RHEA-2011:0074 - Product Enhancement Advisory

Topic

Updated device-mapper-multipath packages that fix several bugs and add
various enhancements are now available.

Description

The device-mapper-multipath packages provide tools to manage multipath devices
using the device-mapper multipath kernel module.

Bug fixes:

• The kernel driver of device-mapper multipath appeared to be old and SAN boot

could fail, because the version testing of the driver was incorrect. Version
testing is now implemented correctly. (BZ#517951)

• On a non-disruptive upgrade (NDU), all paths of EMC Symmetric arrays failed

and the application suddenly terminated. The default configurations for EMC
Symmetric are added and the issue no longer occurs. (BZ#562967)

• device-mapper multipath failed to update its maps after a path state

transition. multipathd now automatically updates the path groups when a path
priority changes. (BZ#566685)

• Because of a udev race, partitions on multipath devices were not always

created. The udev rules now wait for device-mapper multipath to finish the
device creation. (BZ#568127)

• If a multipath device configured with queue_if_no_path with no working paths

was created while booting, the machine hung. multipath no longer enables queuing
before multipathd is started. (BZ#579789)

• If a default configuration used /bin/true for the priority callout, booting

from a multipathed root file system stopped responding. Now the default values
of the respective configurations are set to "none" and booting succeeds.
(BZ#580729)

• To resize a multipath device, you had to run "multipathd -k'resize map

[mapname]'", as running "multipath" caused it to get stuck in the SUSPENDED
state. In this state, all I/O to the device hung. You can now resize the device
with either command. (BZ#584742)

• The "show config" command displayed only values differing from the default

values. Now, the command prints the complete configuration. (BZ#585225)

• If you added and removed a path in quick succession, the path was removed

while multipathd was still using it, resulting in a segmentation fault.
multipathd no longer crashes. (BZ#597789)

• If all paths to a device failed and were recovered, in some cases multipath

was unable to recover the path immediately. multipath now detects recovered
paths. (BZ#599053)

• Since the HWTABLE cannot be overridden, the "defaults" section of the

multipath.conf man page no longer implies that anything in the section becomes
default and overrides the implied settings. (BZ#599686)

• The kernel could send a spurious remove uevent for a multipath device and a

valid multipath device was removed. uevents are now sent only after a device is
removed. (BZ#614966)

• Restoring paths on a group_by_prio multipath device could cause the pathgroups

to be misconfigured. Multipathd now refreshes all path priorities after paths
are restored, which solves the issue. (BZ#660238)

Enhancements:

• CCISS devices are now supported. (BZ#484419)
• Multipath for storage devices mounted as read-only with the 'nodev' option is

added. (BZ#559852)

• The multipath and multipathd commands print warning messages in case of an

invalid configuration parameter in multipath.conf. (BZ#560892)

• The default configuration for IBM Virtual SCSI ALUA, HP EVA 3000/5000 and

P2000, EUROLOGC FC2502 devices is provided. (BZ#647358, BZ#565579, BZ#573495)

• The "pg_prio_calc" option was added to multipath.conf default options. By

default, the option is set to "sum" and group priority is calculated as the sum
of its path priorities. If set to "avg", multipath calculates priorities using
the average priority of the paths in the group. (BZ#570513)

• The "log_checker_err" option was added to the multipath.conf defaults option.

By default, the option is set to "always" and a path checker error is logged
continuously. If set to "once", multipathd logs the path checker error once at
logging level 2. Any later errors are logged at level 3, until the device is
restored. (BZ#574813)

• Virtio block devices can be multipathed. (BZ#576600)

Users should upgrade to these updated packages, which resolve these issues and
add these enhancements.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use the Red Hat
Network to apply this update are available at
https://access.redhat.com/kb/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 484419 - FEAT: RHEL5.6: CCISS device-mapper-multipath support: missing sysfs attributes
• BZ - 517951 - [FOCUS] DM multipath kernel driver version too old
• BZ - 566685 - [NetApp 5.6 bug] DM-Multipath fails to update maps after path state transition on ALUA enabled setups
• BZ - 570513 - [NetApp 5.6 feat] Path switching inefficiency in DM-Multipath
• BZ - 573495 - EUROLOGC/FC2502 needs hwtable entry for getuid callout to use the correct scsi_id codepage
• BZ - 579789 - System hangs on boot if multipath disks are in Not Ready state.
• BZ - 580729 - change default configuration for array(s) that uses /bin/true as a prio_callout
• BZ - 584742 - IO is stuck due to active device that moved to suspend mode and never resumed
• BZ - 597789 - rhel: multipathd[2424]: segfault at 00000000000004a4 rip 000000000041eb98 rsp 00000000
• BZ - 614966 - PVs are created under /dev and not under /dev/mapper
• BZ - 647358 - FEAT: New HP Storage Array Parameters in built-in DM Multipath H/W table (Device Mapper multi-pathing): HP SWD
• BZ - 660238 - [NetApp 5.6 Bug] Incorrect dm-multipath path grouping after storage controller faults

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)