Some customers are using the /var/lib/multipath/bindings file to make sure
they have consistent device naming across a cluster. Their cluster nodes
however are setup with /var on a separate partition. The way our init scripts
work, /var isn't mounted until after the multipathing setup has occurred, so
the bindings file is never read. You can only specify a different bindings
file location via the command line, which in this case would require that the
customer hand edit the rc.sysinit script in order to change the location of
the bindings file. This is not an acceptable solution. This patch allows
these customers to specify their own bindings file location in the defaults{}
section of the multipath.conf.
All customers using multipath use /var/lib/multipath/bindings :-)
multipath uses this file, as you know, for multipath cache... which doesn't take
on reboot on many many servers because /var isn't yet mounted.
Thats the problem. rc.sysinit could call multipath with the "-b" option to
specify a different location for the bindings file, but doen't.
An advisory has been issued which should help the problem
described in this bug report. This report is therefore being
closed with a resolution of ERRATA. For more information
on the solution and/or where to find the updated files,
please follow the link below. You may reopen this bug report
if the solution does not work for you.
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHEA-2007-0808.html
Some customers are using the /var/lib/multipath/bindings file to make sure they have consistent device naming across a cluster. Their cluster nodes however are setup with /var on a separate partition. The way our init scripts work, /var isn't mounted until after the multipathing setup has occurred, so the bindings file is never read. You can only specify a different bindings file location via the command line, which in this case would require that the customer hand edit the rc.sysinit script in order to change the location of the bindings file. This is not an acceptable solution. This patch allows these customers to specify their own bindings file location in the defaults{} section of the multipath.conf.