PRIMECLUSTER Global Link Services Configuration and Administration Guide: Redundant Line Control Function 4.1 (for Solaris(TM) Operating System)

2.3.6 Line control of Solaris container

Solaris container

Solaris containers are location independent and complete runtime environments for applications. Each application runs in its own private environment -- without dedicating new systems -- and many applications can be tested and deployed on a single server. Solaris Zones software partitioning technology provides a virtual mapping from the application to the platform resources. Zones allow application components to be isolated from one another even though the zones share a single instance of the Solaris Operating System. The Solaris Zones partitioning technology is used to virtualize operating system services and provide an isolated and secure environment for running applications. A zone is a virtualized operating system environment created within a single instance of the Solaris Operating System.

The virtual server is referred to simply as non-global zone (hereafter, zone). Every Solaris system contains a global zone. The global zone is both the default zone for the system and the zone used for system-wide administrative control. The redundant line control function ensures network high-reliaiblity on the zone.

Network interface of Solaris container

One or more IP address is allocated to each zone of the Solaris container. The IP addresses are added to the logical interface generated on the physical interface. The logical interface is hidden from the other zones, so applications can only use the IP addresses (logical interface) allocated to the zone.

The following figure shows the network interfaces configuration example.

[Fugure 2.50 Network interfaces configuration example]

Starting each zone from the system (global zone) will enable the zone.

IP addersses (logical interfaces) allocated to each zone are created or deleted from Solaris OS along with zone startup or stop. If physical interfaces or virtual interfaces do not exist, the zone will not be started. If you make the zone network highly reliable through redundant line control, it is necessary to activate the virtual interface before zone startup. However, the redundant line control function will be first started during system startup, so users do not have to be aware of the startup order.

Redundnat line control in Solaris container

The following table describes how each redundant line control function corresponds to high-reliability and GLS command capability in the global or non-global zne of the Solaris container.

[Table 2.4 Redundnat line control in Solaris container]

Redundant line control		Solaris container
		Global zone		Non-global zone
		High-reliablity	GLS command	High-reliablity	GLS command
Fast switching mode	IPv4	Possible	Possible	Possible	Not possible
	IPv6	Possible	Possible	Possible	Not possible
	Dual	Possible	Possible	Possible	Not possible
RIP mode	IPv4	Possible	Possible	Not possible	Not possible
Fast switching / RIP mode	IPv4	Possible	Possible	Not possible	Not possible
NIC switching mode (Logical IP takeover)	IPv4	Possible	Possible	Not recommended	Not possible
	IPv6	Possible	Possible	Possible	Not possible
	Dual	Possible	Possible	Possible	Not possible
NIC switching mode (Physical IP takeover)	IPv4	Possible	Possible	Possible	Not possible
GS/SURE linkage mode	IPv4	Possible	Possible	Not possible	Not possible

• When you make the zone network highly reliable through NIC switching, use physical IP takelover (operation mode "e"). If you use logical iP takeover (operation mode "d"), the redundant line control function will activate a logical IP address as a takeover IP address as well as Solaris OS will activate another logical IP address during zone startop, which means the unnecessary IP address not used by the zone will be activated. If you add the zone settings after setting logical IP takeover (operation mode "d"), it is not necessary to change it to physical IP takeover (operation mode "e").
• The virtal iP address, logical IP address, and physical IP addess allocated through redundant line control can be used in the global zone only. Solaris OS will allocate IP addresses to the non-global zone during zone startup.

The following example shows how to configure the virtual and physical interfaces in fast switching mode.

The application in each zone communicates with each other using the logical/virtual interfaces that are allocated to the virtual interface. Even though an error occurs in the transmission route of the redundant physcail interface (hme0 or hme1), it will never disrupt ongoing operations.

[Figure 2.51 Interface structure in fast switching mode]

The following example shows how to configure the virtual and physical interfaces in NIC switching mode.

The application in each zone communicates with each other using the logical interfaces that are allocated to the physical interfaces. Even though an error occurs in the transmission route of the redundant physcail interface (hme0), the applications will be switched over to the standby interface (Ihme1) and ensures operational continuity.

[Figure 2.52 Interface structure in fast switching mode]

For details about the Solaris container, see the Solris 10 OS manual.

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2.3.6.1 Network high-reliability through redundant line control