LVM on Pacemaker Clusters, system boot fails and drops into emergency shell

This document (000020391) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 GA
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP1
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 GA
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP1
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP2
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP3
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP4
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 12 SP5
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 GA
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 GA
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5

Situation

A system (node) running a Pacemaker Cluster with LVM is not booting or fails, and drops into emergency shell, showing dependency errors on filesystem related services.

Here are some examples of the usual errors seen in the system's console:

> Mounting /xxxx/yyyy/zzzz...
> [FAILED] Failed to mount /xxxx/yyyy/zzzz.
> See 'systemctl status xxxx-yyyy-zzzz.mount' for details.
> [DEPEND] Dependency failed for Local File Systems.

> [ OK ] Found device /dev/disk/by-uuid/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
> Mounting /yyyyy/zzzzz...
> Starting File System Check on /dev/...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...
> [FAILED] Failed to start File System Check o...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
> See 'systemctl status "systemd-fsck@dev...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.service"' for details.
> [DEPEND] Dependency failed for /yyyyy/zzzzz.
> [DEPEND] Dependency failed for Local File Systems.
> You are in emergency mode. After logging in, type "journalctl -xb" to view
> system logs, "systemctl reboot" to reboot, "systemctl default" or ^D to
> try again to boot into default mode.
> Give root password for maintenance

Resolution

"lvmetad" must be disabled on OS level and from the LVM configuration on all systems running a Pacemaker Cluster, by following these steps:

1.- disable, stop and mask the lvmetad daemon, run as root:

systemctl disable --now lvm2-lvmetad

systemctl mask lvm2-lvmetad

2.- disable, stop and mask the lvmetad socket, run as root:

systemctl disable --now lvm2-lvmetad.socket

systemctl mask lvm2-lvmetad.socket

3.- disable the lvmetad daemon from the LVM configuration file /etc/lvm/lvm.conf by editing the file and setting the following line:

use_lvmetad = 0

Cause

LVM2 uses lvmetad to allow udev to automatically active logical volumes, when lvmetad is enabled the lvm2-pvscan@*.service does not activate logical volumes. When lvmetad is disabled, the activation jobs are done by systemd calling lvm2-activation-*.services. Because of this, the LVM upstream removed lvmetad in lvm2-2.03, that is the reason why this TID only apply to systems before SLES 15 SP2.

Disclaimer

This Support Knowledgebase provides a valuable tool for SUSE customers and parties interested in our products and solutions to acquire information, ideas and learn from one another. Materials are provided for informational, personal or non-commercial use within your organization and are presented "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

Document ID:000020391
Creation Date: 21-Sep-2021
Modified Date:23-Sep-2021
- SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications

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