SGI InfiniteStorage Appliance Manager Setup Wizard automatically creates the CXFS cluster if CXFS is licensed and installed. After the Setup Wizard is complete, the cluster will contain the following:
One CXFS metadata server node, on which Appliance Manager runs [13]
One Fibre Channel switch
One clustered filesystem
You will add client nodes later using the CXFS Cluster Nodes management pages.
The cluster name, private network IP address, and Fibre Channel switch IP address are all pre-set. By default, the cluster name is sgisan. The CXFS private network is in the 10. x.x.x range; one of the ethernet ports on the metadata server is assigned an address within this range, typically eth2. Another ethernet port (typically eth3) is configured for direct connect to the Fibre Channel switch.
 | Note: Ethernet port assignments may vary, depending on your system hardware. |
If you have a site-specific reason that requires you to change the cluster name or private network IP address, you can do so using the CXFS tools described in CXFS 5 Administration Guide for SGI InfiniteStorage. However, both these operations are disruptive to the cluster and must be done with care.
For example, to change the private network IP address by using the cxfs_admin tool:
| Note: While the metadata server is disabled, the CXFS management and monitoring pages in Appliance Manager will display the error message Unable to connect to cluster. These pages will return to normal after the metadata server is enabled and has reestablished membership, which can take several seconds. For more information, see “Cluster Connection Issues”. |
To change the cluster name, you must completely destroy and re-create the cluster using the CXFS tools.
The message Unable to connect to cluster may appear on the Summary page or on the CXFS management or monitoring pages for the following possible reasons:
The metadata server is currently establishing membership in the CXFS cluster. It can take several seconds for the metadata server to establish membership. Wait a few seconds and reload the page.
The CXFS cluster daemons are not running. Check the daemon status on the following page:
Management -> Services -> CXFS -> Start/Stop
Start the cluster daemons if necessary.
The CXFS cluster is misconfigured. You can use the cxfs_admin and cxfs-config tools to further diagnose cluster configuration issues. For more information, see CXFS 5 Administration Guide for SGI InfiniteStorage.
[13] Metadata is information that describes a file, such as the file's name, size, location, and permissions.The metadata server is the node that coordinates updating of metadata on behalf of all nodes in a cluster.