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Shared data across platforms

While volumes can be exported across platforms, the data on the volumes can be shared only if data sharing is supported at the application level. That is, to make data sharing across platforms possible, it must be supported throughout the entire software stack.

For example, if a VxFS file system on a VxVM volume contains files comprising a database, then the following functionality applies:

• Disks can be recognized (as cds disks) across platforms.
• Disk groups can be imported across platforms.
• The file system can be mounted on different platforms.

However, it is very likely that, because of the inherent characteristics of databases, you may not be able to start up and use the database on a platform different from the one on which it was created.

An example is where an executable file, compiled on one platform, can be accessed across platforms (using CDS), but may not be executable on a different platform.

  Note   You do not need a file system in the stack if the operating system provides access to raw disks and volumes, and the application can utilize them. Databases and other applications can have their data components built on top of raw volumes without having a file system to store their data files.