Configure Virtual Tape on VIO Server ( Map physical tape to AIX Client)

You may need to backup AIX client data to tape, the VIO allow mapping physical tapes starting with VIOS v2.1.0.10-FP20.1.

But it has some limitation on the type of tapes that can be mapped (Check IBM documentation)

on the VIO server you can check wether the tape can be mapped by issuing the following command

VIO_SERVER$lsdev -type tape

this will list the available tapes on the system.

VIO_SERVER$lsdev -type tape4vtd

this will give you the list of tape that can be maped.

VIO_SERVER$mkvdev -vdev rmt0 -vadapater vhost0

vhost0 is the VIRTUAL SCSI adapter mapped to VIO Client LPAR

 

Easy way to get Virtual SCSI mapping from VIO Client

Sometimes you need to get the VIO mapping from the client side.

the easiest way is to run the below command:

root@client_lpar: / # echo “cvai” | kdb | grep vscsi 

read vscsi_scsi_ptrs OK, ptr = 0xF1000000C01A83C0
vscsi0     0x000007 0x0000000000 0x0                VIO_SRV1->vhost0

Install and Configure EMC Solution enabler on a client machine (LINUX) v7.6

This is a quick guide to install and configure EMC solution enabler version 7.6 on linux.

You may require to have a client machine were you can run some symcli commands remotely without having to add Gatekeepers and install a new management server.

The easiest way is to install solution enabler in client mode.

First download SE from EMC support site, file name is se76…-Linux-i386-ni.tar.gz to a temp directory in the /tmp (i usually create deleteme directory under /tmp)

before starting installation make sure that DNS entries are available for client node and that both server and client can lookup each others using name and IP.

$su –

#cd /tmp/deleteme

#gunzip se*.gz | tar -xvf –

you will have a file called se7628_install.sh

start the installation

#./se7628_install.sh -install

follow the default settings, make sure the system creates the client certificates.

when installation is done you can run ./se7628_install.sh -check to check installation.

reboot the node client

Configure client connection:

All configuration files can be found in /var/symapi/config

#cd /var/symapi/config

#vim netcnfg

This file contains the service name to connect to management HOST. you can configure different connections with different security levels, the default security level is SECURE ( we will use it)

SYMAPI_SECURE – TCPIP managementserver.domain.com  10.X.X.Y 2707 SECURE

Now set the path variable

#export PATH=$PATH:/usr/symcli/bin

#export MANPATH=$MANPATH:/usr/storapi/man:/usr/storapi/storman

Now we can check the previously configured services inside netcnfg using :

#symcfg list -service

before we can run commands remotely, we should set the following ENV variable.

#export SYMCLI_CONNECT=SYMAPI_SECURE

#export SYMCLI_CONNECT_TYPE=REMOTE

The first command to run :

#symcfg discover

If you receive an error related to executing the command you need to install glibc library for i686 or your architecture.

If you receive an error related to client/Server handshake. Make sure that the hostname does not contain any – in the name.

you may need to recreate the command.

#cd /var/symapi/config/cert

#manage_server_cert.sh list

if you don’t see the name of the server, you can recreate the certificate

#manage_server_cert.sh create IPv4

#manage_server_cert.sh list

#manage_server_cert.sh update

if this doesn’t work you can recreate the certificate using its FQDN.

Note that this is the default installation, you should harden the server security and use Solution enabler for SYmmetrix security guide to enhance security.

you can apply host security , and access control to secure connection and allow specific commands to be executed from this client

IBM P HMC remote console access from CLI – use vtmenu

Probably the default method for access LPAR console , is to use HMC GUI to access windows Console.

But there is a better way. Just enable ssh on the hmc (open by default)

ssh into the HMC using any tool like putty ssh.

once connected to the hmc,

#vtmenu

this will list the available managed systems

select the managed system using it’s number

to exit the LPAR console use tilde followed by dot. ~.

hope this will help

IBM Power server control panel – HMC IP address

Function 30: Service processor IP address and port location

This function displays the service processor IP address and port location. This function is available only
in the manual operating mode and from power on standby.

So first system, should be changed to manual mode. Once the operation end put back the system into automatic mode

The following table shows an example of function 30.

Function/Data Action or description
3 0 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Use the Increment or Decrement buttons to scroll to function
3 0 * * _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Press Enter to enter subfunction mode
3 0 0 0 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Use the Increment or Decrement buttons to select an IP

address

00 = SP A: ETH0 (primary enclosure)

01 = SP A: ETH1 (primary enclosure)

02 = SP B: ETH0 (secondary enclosure)

03 = SP B: ETH1 (secondary enclosure)
S P _ A : _ E T H O : _ _ _ T 5

9 . 5 . 1 0 5 . 2 4 3 _ _ _ _ _

 Press Enter to display the selected IP address.
3 0 * * _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Use the Increment or Decrement buttons to select

subfunction exit.
3 0 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Press Enter to exit subfunction mode.

