Windows tags for VOBs on Linux or the UNIX system with remote storage pools

If a VOB on a host running Linux® or the UNIX system includes remote storage pools, Windows® hosts that use an NFS client product cannot access the VOB unless it has a tag in the Windows region that includes a split pool map, which provides a network path to each of the remote pools.

Note: This topic applies only when Windows hosts use an NFS Client product to access VOBs with symbolically linked storage pools. It does not apply if you use a supported SMB server product to provide Windows clients with access to VOBs on Linux or the UNIX system.

To check a VOB for remote pools (see Creating remote storage pools on hosts running Linux or the UNIX system), type a command similar to this one on a computer running Linux or the UNIX system:

cleartool lspool –long –invob /vobs/libvob
 ...
pool "libvob"
...
  pool storage link target pathname "/net/gamma/pools/libvob.1"
  pool storage global pathname "/net/io/vb_store/libvob/s/sdft"
...

If the output includes one or more pool storage link ... lines, use one of the following procedures when you create a tag for it in a region established for Windows hosts that use an NFS client product to access VOBs on Linux or the UNIX system.

To use the Region Synchronizer:
  1. Select the VOB tag and click Import.
  2. In the Create VOB Tag window, click Show Mount Options.
  3. Under NT-Only Options, in the Split Pool Map field, supply a one-line text string that specifies all remote storage pools. For example, the following line defines two remote pools: s\sdft\=\\gamma\pools\s\libvob.1 | c\cdft\=\\gamma\pools\c\libvob.1

    In this example, the VOB storage directory is on io but includes symbolic links to pools on gamma.

    Note: Path names are specified with UNC names, a backslash (\) terminates each path name, and vertical bars (|) separate individual pool mappings.

To use the mktag command, specify the –poolmap option as shown in this example:

cleartool mktag –vob –tag \libvob –replace –options ^
poolmap=s\sdft\=\\gamma\pools\s\libvob.1\^|c\cdft\=\\gamma\pools\c\libvob.1\^
–host io –hpath /usr1/vb_store/libvob.vbs –gpath \\io\usr1\vb_store\libvob.vbs ^
\\io\usr1\vb_store\libvob.vbs

This example illustrates several important rules for composing the command-line:
  • A poolmap string commonly specifies multiple pools. Use vertical bars (|) to separate individual pool specifications. Precede each vertical bar with a caret (^).
  • Use UNC names to specify pool locations.
  • Specify all of the –host, –hpath, and –gpath arguments.
  • Supply a UNC name to the VOB storage directory as the –gpath argument.

Poolmap syntax

This is the formal syntax for each pool specification in a poolmap mount option to cleartool mktag:

pool-spec := symlink-source\=symlink-target\
Where:
  • symlink-source specifies the symbolic link to the remote pool, relative to the VOB storage directory.
  • symlink-target specifies the full pathname, in UNC format, of the linked pool. The pool must reside in a directory on Linux or the UNIX system that has been mounted by an NFS client product running on the local Windows computer. The pathname must be valid on all computers in the region.