Novell KMP: Useable version of ibm-rdac-ds4000

After some more tinkering, a lot more looking at the macros in /usr/lib/rpm/rpm-suse-kernel-module-subpackage and /usr/lib/rpm/suse_macros, I think I finally have a usable RPM’ified version of IBM’s Multipathing driver ready for use.

There is still one major annoyance left: each time you install a new ibm-rdac-ds4000-kmp RPM, you also need to reinstall the corresponding ibm-rdac-ds4000-initrd package, as the macros in /usr/lib/rpm don’t allow for custom %post or %postun.

As mentioned before, I’m gonna send them to LSI/IBM for review, and maybe, MAYBE they are actually gonna make use of that.

Without further delay, here’s the list of packages. Just a short explanation: you need mppUtil-%version, in order to install the ibm-rdac-ds4000-kmp.

• mppUtil-09.03.0C05.0030-0.2 (i586, x86_64, SRPM)
• ibm-rdac-kmp-09.03.0C05.0030_2.6.16.60_0.37_f594963d-0.2 (SRPM)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-bigsmp (i586)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-debug (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-default (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-kdump (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-kdumppae (i586)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-smp (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-vmi (i586)
  • ibm-rdac-kmp-vmipae (i586)
• ibm-rdac-ds4000-initrd-09.03.0C05.0030_2.6.16.60_0.37_f594963d-0.2
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-bigsmp (i586)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-debug (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-default (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-kdump (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-kdumppae (i586)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-smp (i586, x86_64)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-vmi (i586)
  • ibm-rdac-initrd-vmipae (i586)

This package should be usable with System Storage DS4000 as well as System Storage DS3000 (they use the exact same source code).

I also know, that this solution isn’t really perfect. I’ve been looking at the %triggerin/%triggerun macros, but right now I can’t draw up a scenario (an easy one at that) to successfully use triggers in this situation. Only idea coming up looks like this:

1. Put the triggers into ibm-rdac-ds4000
2. When installing the kernel module packages, write the kernelversion/-flavor into a temporary file (impossible, since the macros don’t let you influence %post), and then let the trigger create/update the MPP initrd

If anyone knows a better solution (as in easier, without the writing to a separate file), I’m all ears.