Unit 1 Introduction to IBM Power systems, AIX and System Administration
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5.2
Unit objectives
IBM Power Systems
After completing this unit, you should be able to: Define terminology and concepts of IBM Power system servers, virtualization, HMC, and AIX Understand a typical set-up of a Power environment Describe the roles of the system administrator Obtain root access with the su command
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AIX overview
IBM Power Systems
IBMs proprietary operating system based on UNIX System V
Also has BSD compatible commands and programming interface extensions
Advanced Interactive Executive (AIX) runs on proprietary hardware (H/W) called IBM Power Systems
Sixth generation of Power, based on Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) technology
Most Power Systems today run many instances of AIX in partitions known as Logical Partitions (LPAR)
This is H/W partitioning managed by the system firmware, Power Hyperviso
LPAR: AIX1
LPAR: AIX2
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LPAR: AIX3
Logical partition (LPAR) overview
IBM Power Systems
An LPAR is the allocation of system resources to create logically separate systems within the same physical footprint. The resource allocation and isolation for a logical partition is implemented in firmware called Power Hypervisor.
Provides configuration flexibility
Each partition has its own:
Operating system Resources: processors, memory, devices (defined in a profile)
Resources can be changed dynamically using Dynamic LPAR (DLPAR)
Partitions can consist of physical (real) or virtual devices
or a combination of both
sys1
04:42
LPAR 1
sys2
14:42
LPAR 2
sys3
11:42
LPAR 3
sys4
19:42
LPAR 4
Power Hypervisor
System Hardware (memory, processors, devices)
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Dynamic logical partitioning (DLPAR)
IBM Power Systems
DLPAR is the ability to add, remove, and move resources without reactivation of a partition
Processor, memory, and I/O allocation changes
Processors and memory quantities are bound by the minimum and maximum profile settings Applications may be DLPAR-aware
Before DLPAR Operation: - Add 2.0 CPU -Remove 4Gb Mem -Move the DVD slot to LPAR 2 LPAR 1 (running) After LPAR 1 (running)
2.0 CPU 16Gb Mem
4.0 CPU 12Gb Mem
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Workload partitions (WPAR)
IBM Power Systems
Software (S/W) partitioning is managed by AIX. Many AIX OS images can reside within a master global AIX image. Live Application Mobility allows WPAR relocation to another box or LPAR. WPARs provide automatic workload balancing. WPAR technology is not H/W dependent.
Support is available on Power 4, 5, and 6. Available from AIX 6.1
AIX1 AIX2
WPAR5
WPAR6
1.
WPAR2
2.
WPAR1
AIX3
WPAR4 WPAR3
WPAR mgr
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Live partition mobility
IBM Power Systems
Live partition mobility allows running AIX partitions to be migrated from one physical server to another without downtime.
For Power 6 only, LPARs must not contain any physical devices.
LPAR: AIX1 LPAR: AIX1 No Downtime
Partition Mobility provides systems management flexibility and is designed to improve system availability.
Can help avoid planned outages for hardware or firmware maintenance Can help avoid unplanned downtime
If a server indicates a potential failure, you can move its partitions to another server before the failure occurs.
Enables optimized resource use by moving workloads from server to server
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Evolution of AIX
IBM Power Systems
AIX Version 6.1 Technology Level 2 (GA 14, November, 2008) IBM Support for new IBM UNIX Systems New Virtualization Support Faster Live Application Mobility (with WPAR Manager V1.2 Inactive Application Mobility Independent WPAR network routes WPAR named interface support IPv6 WPAR network support MPIO support for physical and virtual paths PowerVM n Port ID virtualization (NPIV) PowerVM Shared Memory Partitioning OS Integration and Management IPv6 RFC currency BIND 9.4.1 support IPv4 tunneling in IPv6 networks nmon integrated into topas topasrec performance data recording topas monitoring support for PowerVM VIOS mpstat and sar support WPAR support Concurrent kernel update enhancements LVM support for SAN mirror pools Systems Director Console enhancements
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Overview of the POWER6 servers
IBM Power Systems
Power 520 Entry/Low end Deskside or Rack (4U) 1,2, or 4 CPUs 1GB-64GB memory Max. Storage, Internal + Expansion I/O 132TB
Power 550 Mid-range Deskside or Rack (4U) 2, 4, 6 or 8 CPUs 1GB-256GB memory Max. Storage, Internal + Expansion I/O 249TB
Power 560 Mid-range Rack (4U) building block (to 8U) 4, 8 or 16 CPUs 8GB-384GB memory Max. Storage, Internal + Expansion I/O 599TB
Power 570 Mid-range Rack (4U) building block (to 16U) 2, 4, 8, 16 or 32 CPUs 1GB-768GB memory Max. Storage, Internal + Expansion I/O 604TB
Power 575 High Performance Computing cluster For highly-parallel, compute-intensive HPC workloads (up to 64 nodes per cluster) 24 System Frame, water cooled 32 CPUs per nodes 32GB-256GB memory per node Max Internal storage per node 292GB
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Power 595 High-end 42U System Frame 8 to 64 CPUs 16GB-4TB memory Max. Storage, Internal + Expansion I/O 999TB
Typical Power / AIX system layout
IBM Power Systems
LPAR Configuration and Control is completed through the Hardware Management Console (HMC). The HMC connects to the Service Processors and the LPARs. Best practice: Use a private network between the HMC and Service Processors.
