Using an AIX (NIM) server for a Linux LPAR installation

dobrist@us.ibm.com Page 1 of 4 6/10/2008

*************************************** This documents installing a PowerPC SuSE V10 SP1 Linux installation using an AIX server as the installation source. This is not using the NIM software but does use the same elements and processes as the NIM server. *************************************** 1. Verify the AIX server has BOOTP, TFTP and NFS enabled, typically the case for NIM servers. If not, configure these services in /etc/inetd.conf and refresh the inetd daemon. 2. Boot the LINUX Client LPAR into SMS Mode, Remote IPL to get the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter. 3. Edit the /etc/bootptab file, adapting the values to your environment: testvwc-web1-no e!bf"#tft$boot#testvwc-web1no e!i$"1%&1'%&1&()!*t"et*ernet!*a"%%%+)b)e) b,!sa"1%&1'%&1&'1!s-",..&,..&,.. &1,/! 4. Create an NFS file system with the installation images. Create and mount a file system to store the images on # crfs v jfs2 g nimvg m /export/SLESV10_1 a size=3 # c#$v n exps$es10_1 fs$v00 # mo%nt /export/SLESV10_1 ! "es

Copy over the contents of the CDs or DVDs, preserving the directory tree structure on the media and preserving the access permissions. # cp p&r /c'rom/( /export/SLESV10_1 *************************************** IMPORTANT NOTE Trying to copy the contents of the LINU Installation !"! or C! from a #indo$s platform $ill cause pro%lems& as #indo$s cannot handle the long file names and truncates them such that the LINU Installation Program does not regoni'e them( Therefore& if you are $or)ing $ith an I*O image file that is not mounted on a C!+!"! !ri,e on the AI *er,er& then& in order to mount the I*O image on the
AI platform& complete the follo$ing instructions-

.( O%tain the si'e of the image( /or e0ample- # $s )a$ )r*)r))r)) 1 root s"stem 3+,-+-10, !pr 2. 2/-. aix_-0iso 1( Identify the nearest multiple of .12 M3 that $ill pro,ide enough space for the image( In the a%o,e e0ample& the image is appro0imately 456 M3& so use 426 M3 as an image si'e( 4( Ma)e a logical ,olume of this si'e( # m1$v )" c'$v )s n )L /'ev/c'$v rootvg 32,3 #'is10 If the command fails& increase the ,olume si'e %y a multiple of .12( 6( Use the '' command to create a pseudo7de,ice( Ensure that the partition has enough space for the pseudo7de,ice( In the follo$ing e0ample command& the pseudo7de,ice is /'ev/c'$v(

Using an AIX (NIM) server for a Linux LPAR installation

dobrist@us.ibm.com Page 2 of 4 6/10/2008
# '' if=/opt/soft*are/iso/aix_-0iso of=/'ev/c'$v This command may ta)e a long time and $ill create t$o '' processes( 8( Mount the de,ice li)e a C!7ROM in AI ( Ensure that the mount point e0ists( # mo%nt )v c'rfs )o ro /'ev/c'$v /mnt/iso 9( Change directory into /mnt/iso( *************************************** Export the file system making sure the permissions of the files and directories allow for anyone to read and try mounting the exported directory on another system. The resulting /etc/exports file is shown here: /export/SLESV10_1 sec=sys:krb5p:krb5i:krb5:dh,rw Stop and restart NFS services to make sure the NFS directory is exported.

