A control script consists of a set of entry point functions (for example, IsAlive) for the Generic Script resource DLL. The Resource Monitor calls these scripted entry point functions during cluster operation. Except for the Open function, the scripted entry point functions serve the same purpose as the same-named resource DLL entry point functions implemented using the Failover Cluster API. For more information, see Implementing Resource DLLs.

A control script must implement the LooksAlive and IsAlive functions and can also implement the functions Open, Online, Offline, Close, and Terminate.

Note  You should not store control script files on cluster disks. Although these drives may seem to be the ideal location because all nodes in the cluster can access them, storing control script files there causes problems when you upgrade either the Cluster service or the application software, especially if the cluster is in a production environment. Such upgrades require the cluster to be shut down completely. If you choose instead to install control script files on all nodes in the cluster, you can use a rolling upgrade approach—upgrading each node individually—without affecting the operation of the cluster.

Script Execution

A Resource Monitor call to either of the time-critical entry point functions LooksAlive or IsAlive executes directly, without calling other entry point functions and without loading or unloading the script. A Resource Monitor call to any other entry point function (for example, Online) generates associated Resource Monitor entry point function calls (for example, to Open) and may cause the script to load or unload. For more information on the Resource Monitor actions for each entry point function call, see the following table.

In a control script, code within the script body, outside any of the entry point functions, is executed when the script is loaded. Code within an entry point function is executed whenever that function is called. For example, code within the Open function is executed not only when the script is opened, but also when Open is called prior to Online or Close.

Parameters and Return Values

Parameters are not passed in a call to an entry point function in a script.

An entry point function can optionally set a return value. A return value of zero (or "true") indicates success and does not appear in the cluster log. The functions LooksAlive and IsAlive should return the Boolean "true" rather than a numeric zero. Success is assumed if the return value is not set explicitly in the function.

A non-zero return value (or false) indicates failure and appears in the cluster log.

Accessing Resources

The Generic Script resource DLL creates a Resource object for each scripted resource instance. The Resource object enables a control script to log information, manipulate properties, and access the resource name. For more information, see Resource Object.

Note  To avoid deadlocks, do not use the Cluster Automation Server, the Failover Cluster WMI Provider, or otherwise make any calls to the Cluster API from your control script. All interaction with the cluster should be done through the Resource object.

Instance Management

For each instance of a scripted resource, the Generic Script resource DLL runs an instance of a control script in a separate thread. Thus there is no need to implement instance management in a control script; as far as a control script is concerned, there is one and only one resource instance.

Control Script Layout

The following example illustrates the layout of a control script in VBScript that implements all the supported entry point functions. For executable script resource examples, see Scripted Resource Example.

'   ... Insert your script-level global variables and definitions here
'   ... e.g. Resource.LogInformation("ScriptWide Global Stuff is Run")
'   ... Code placed here is outside any entry point function.
'   ... It is run once when the script is created
'   ... and once when the script is placed online.

Function Open( )
'   ... Insert your Open code here.
End Function

Function Online( )
'   ... Insert your Online code here.
'   ... Online is executed once when the resource is placed online.
End Function

Function LooksAlive( )
'   ... Insert your LooksAlive code here.
'   ... LooksALive is executed at specified intervals.
End Function

Function IsAlive( )
'   ... Insert your IsAlive code here.
'   ... IsAlive is executed at specified intervals
'   ... or when a LooksAlive call fails.
End Function

Function Offline( )
'   ... Insert your Offline code here.
'   ... Offline is executed once when the resource is placed offline.
End Function

Function Close( )
'   ... Insert your Close code here.
End Function

Function Terminate( )
'   ... Insert your Terminate code here.
'   ... Terminate is executed once when the script terminates.
End Function

See Also

Using the Generic Script Resource Type

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Build date: 11/19/2009