Veritas Storage Foundation Cluster File System High Availability (SFCFSHA) allows clustered severs to mount and use a file system simultaneously as if all applications using the file system were running on the same server. The Veritas Volume Manager cluster functionality (CVM) makes logical volumes and raw device applications accessible through a cluster.

SFCFSHA uses a symmetric architecture in which all nodes in the cluster can simultaneously function as metadata severs. SFCFSHA still has some remnants of the old master/slave or primary/secondary concept. The first server to mount each cluster file system becomes its primary; all other nodes in the cluster become secondaries. Applications access the user data in files directly from the server on which they are running. Each SFCFSHA node has its own intent log. File system operations, such as allocating or deleting files, can originate from any node in the cluster.

Installing VxFS and enabling the cluster feature does not create a cluster file system configuration. File system clustering requires other Veritas products to enable communication services and provide storage resources. These products are packaged with VxFS in the Storage Foundation Cluster File System to provide a complete clustering environment.

See the Veritas Storage Foundation Cluster File System High Availability Administrator's Guide.

To be a cluster mount, a file system must be mounted using the mount -o cluster option. File systems mounted without the -o cluster option are termed local mounts.

SFCFSHA functionality is separately licensed.