GPFS cluster configuration data file issues

GPFS uses a file to serialize access of administration commands to the GPFS cluster configuration data files. This lock file is kept on the primary GPFS cluster configuration server in the /var/mmfs/gen/mmLockDir directory. If a system failure occurs before the cleanup of this lock file, the file remains and subsequent administration commands may report that the GPFS cluster configuration data files are locked. Besides a serialization lock, certain GPFS commands may obtain an additional lock. This lock is designed to prevent GPFS from coming up, or file systems from being mounted, during critical sections of the command processing. If this happens, then you can see a message that shows the name of the blocking command, similar to message:

6027-1242

GPFS is waiting for requiredCondition.

To release the lock:

1. Determine the PID and the system that owns the lock by issuing:

   mmcommon showLocks

   The mmcommon showLocks command displays information about the lock server, lock name, lock holder, PID, and extended information. If a GPFS administration command is not responding, stopping the command unlocks the lock. If another process has this PID, another error occurred to the original GPFS command, causing it to die without freeing the lock, and this new process has the same PID. If this is the case, do not kill the process.
2. If any locks are held and you want to release them manually, from any node in the GPFS cluster issue the command:

   mmcommon freeLocks <lockName>