sp_companion

Description

Performs cluster operations such as configuring Adaptive Server as a secondary companion in a high availability system and moving a companion server from one failover mode to another. sp_companion is run from the secondary companion.

Syntax

sp_companion 
	[server_name 
	{, configure
		[, {with_proxydb | NULL}] 
		[, srvlogin]
		[, server_password]
		[, cluster_login] 
		[, cluspassword]]
	| drop
	| suspend
	| resume
	| prepare_failback
	| do_advisory}
		{, all
		| help
		| group_attribute_name 
		| base_attribute_name}

Parameters

server_name: is the name of the Adaptive Server on which you are performing a cluster operation.

configure: configures the server specified by server_name as the primary companion in a failover configuration.

drop: permanently drops a companion from failover configuration. After the command has completed, the servers are in single-server mode.

suspend: temporarily removes the companions from a failover configuration. After the command is completed, the companions are in suspended mode.

resume: reverses the suspend command and resumes normal companion mode between the companions.

prepare_failback: prepare the secondary companion to relinquish the primary companion’s resources so it can failback.

do_advisory: verifies that the secondary companion is compatible for successfully performing the primary companion’s functions during failover mode.

all – causes do_advisory the investigate all the parameters.

help – displays information and syntax about the do_advisory parameter.

group_attribute_name – is the name of the group attribute upon which sp_companion reports

base_attribute_name – is the name of the base attribute upon which you want sp_companion do_advisory reports.

with_proxydb: creates proxy databases on the secondary companion for all database other than the system databases – and all subsequent databases that are added – when this parameter is included in the initial configuration of the companion servers. By default, with_proxydb is disabled.

srvlogin: is a user’s login to access the companion server. By default, the value of srvlogin is “sa”.

srvpassword: is the user’s password to access the companion server. By default, the value of srvpassword is null.

cluster_login: is the user’s login to log into the cluster. By default, the value of cluster_login is “sa”.

cluspassword: is the user password you must provide to log into the cluster. By default, the value of cluspassword is null.

Examples

Example 1

Configures the Adaptive Server MONEY1 as the primary companion:

sp_companion "MONEY1", configure

Example 2

Configures the Adaptive Server MONEY1 as the primary companion and creates proxy databases on the secondary companion:

sp_companion "MONEY1", configure, with_proxydb, "sa", "sapsswd"

Example 3

Drops the Adaptive Server PERSONEL1 from the failover configuration. After the command has completed, both the primary companion and the secondary companion will be in single-server mode:

sp_companion "PERSONEL1", "drop"

Example 4

Resumes normal companion mode for the companion server (in this example, MONEY1):

sp_companion "MONEY1", "resume"

Example 5

Prepares the primary companion (in this example, PERSONEL1) to change to normal companion mode and resume control of the Adaptive Server that failed over:

sp_companion "PERSONEL1", "prepare_failback"

Example 6

Checks to make sure a cluster operation with the PERSONEL1 companion will be successful. Because do_advisory in this example uses the all parameter, it checks all the do_advisory attributes of PERSONEL1 to make sure that none of them will prevent a successful cluster operation, and that the secondary companion can successfully perform the primary companion’s operations after failover is complete:

sp_companion "PERSONEL1", do_advisory, "all"

Example 7

Checks to make sure that none of the attributes for the Component Integration Services (CIS) on the companion server is compatible with the local server:

sp_companion "PERSONEL1", do_advisory, "CIS"

Usage

sp_companion performs cluster operations such as configuring Adaptive Server as a secondary companion in a high availability system. sp_companion also moves companion servers from one failover mode to another (for example, from failover mode back to normal companion mode). sp_companion is run from the secondary companion.
sp_companion is installed with the installhasvss (insthasv on Windows NT), not the installmaster script. installhasvss is located in the scripts subdirectory in $SYBASE_ASE.
sp_companion automatically disables Sybase’s mirroring. Sybase recommends that you use a third-party mirroring software to protect your data from disk failures.

For complete information, see Using Sybase Failover in A High Availability System. Before running the do_advisory command, make sure to read the configuration chapter of this book as well as the do_advisory chapter.

Permissions

You must be user with ha_role to execute sp_companion. Permission checks do not differ based on the granular permissions settings

Auditing

Values in event and extrainfo columns from the sysaudits table are:

Event	Audit option	Command or access audited	Information in extrainfo
38	exec_procedure	Execution of a procedure	Roles – Current active roles Keywords or options – NULL Previous value – NULL Current value – NULL Other information – All input parameters Proxy information – Original login name, if set proxy in effect