Adding a node to CTDB: Order of config vs installing and configuring the new node ...

[Martin Schwenke]

On Tue, 25 Nov 2014 14:13:24 -0800, Richard Sharpe
<realrichardsharpe at gmail.com> wrote:

> Some documentation at ctdb.samba.org says, with respect to adding a new node:
> 
> Procedure to add a node:
> 
> 1, To expand an existing cluster, first ensure with 'ctdb status' that
> all nodes are up and running and that they are all healthy. Do not try
> to expand a cluster unless it is completely healthy!
> 
> 2, On all nodes, edit /etc/ctdb/nodes and add the new node as the last
> entry to the file. The new node MUST be added to the end of this file!
> 
> 3, Verify that all the nodes have identical /etc/ctdb/nodes files
> after you edited them and added the new node!
> 
> 4, Run 'ctdb reloadnodes' to force all nodes to reload the nodesfile.
> 
> 5, Use 'ctdb status' on all nodes and verify that they now show the
> additional node.
> 
> 6, Install and configure the new node and bring it online.
> 
> However, it seems to me that the installation and configuration and
> even the bringing on line can be done before stem 1, as long as we do
> not start ctdb on the new node.
> 
> Does that sound reasonable?

Yes, completely reasonable.  :-)

The documentation for reloadnodes in ctdb(1) really makes me think that
we should extend the syntax of the nodes file by adding the node number
as an (optional) 2nd element on each line.  That would allow us to get
rid of the permanent comment lines that are currently required when we
remove nodes.

peace & happiness,
martin