In a VCS configuration with MultiNICB resources, several MultiNICB and IPMultiNICB resources are not probed when UseMpathd = 1 is configured in each MultiNICB resource.

Problem

In a VCS configuration with MultiNICB resources, several MultiNICB and IPMultiNICB resources are not probed when UseMpathd = 1 is configured in each MultiNICB resource.

Error Message

-- RESOURCES NOT PROBED
-- Group           Type                 Resource                       System

D  NDDB            IPMultiNICB          ip_NDDB                   foo-vcs-nd4
D  NDDB            IPMultiNICB          ip_TSMBackupDB      foo-vcs-nd4
D  NDDB            Proxy                   ProxyNIC-NDDB         foo-vcs-nd4
D  NDIO            IPMultiNICB          ip_NDIO                     foo-vcs-nd4
D  NDIO            IPMultiNICB          ip_TSMBackupIO        foo-vcs-nd4
D  NDIO            Proxy                   ProxyNIC-NDIO           foo-vcs-nd4
D  Network_ipmp    MultiNICB        NIC_ipmp                    foo-vcs-nd4
D  Network_ipmp    MultiNICB        NIC_ipmp_tsm             foo-vcs-nd3
D  Network_ipmp    MultiNICB       NIC_ipmp_tsm              foo-vcs-nd4
D  Ntfr            Proxy                     proxy_nicproxy              foo-vcs-nd4

2012/07/20 12:48:40 VCS NOTICE V-16-10001-5001 IPMultiNICB:ip_NDIO:monitor:Could not read MultiNICB export information. This may be because MultiNICB has not completed monitor yet.

2012/07/20 12:48:41 VCS ERROR V-16-10001-6525  MultiNICB:NIC_ipmp:monitor:Interface configuration is not valid. Check IP addresses, subnet masks, flags, groupnames on all interfaces. Make sure that all the interfaces of only one IP subnet are included under the resource. See Bundled Agents Reference Guide.

Solution

MultiNICB agent will always use DefaultRouter attribute value (if configured) to add/delete default route. This is applicable even when ConfigCheck = 0.

Also regarding another query “why several MultiNICB and IPMultiNICB resources are not probed” – the first probe for both MultiNICB resources returned unknown (this is because ConfigCheck = 1 and there are interfaces on the same subnet under different MultiNICB resources). This will leave MultiNICB resources in not-probed state.
As IPMultiNICB resources depend on  MultiNICB resources for monitoring, they will not be probed unless MultiNICB resources are probed.

MultiNICB agent supports two mode of operations –
1. Base mode – MultiNICB agent monitor/manage interfaces
2. Mpathd mode – OS daemon in.mpathd monitor/manage interfaces

In base mode (UseMpathd = 0), we enforce the following two conditions –
- All specified physical interfaces are in the same IP subnet and group, and have "DEPRECATED" and "NOFAILOVER" flags set on them.
- No other physical interface has the same subnet as the specified interfaces.
These checks  are imposed to avoid any routing related issues in certain scenarios.
For example, when DefaultRouter attribute of MultiNICB agent is configured, agent adds/removes default route when resource goes online/offline. If there are other IP addresses of same subnet on the system, adding/deleting default route may affect their functionality.

In Mpathd mode (UseMpathd = 1), whether to perform the above-mentioned checks is controlled by ConfigCheck attribute. To disable these checks set the value of MultiNICB resource’s ConfigCheck attribute to 0.

When UseMpathd mode for MultiNICB resources is used, setting ConfigCheck to 0 in each MultiNICB type resource, should resolve the issue.

To solve this issue in question, it's recommended to set ConfigCheck to 0 for each MultiNICB type resource, and please take appropriate steps to online the resources in question.