Chapter 1. Using GNBD with Red Hat GFS

Chapter 1. Using GNBD with Red Hat GFS

Chapter 1. Using GNBD with Red Hat GFS

GNBD (Global Network Block Device) provides block-level storage access over an Ethernet LAN. GNBD components run as a client in a GFS node and as a server in a GNBD server node. A GNBD server node exports block-level storage from its local storage (either directly attached storage or SAN storage) to a GFS node.

Table 1.1, “GNBD Software Subsystem Components” summarizes the GNBD software subsystems components.

Software Subsystem Components Description
GNBD gnbd.ko Kernel module that implements the GNBD device driver on clients.
  gnbd_export Command to create, export and manage GNBDs on a GNBD server.
  gnbd_import Command to import and manage GNBDs on a GNBD client.
  gnbd_serv A server daemon that allows a node to export local storage over the network.

Table 1.1. GNBD Software Subsystem Components

You can configure GNBD servers to work with device-mapper multipath. GNBD with device-mapper multipath allows you to configure multiple GNBD server nodes to provide redundant paths to the storage devices. The GNBD servers, in turn, present multiple storage paths to GFS nodes via redundant GNBDs. When using GNBD with device-mapper multipath, if a GNBD server node becomes unavailable, another GNBD server node can provide GFS nodes with access to storage devices.

This document how to use GNBD with Red Hat GFS and consists of the following chapters: