Question & Answer
Question
How to set up NIM for VIOS installation?
Answer
This document guides you through the steps of preparing NIM for new VIOS installation. It provides instructions how to create the needed NIM resources to perform VIOS installation. In case you run into any problems during this operation open new case with IBM Support team for further investigation.
This topic is covered in the following parts:
- Downloading the VIOS iso image
- Pulling the mksysb_image file from the VIOS iso image and checking its integrity
- Defining the VIOS as client of NIM
- Defining mksysb and spot resources and allocating them to the VIOS
- Booting the VIOS in SMS over network
Downloading the VIOS iso image
The VIOS iso images can be downloaded from the Entitled Systems Support website:
https://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/ess/ProtectedServlet.wss
https://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/ess/ProtectedServlet.wss
ESS website provides two types for iso images; designed for DVD, which come as DVD 1 and DVD 2 and flash iso designed for USB flash drives, which is combination of both DVDs in one iso. There are the following different types of VIOS images:
# ls -l
total 21708840
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 4521631744 Apr 16 2021 Virtual_IO_Server_Base_Install_3.1.2.20_DVD_1_of_2_042021_LCD8250106.iso
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 1674301440 Apr 14 2021 Virtual_IO_Server_Base_Install_3.1.2.20_DVD_2_of_2_042021_LCD8250206.iso
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 4918992896 Apr 16 2021 Virtual_IO_Server_Base_Install_3.1.2.21_Flash_042021_LCD8250307.iso
Pulling the mksysb_image file from the VIOS iso image and checking its integrity
“DVD1 and DVD2” iso types:
# mkdir /mnt/dvd1
# mkdir /mnt/dvd2
# loopmount -i Virtual_IO_Server_Base_Install_3.1.2.20_DVD_1_of_2_042021_LCD8250106.iso -o "-V cdrfs -o ro" -m /mnt/dvd1
# loopmount -i Virtual_IO_Server_Base_Install_3.1.2.20_DVD_2_of_2_042021_LCD8250206.iso -o "-V cdrfs -o ro" -m /mnt/dvd2
# ls -l /mnt/dvd1/usr/sys/inst.images
total 6289924
drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 2048 Mar 17 2021 installp
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 2146959360 Mar 17 2021 mksysb_image
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 1073479680 Mar 17 2021 mksysb_image2
# ls -l /mnt/dvd2/usr/sys/inst.images
total 769984
drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 2048 Mar 17 2021 installp
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 394229760 Mar 17 2021 mksysb_image
# cat /mnt/dvd1/usr/sys/inst.images/mksysb_image /mnt/dvd1/usr/sys/inst.images/mksysb_image2 /mnt/dvd2/usr/sys/inst.images/mksysb_image > /export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb
“Flash” iso type:
# mkdir /mnt/flash
# loopmount -i Virtual_IO_Server_Base_Install_3.1.2.21_Flash_042021_LCD8250307.iso -o "-V udfs -o ro" -m /mnt/flash
# ls -l /mnt/flash/usr/sys/inst.images
total 1764976
dr-xr-xr-x 2 root system 2048 Mar 31 2021 installp
-r--r--r-- 1 root system 3614668800 Mar 31 2021 mksysb_image
# cp /mnt/flash/dvd/usr/sys/inst.images/mksysb_image /export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb
Check the final mksysb integrity:
# restore -Tqvf /export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb > /dev/null
If it prompts the following message:
Mount volume 2 on /export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb.
Press the Enter key to continue.
The mksysb image is corrupted and the reasons are most likely one of the following:
- Partially downloaded iso image – incomplete or corrupted download.
- Something went wrong during the process of combining mksysb_images with the “cat” command or issue occurred copying it to the locally on NIM.
