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.
Created attachment 217361 [details] patch that resolves the problem
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.
changing summary as this isnt really an RFE
Patch applied. I will move the bindings file to /etc for RHEL6.
*** Bug 324971 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
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