipathing-group adapters maintain public-network connectivity to the subnet to which the adapters in the multipathing group connect.

Consider the following points when you plan your multipathing groups.

• Each public network adapter must belong to a multipathing group.

• For multipathing groups that contain two or more adapters, you must configure a test IP address for each adapter in the group. If a multipathing group contains only one adapter, you do not need to configure a test IP address.

• Test IP addresses for all adapters in the same multipathing group must belong to a single IP subnet.

• Test IP addresses must not be used by normal applications because the test IP addresses are not highly available.

• In the /etc/default/mpathd file, do no change the value of TRACK_INTERFACES_ONLY_WITH_GROUPS from yes to no.

• The name of a multipathing group has no requirements or restrictions.

For more information about IP Network Multipathing, see “Deploying Network Multipathing” in IP Network Multipathing Administration Guide (Solaris 8) or“Administering Network Multipathing (Task)” in System Administration Guide: IP Services (Solaris 9). Also see “IP Network Multipathing Groups” in Sun Cluster Overview for Solaris OS and Sun Cluster Concepts Guide for Solaris OS.