Defining the VIOS as client of NIM
Before defining the VIOS in NIM as management object, the HMC and CEC must be defined first. For this functionality, the dsm.core fileset needs to be installed on NIM. Then, follow the steps from this technote starting from section 4.1.2 Environment Setup until section "e" - "Define VIOS":
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/vios-31-viosupgrade-process
After defining HMC and CEC, the VIOS should be defined as management object:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/vios-31-viosupgrade-process
After defining HMC and CEC, the VIOS should be defined as management object:
cli:
# nim -o define -t vios -a if1="<network> <vios_name> <mac_address>” –a mgmt_source=<cec_name> -a identity=<lpar_id> <vios_name>
smit:
# smit nim_mgmt_obj —> Define a Management Object —> Select “vios” —> Host Name of the VIOS [VIOS hostname] —> Select its CEC, Give Identity as lpar_id, Provide network details (if network is not already defined), Provide Network Adapter Hardware Address(mac address)
As a workaround, the VIOS can be defined as "standalone" type instead management object as it does not require defining HMC and CEC resources.
cli:
# nim -o define -t standalone -a platform=chrp -a if1="<network> <VIOS hostname> 0" -a cable_type1=N/A -a netboot_kernel=64 -a connect=<nimsh or shell> <VIOS hostname>
smit:
# smit nim_mkmac -> Host Name of Machine [VIOS hostname] -> ent ->
Communication Protocol used by client [] <- chose the desired protocol nimsh or shell
Revise the network settings to make sure the VIOS is inside the correct NIM network, if needed create new one for it.
Defining mksysb and spot resources and allocating them to the VIOS
Depending on the VIOS definition type, the method of defining mksysb is different. If it was defined as management object, then "ios_mksysb" type should be used:
cli:
# nim -o define -t ios_mksysb -a location=/export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb -a server=master VIOS_31220_ios_mksysb
smit:
# smit nim_mkres -> ios_mksysb ->
* Resource Name [VIOS_31220_ios_mksysb]
* Resource Type ios_mksysb
* Server of Resource [master] +
* Location of Resource [/export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb]
If the VIOS was defined as "standalone" type, mksysb should be defined in the following way:
cli:
# nim -o define -t mksysb -a server=master -a location=/export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb VIOS_31220_mksysb
smit:
# smit nim_mkres -> mksysb ->
* Resource Name [VIOS_31220_mksysb]
* Resource Type mksysb
* Server of Resource [master] +
* Location of Resource [/export/mksysb/VIO31220/VIOS_3.1.2.20.mksysb]
Define spot resource:
cli:
# nim -o define -t spot -a server=master -a source=<VIOS_31220_mksysb or VIOS_31220_ios_mksysb> -a location /export/spot/VIOS_31220_spot VIOS_31220_spot
smit:
# smit nim_mkres -> spot ->
* Resource Name [VIOS_31220_spot]
* Resource Type spot
* Server of Resource [master] +
Source of Install Images [VIOS_31220_mksysb] +
* Location of Resource [/export/spot/VIOS_31220_spot]
Allocate the resources for network boot:
cli:
# nim -o bos_inst -a source=mksysb -a mksysb=VIOS_31220_mksysb -a spot=VIOS_31220_spot -a accept_licenses=yes -a boot_client=no <VIOS hostname>
smit:
# smit nim_bosinst -> select the <VIOS hostname> -> mksysb -> VIOS_31220_mksysb -> VIOS_31220_spot ->
ACCEPT new license agreements? [yes]
Initiate reboot and installation now? [no]
Booting in SMS over network
Boot the VIOS in SMS and configure the Remote IPL (Initial Program Load) settings then boot over network in the following way once inside initial SMS menus:
Select Boot Options -> Select Install/Boot Device -> Network -> BOOTP-> choose the adapter on which you configured the IPL settings -> Normal Mode Boot - > Yes
You are prompted with the VIOS installation menus.
If you run into any problems, open new case with IBM Support team for further investigation.
References:
[{"Type":"MASTER","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB08","label":"Cognitive Systems"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SWG10","label":"AIX"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m0z000000cvz2AAA","label":"Install-\u003ENIM"}],"ARM Case Number":"","Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"All Versions"}]
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Document Information
Modified date:
18 October 2022
UID
ibm16829921