Can I update software packages on a RHEL High Availability or Resilient Storage node while it is an active member of the cluster?

Solution Verified - Updated

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 with the High Availability or Resilient Storage Add-On

Issue

  • I updated my cluster software while the node was still a member and the cluster became unstable
  • A node had its software updated while it was live and resources began behaving strangely or giving errors
  • Nodes crashed or were fenced while having their RPMs updated with yum
  • Do I need to stop the cluster daemons on my nodes before I update packages?

Resolution

All cluster daemons should be stopped before updating the RPM packages on any RHEL High Availability or Resilient Storage cluster node.

Consult Red Hat's recommended practices for applying updates in a cluster for additional information.

Root Cause

Updating software packages on an active cluster node or active remote node can produce unexpected behavior in a number of different ways. Red Hat does not support or recommend doing so.

If pacemaker is running while pacemaker is updated, then after the package is updated the pacemaker service will be restarted which can cause resources to relocate and the cluster node to briefly leave the cluster then rejoin the cluster.

This applies to remote nodes as well. After pacemaker-remote is updated, the systemd service will be restarted.

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