Important: A CNS is available only for EVS instances that use the global security context. You cannot complete the tasks in this section for EVS instances that use an individual security context.
The cluster name space (CNS) has a tree-like directory structure like a file system. The CNS virtual root and subdirectories provide access to file systems. You can view all of the configured directories and file system links in File Administrator.
The following considerations help to simplify configuration and maintenance for a CNS:
- If there is only one CNS link to the file system, and there are no SMB shares or NFS exports on the file system, only a single link must be moved during a transfer of primary access.
- A CNS does not support hard links or move operations between the individual file systems. These operations are fully supported, but only within a single physical file system; that is, the part of the CNS tree under a file system link.
- Relocating file systems under the CNS might interrupt SMB access to the file system. To minimize interruption, relocate file systems when they are idle.
- Additional EVS instances causes unnecessary administrative overhead, and might lead to confusion. Use multiple EVS instances on the same cluster node only when you have data that should reside outside the cluster name space.
- When using a CNS, the recommended configuration is to have a single SMB share or NFS export at the root of the name space. If that configuration does not meet your requirements, the next best configuration is to have SMB shares or NFS exports pointing to individual directories in the name space. You should not configure SMB shares or NFS exports pointing to a path of the real file system unless it is necessary.
The following example shows a cluster name space tree structure:
- At the top of the name space the root directory is shown. In the example, the root directory is Testroot.
- Under the root directory are a number of subdirectories. In the example, one subdirectory has been created for each file system (testDir1, testDir2, and testDir3).
- Under each subdirectory is a file system link (link1 and link2). A file system link associates a directory with a specific file system.