Installing the Virtual I/O Server using installios

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You can use the following procedures to install the Virtual I/O Server into environments managed by the HMC or the Integrated Virtualization Manager using the installios command.

Prerequisites

You need the following files before beginning this procedure. These files are located on the Virtual I/O Server installation media:
  • nimol/ioserver_res/mksysb (the mksysb image)
In addition, the following system requirements must be met:
  • A file system with at least 700 MB available.
  • A Virtual I/O Server logical partition that contains an Ethernet adapter connected to an active network for installing the Virtual I/O Server. For information about creating logical partitions, see Creating the Virtual I/O Server logical partition and partition profile.
  • A storage controller containing at least 16 GB of disk space.
Complete the following steps to use NIM to install the Virtual I/O Server:
  1. Insert the Virtual I/O Server DVD into the DVD drive.
  2. Run the installios command without any arguments to start the installation wizard. The installios wizard guides you through the process of completing the necessary information to start an installation on the Virtual I/O Server or on the Integrated Virtualization Manager.

    If you run installios on a NIM client, then you are prompted for the location to the bos.sysmgt.nim.master fileset. The NIM client is then configured as a NIM master. For more information about command-line use of the installios command, see the installios command.

    The installios setup process creates the following NIM resources to start the installation:
    • bosinst_data
    • installp_bundle
    • lpp_source
    • mksysb
    • resolv_conf
    • SPOT
    • Client definition

    If you are installing the Virtual I/O Server logical partition, and if Secure Shell (SSH) and credentials have been configured on the NIM master, then the partition is network-booted from the Hardware Management Console (HMC) to begin the installation.

    If you are installing the Virtual I/O Server logical partition without SSH, or if you are installing the Integrated Virtualization Manager, then go to step 3.

  3. On the system on which the Virtual I/O Server software will be installed, boot either the Virtual I/O Server logical partition or the Integrated Virtualization Manager into System Management Services (SMS) mode by following these steps:
    • To boot the Virtual I/O Server logical partition into SMS:
      1. On the HMC, right-click the partition to open the menu.
      2. Click Activate. The Activate Partition menu opens with a selection of partition profiles. Be sure the correct profile is highlighted.
      3. Select the Open a terminal window or console session check box to open a virtual terminal (vterm) window.
      4. Click (Advanced...) to open the advanced options menu.
      5. For the Boot mode, select SMS.
      6. Click OK to close the advanced options menu.
      7. Click OK. A vterm window opens for the partition.
      8. In the vterm window, select Setup Remote IPL (Initial Program Load).
      9. Select the network adapter that will be used for the installation.
      10. Select IP Parameters.
      11. Enter the client IP address, server IP address, and gateway IP address. Optionally, you can enter the subnet mask. After you have entered these values, press Esc to return to the Network Parameters menu.
      12. Select Ping Test to ensure that the network parameters are properly configured. Press Esc twice to return to the Main Menu.
      13. From the Main Menu, select Select Boot Options.
      14. Select Select Install/Boot Device.
      15. Select Network.
      16. Select the network adapter whose remote IPL settings you previously configured.
      17. When prompted for Normal or Service mode, select Normal.
      18. When asked if you want to exit, select Yes.
    • To boot the Integrated Virtualization Manager into SMS:
      1. Begin with the machine turned off.
      2. Turn on the machine, and as icons begin to appear from left to right on the bottom of your display, press F1.
        Note: If the last icon is displayed before pressing F1, you get the normal mode boot list instead of SMS. Repeat steps a and b.
      3. The System Management Services menu opens. Select Utilities.
      4. From the System Management Services Utilities menu, select Remote Initial Program Load Setup.
      5. From the Network Parameters panel, select IP Parameters.
      6. Set or change the displayed values so they are correct for your client system. Specify the IP address of the following, then press Enter:
        • The client machine you are booting in the client address field.
        • Your NIM master server in the server address field.
        • Your client's gateway in the gateway address field.
        • Your client's subnet mask in the subnet mask field.
      7. When the Network Parameters window opens, select the Ping option.
      8. Select the network adapter to be used as the client's boot device.
      9. Verify that the displayed addresses are the same as the addresses you specified for your boot device. If the addresses are incorrect, press Esc until you return to the main menu. Then, go back to Step e. If they are correct, continue with Step j.
      10. Press Enter to perform the ping test. The ping test might take several seconds to complete.
      11. If the ping test fails, verify that the addresses are correct, and analyze the network problem. If the ping test is successful, press Enter to acknowledge the success message.
      12. Press Esc until you return to the System Management Services menu.
      13. From the System Management Services menu, choose the Select Boot Devices option.
      14. Select the network adapter to be used for the network boot from the list of displayed bootable devices.

After the installation is complete, the Virtual I/O Server logical partition or the Integrated Virtualization Manager is ready to be configured and managed.

To remove all of the NIM resources that were created from the installios setup process, run the installios command with the -u flag. If the installios command fails to perform the cleanup, run installios -u and specify the -f flag to force NIM to reset and deallocate resources to the client. The NIM environment remains, but all of the resources and directory structures created from the installios wizard are removed. If, however, you want to unconfigure NIM, or to uninstall the bos.sysmgt.nim.master fileset and return the NIM master back to a NIM client if it was configured from a NIM client, specify installios -u with a -U flag.

You can also install a Virtual I/O Server or an Integrated Virtualization Manager through the SMIT interface.
  1. To access the SMIT interface to the installios command, run smitty installios on a NIM master.
  2. You will have two options: to Setup for Virtual I/O and Integrated Virtualization Manager Installation and Cleanup after Virtual I/O and Integrated Virtualization Manager Installation, where Configure Client as Master for Virtual I/O and Integrated Virtualization Manager Installation is the only available option on a NIM client.
  3. Complete the required fields from the installios wizard to invoke the installios command that will setup the installation or perform a cleanup.