5. Copy the network boot kernel to /tftpboot and into the base directory for the images, in this example /export/SLESV10_1. For SLES10 SP1 the network boot kernel file is called inst64, and is located in the suseboot directory on the DVD or in the base directory that is was copied to. Set the permissions to 755 and ownership to root:system Link the file the server hostname: ln s /tftpboot/inst64 /tftpboot/testvwc-web1-node 456E/ LINU %oot image names are as follo$s*U*E *LE* .: 7 inst7, *U*E *LE* ; 7 insta$$ Red <at R<EL 6 7 /8opt/9E:_&!6/;3! ES/<SE9;ES 6. Boot the partition in SMS mode. Set up the remote IPL settings in SMS and then boot from the Network Adapter selecting to open a Terminal Session/Window from the HMC. You should see the following: BOOTP R = 1 BOOTP S = 2 FILE: /tftpboot/testvwc-web1-node FINAL F !e S "e = 12#$$#2% b&tes Lo'd-b'se=()*((( Re'!-b'se=()c((((( E!'psed t +e s nce ,e!e'se of s&ste+ p,ocesso,s:-. S/SE L n/) "I+'0e st',t n0: !o'ded 't --. =0 Bunch of stuff in here and then= 1ov n0 nto t+pfs- done.

222 S3SE L n/) Ente,p, se Se,ve, 1( nst'!!'t on p,o0,'+ v2.(.$4 5 166$-2((4 S3SE L n/) P,od/cts 7+b8 999 St',t n0 /dev - /dev ,/nn n0 St',t n0 :',dw',e detect onSe',c: n0 fo, nfo f !e-

Using an AIX (NIM) server for a Linux LPAR installation

dobrist@us.ibm.com Page 3 of 4 6/10/2008
7. Tell the LINUX install that we are using the Network to install: 1';e s/,e t:'t <= n/+be, 1 s n &o/, d, ve. 1> O? 2> B'c; 2 2 Se$ect >2> to go ?@ac1> 1' n 1en/ 1> Sett n0s 2> S&ste+ Info,+'t on @> ?e,ne! 1od/!es *> St',t Inst'!!'t on o, S&ste+ #> Ae, f& Inst'!!'t on <=-RO1/=A= $> EBect <= 4> E) t o, Reboot %> Powe, off 2 @ Se$ect >3> to $oa' ?Aerne$ 3o'%$es> ?e,ne! 1od/!es C8',dw',e =, ve,s> 1> Lo'd ppc 1od/!es 2> - etc 2 1 Se$ect >1> to $oa' ?ppc B<o*er <CD 3o'%$es> Lo'd ppc 1od/!es %> b+vet: : PODER# A ,t/'! Et:e,net Se$ect >2> to $oa' ?<5EE9- Virt%a$ Et#ernet> Ente, p','+ete,s fo, E b+vet:F &it ?enter> *it# no parameters an' it *i$$ $oa' t#e net*or1 mo'%$e0 !t t#e ?e,ne! 1od/!es C8',dw',e =, ve,s>F 3en%sF #it ?enter> 6#is Grings "o% Gac1 to t#e Main Menu 1' 1> 2> @> *> #> $> 4> %> 2* n 1en/ Sett n0s S&ste+ Info,+'t on ?e,ne! 1od/!es St',t Inst'!!'t on o, S&ste+ Ae, f& Inst'!!'t on <=-RO1/=A= EBect <= E) t o, Reboot Powe, off Se$ect >,> to ?St',t Inst'!!'t on o, S&ste+ ?

In the =St',t Inst'!!'t on/S&ste+ = menu select =St',t Inst'!!'t on o, 3p0,'de= Choose =Netwo,;F as the source medium Choose =NFSF as net$or) protocol If as)ed& choose the net$or) de,ice that is connected to the net$or) >i(e( 7 eth:? Choose FNoF $hen as) FA/to+'t c conf 0/,'t on v ' =8<PGF Ans$er the @uestionsEnter your IP address( Enter your netmas)-

Using an AIX (NIM) server for a Linux LPAR installation

dobrist@us.ibm.com Page 4 of 4 6/10/2008
Enter the gate$ay ip address for your su%net or your IP address again if no gate$ay is re@uired( Enter the IP address of the nameser,er& or your IP address again if there is no nameser,er( Enter the IP address of the N/* ser,er( Enter the directory on the N/* ser,er $here you do$nloaded the %ase le,el C!s to pre,iously( =!fter t#at t#e L;4HI insta$$ation program 'o*n$oa's an' starts(