To download the full reference functions

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/POWER6/iphb5/iphb5.pdf?lang=en

Install Fedora 20 on IBM Power Server

I wanted to try installing Linux on Power.
After downloading fedora 20 DVD. I tried to start the installation.
Boot to SMS menu, select CD/DVD boot media and start the installation process.

Two options are available. Start VNC and by default this require a DHCP server on the network.
Start text mode installation.

Since i don’t have a DHCP server, i wanted to try the text mode.
text mode is more limited by the options you can use, and there is a bug when configuring network device.
I keep getting the same error “All probes should be completed” , you also can’t use Ctrl+ALT+F2 on HMC vterm console.

 

So i had to use the other option.

The good news is that you can set an ip address from the boot option.

SO reboot the LPAR from the HMC,

and when you receive the prompt INSTALL Fedora 20

type e to edit at the end after “ro” add “ro vnc vncpassword=123456 ip=10.x.x.x netmask=255.255.255.0 gateway=10.x.x.x”

when done click CTRL+X to start installation.

 

starting fedora 19 you can also set a vlan tag on the interface using vlan=<vlanname>:<phydevice>

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Anaconda_Boot_Options

Tivoli storage Manager 6.3.3 dsmadmc error

Tivoli storage manager uses two file for its configuration. dsm.opt and dsm.sys for system wide configuration.

when trying to run dsmadmc on the server, the following error is preventing the command line from starting: ANS0101E Unable to open English message repository ‘dsmclientV3.cat’.

The following steps are required to resolve the issue: set the env variable DSM_CONFIG to a custom path. by default it uses the client /ba/ folder.

and DSM_DIR.

fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# pwd
/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag
fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# ./dsmadmc
ANS0101E Unable to open English message repository ‘dsmclientV3.cat’.
fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# export DSM_CONFIG=”$PWD/dsm.opt”
fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# echo $DSM_CONFIG
/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag/dsm.opt
fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# export DSM_DIR=`pwd`
fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# echo $DSM_DIR
/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag
fastsmsrv01:/opt/tivoli/tsm/server/bin/tsmdiag# ./dsmadmc
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager
Command Line Administrative Interface – Version 5, Release 3, Level 0.0
(c) Copyright by IBM Corporation and other(s) 1990, 2004. All Rights Reserved.

Enter your user id:  admin

Enter your password:

Session established with server FASTSMSRV01: AIX
Server Version 6, Release 3, Level 3.0
Server date/time: 05/14/13   16:32:12  Last access: 05/14/13   16:28:00

VIO NPIV Mapping to FC / Unmap

In this post i will share with you some tips to configure NPIV on VIO. NPIV is very usefull on VIO and can reduce overhead for administering storage on the VIO. Opposed to virtual SCSI, NPIV help storage admin to have full visibility on the LPARs storage disks.

First check fc ports on vio servers that support NPIV using lsnports command. This command also displays the remaining number of WWN that can be assigned by this FC adapter.

$ lsnports
name             physloc                        fabric tports aports swwpns  awwpns
fcs0             U5803.001.91800ZL-P2-C3-T1          1     64     64   2048    2047
fcs1             U5803.001.91800ZL-P2-C3-T2          1     64     63   2048    2046
fcs2             U5803.001.91800ZL-P2-C5-T1          1     64     64   2048    2047
fcs3             U5803.001.91800ZL-P2-C5-T2          1     64     64   2048    2047
fcs4             U5803.001.91800ZL-P2-C6-T1          1     64     64   2048    2047

To map virtual FC adapter vfchost4 to Physical FC adapter fcs1 type:
$vfcmap -vadapter vfchost4 -fcp fcs1

Know check if the mapping was successful, type:
$lsmap -all -npiv | more
Name          Physloc                            ClntID ClntName       ClntOS
————- ———————————- —— ————– ——-
vfchost4      U9119.FHA.44337FA-V2-C165             160 WASUAT         AIX

Status:LOGGED_IN
FC name:fcs1                    FC loc code:U5803.001.91800ZL-P2-C3-T2
Ports logged in:1
Flags:a<LOGGED_IN,STRIP_MERGE>
VFC client name:fcs0            VFC client DRC:U9119.FHA.44337FA-V160-C5

In some cases you may want to remove the connection between Virtual FC adapter and the physical adapter, type
$ vfcmap -vadapter vfchost4 -fcp

Know check again that it was unmapped.

$lsmap -all -npiv | more
Name          Physloc                            ClntID ClntName       ClntOS
————- ———————————- —— ————– ——-
vfchost4      U9119.FHA.44337FA-V2-C165             160

Status:NOT_LOGGED_IN
FC name:                        FC loc code:
Ports logged in:0
Flags:1<NOT_MAPPED,NOT_CONNECTED>
VFC client name:                VFC client DRC:

For more info about tips for implementing NPIV on VIO, check this article on IBM Developer Works.

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/library/au-NPIV/