Configuring Multipath I/O for the Root Device

In the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, the root partition (/) on multipath is supported only if the /boot partition is on a separate, non-multipathed partition. Otherwise, no boot loader is written.


If you apply all online updates, the DM-MP is available but is not supported for `/boot` and `/root` in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1 and later. More specifically, you need `mkinitrd` 1.2-106.61 and `multipath-tools` 0.4.7-34.23 or later. However, if you install the packages and set up the configuration, you might run into update issues later. Full multipath support is available in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11.

If you apply all online updates, the DM-MP is available but is not supported for /boot and /root in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1 and later. More specifically, you need mkinitrd 1.2-106.61 and multipath-tools 0.4.7-34.23 or later. However, if you install the packages and set up the configuration, you might run into update issues later.

Full multipath support is available in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11.

To enable multipathing on the existing root device:

Install Linux with only a single path active, preferably one where the by-id symlinks are listed in the partitioner.
Mount the devices by using the /dev/disk/by-id path used during the install.
After installation, add dm-multipath to /etc/sysconfig/kernel:INITRD_MODULES.
For System Z, before running mkinitrd, edit the /etc/zipl.conf file to change the by-path information in zipl.conf with the same by-id information that was used in the /etc/fstab.
Re-run /sbin/mkinitrd to update the initrd image.
For System Z, after running mkinitrd, run zipl.
Reboot the server.

To disable multipathing on the root device:

Add multipath=off to the kernel command line.
This affects only the root device. All other devices are not affected.