LPAR 4
Private Network
Secondary HMC Backup
Service Processors
Managed System
LPAR 1 LPAR 2
Primary HMC
Public/Open Network
SAN
LPAR 3 LPAR 4
NIM Server
Images
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The HMC (1 of 2)
IBM Power Systems
Intel based server (desktop or rack mount) running a web based application on a customized version of Linux Access is through https (GUI) and SSH (Command line)
Collects status health information from the managed systems
Mandatory on Power 570s and above
Power 550s and below can use Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM)
Can be configured to call home to IBM
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The HMC (2 of 2)
IBM Power Systems
Managed Systems
LPARs running AIX Navigation area Task Pad
Proc & MEM resources
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LPAR virtualization overview (1 of 2)
IBM Power Systems
An AIX client partition can :
Be virtual, have no real devices Use fractions of CPUs (Micro-Partitioning)
Virtualizing LPARs has many advantages
Flexibility in allocating resources More efficient use of system resources through sharing Consolidation (H/W, floor space, merge production and test environments) Relocating partitions using Live Partition Mobility
A key component of virtualization is the Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)
Implemented as special customized version of AIX
It is not AIX. It is PowerVM software! Requires at minimum a PowerVM standard license
Included on some high-end systems
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LPAR virtualization overview (2 of 2)
IBM Power Systems
The two key functions of virtualization are:
Virtual Ethernet is a standard feature of POWER5 and POWER6. AIX can have up to 256 virtual adapters per LPAR. Does not require a VIOS, unless a bridged connection to the outside world is required Virtual SCSI is way of providing virtual disks to clients. The backend storage can be Internal disk (SCSI/SAS) or SAN storage. This is a feature of the VIOS.
Note: There are many other virtualization features which are covered in more depth in the LPAR & virtualization curriculum / roadmap.
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Virtual I/O server (VIOS) overview
IBM Power Systems
The VIOS partition is allocated physical I/O slots containing real adapters.
These are used for the virtual adapters (SCSI or Ethernet) to share amongst the client partitions
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Virtualization example
IBM Power Systems
AIX LPAR
Virtual Ethernet ent0 Virtual Ethernet ent1
Virtual I/O Server LPAR
Virtual Ethernet ent1 Physical Ethernet ent0
Virtual Ethernet Switch
SEA Layer 2 Bridge ent2
Physical Network
Hypervisor
vSCSI Virtual Server Adapter vhost0
Virtual Client Adapter vtscsi0
Device Mapping
Physical Storage Adapter fcs0
SCSI, SAS, FC Physical Disks or Logical Volumes
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Role of the system administrator
IBM Power Systems
Pre-installation planning of:
Partitions User accounts/groups Storage allocation/paging space Subsystems (printing, networks, and so forth) Standard naming conventions Determine system policies Install and configure hardware
Network configuration System uptime! System Backups and disaster recovery Create/manage user accounts Define and manage subsystems Manage system resources (for example, disk space) Performance monitoring Capacity planning Application license management Documentation - system configuration, and keep it current!
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Maintain application /
Who can perform administration tasks?
IBM Power Systems
The root user Exercise caution when logging in directly as root, especially remotely. Keep the root password secure. Members of special groups such as system, or roles using the new AIX6 feature: RBAC The su command enables you to obtain access to the root user
$ id; pwd uid=251(alex) gid=1(staff) /home/alex $ su root root's Password: # id; pwd uid=0(root) gid=0(system) /home/alex # set |grep USER USER=alex $ id; pwd uid=251(alex) gid=1(staff) /home/alex $ su - root root's Password: # id; pwd uid=0(root) gid=0(system) / # set |grep USER USER=root
or
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How can we perform administration tasks?
IBM Power Systems
Command line
UNIX system administration tasks are often done from the command line, by executing scripts, or both
Writing and executing scripts
Typically using Korn shell scripts (ksh is the default shell on AIX) Perl for more advanced users
SMIT (smit or smitty)
Text based tool (Graphical version also available less popular)
System Director for AIX (pconsole)
New web based GUI in AIX6
WebSM (wsm)
Java based GUI (Requires CDE or X11 based graphics display) Not a popular tool to use
IBM Systems Director
A cross platform product for managing Power systems and AIX across a large enterprise environment
Copyright IBM Corporation 2009
Checkpoint
IBM Power Systems
1.What is the name of the device which creates and controls LPARs?________. 2.True or False: An AIX operating system can have no real devices.
_________________________________________
3.True or False: Virtualization features provided by the VIO Server can be used by default on any Power system. ____________________________________ 4.True or False: The su command enables you to get root authority even if you signed on using another user ID.
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Checkpoint solutions
IBM Power Systems
1.What is the name of the device which creates and controls LPARs? The HMC. 2. True or False: An AIX operating system can have no real devices. 3.True or False: Virtualization features provided by the VIO Server can be used by default on any Power system.
Lower end machines require a PowerVM license.
4. True or False: The su command enables you to get root authority even if you signed on using another user ID.
You must also know the root password.
Copyright IBM Corporation 2009
Exercise 1
IBM Power Systems
Introduction to IBM Power Systems and AIX
Copyright IBM Corporation 2009
Unit summary
IBM Power Systems
Having completed this unit, you should be able to: Define terminology and concepts of IBM Power System servers, virtualization, HMC, and AIX Understand a typical set-up of a Power environment Describe the roles of the system administrator Obtain root access with the su command
Copyright IBM Corporation 2009
