Changing the IP Address of an AFS Server or Client

Resolving The Problem

To change the IP address of a file server machine that is not a database server machine, and is running AFS 3.5 or higher:

1. Change the IP address.

NOTE: If while changing the IP address, you also change the *name* of the system control machine (SCM) or a binary distribution machine (BDM), remember to change the upclientetc and upclientbin instances on other file server machines that point to that SCM or BDM.

2. Restart your fileserver after changing the IP address to register the new IP address in the VLDB. AFS will automatically register all of a file server machine's addresses in the VLDB as part of its support for multihoming. When it has replaced the IP address in the VLDB, the addresses stored in the /usr/afs/local/sysid file on this server are updated.

3. It may be necessary to use "fs checkvolumes" on all clients to force them to recognize the new name-to-location mapping. These mappings are updated automatically within 2 hours even if "fs checkvolumes" is not issued.

4. If you've defined any Protection Database IP-groups to include the machine under its old address, you must change them manually.


To change the IP address of a database server machine running AFS 3.5 or higher:

1. Modify /usr/afs/etc/CellServDB on every file server machine to reflect the machine's new IP address.

2. Use "bos shutdown" on all server processes on the machine. If the machine is also a fileserver, volumes will be inaccessible for a while.

3. Change the IP address.

4. Use "bos restart" on the server processes on the machine. At the same time, issue "bos restart" on the database server processes (Authentication Server, Backup Server, Protection Server and VL Server) on all other database server machines. Issue the commands in quick succession so that all servers vote in the quorum election.

5. Restart the fs process on each of your cell's machines at some point, to redistribute connections across all database server machines. You've already done this on the machine whose address is changing.

NOTE: If you're changing the IP addresses of ALL database server machines, then you must restart the fs process on all file server machines to resume normal operations of your cell.

6. AFS will automatically register all of a fileserver machine's addresses in the VLDB as part of its support for multihoming. Restart your fileserver after changing the IP address to register the IP address in the VLDB. When it has replaced the IP address in the VLDB, the addresses stored in the /usr/afs/local/sysid file on this server are updated.

7. On all client machines, change /usr/vice/etc/CellServDB. Then either run "fs newcell -s +" or reboot the machine.

8. If you've defined any Protection Database IP-groups to include the machine under its old address, you must change them manually.


To change the IP address of AFS client-only machines:

1. Change the IP address.

2. Reboot the machine. Restarting the Cache Manager in this way guarantees that all callbacks held by file servers for the client's old address will be broken.