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The requirement for a XenServer host to have a static IP address to be part of a resource pool
also applies to servers providing shared NFS or iSCSI storage for the pool.
Although not a strict technical requirement for creating a resource pool, the advantages of pools (for example,
the ability to dynamically choose on which XenServer host to run a VM and to dynamically move a VM between
XenServer hosts) are only available if the pool has one or more shared storage repositories. If possible, postpone
creating a pool of XenServer hosts until shared storage is available. Once shared storage has been added, Citrix
recommends that you move existing VMs whose disks are in local storage into shared storage. This can be done
using the xe vm-copy command or XenCenter.
Creating a Resource Pool
Resource pools can be created using either the XenCenter management console or the CLI. When you join a new
host to a resource pool, the joining host synchronizes its local database with the pool-wide one, and inherits
some settings from the pool:
• VM, local, and remote storage configuration is added to the pool-wide database. All of these will still be tied
to the joining host in the pool unless you explicitly take action to make the resources shared after the join
has completed.
• The joining host inherits existing shared storage repositories in the pool and appropriate PBD records are
created so that the new host can access existing shared storage automatically.
• Networking information is partially inherited to the joining host: the structural details of NICs, VLANs and
bonded interfaces are all inherited, but policy information is not. This policy information, which must be re-
configured, includes:
• the IP addresses of management NICs, which are preserved from the original configuration
• the location of the primary management interface, which remains the same as the original configuration.
For example, if the other pool hosts have their primary management interfaces on a bonded interface, then
the joining host must be explicitly migrated to the bond once it has joined.
• Dedicated storage NICs, which must be re-assigned to the joining host from XenCenter or the CLI, and the
PBDs re-plugged to route the traffic accordingly. This is because IP addresses are not assigned as part of
the pool join operation, and the storage NIC is not useful without this configured correctly. See the section
called “Configuring a dedicated storage NIC” for details on how to dedicate a storage NIC from the CLI.
To join XenServer hosts host1 and host2 into a resource pool using the CLI
1. Open a console on XenServer host host2.
2. Command XenServer host host2 to join the pool on XenServer host host1 by issuing the command:
xe pool-join master-address=<host1> master-username=<administrators_username> \
master-password=<password>
The master-address must be set to the fully-qualified domain name of XenServer host host1 and the
password must be the administrator password set when XenServer host host1 was installed.
Naming a resource pool
• XenServer hosts belong to an unnamed pool by default. To create your first resource pool, rename the
existing nameless pool. Use tab-complete to find the pool_uuid:
xe pool-param-set name-label=<"New Pool"> uuid=<pool_uuid>
Creating Heterogeneous Resource Pools
Note:
Heterogeneous resource pool creation is only available to XenServer Advanced editions and
above. To learn more about XenServer editions and to find out how to upgrade, visit the Citrix
website here.