boot from EMC 1

[swortsoul]

Can you use an EMC device as a boot device? Basically, it would contain rootvg and primary paging. I've always been told this was a bad idea. We are getting some new machines, and "they" want to do this.

So, does IBM now support and approve of this? If not, why?

Thanks
Tim

 

[Yegolev]

this is supposedly doable. we will be implementing this or something like it soon enough, thanks to LPAR technology.

IBM Certified -- AIX 4.3 Obfuscation

 

[swortsoul]

Thanks Yegolev. Do you, or does anyone, know of any documentation for this? Last time I read, IBM still said to not have primary paging on external disks, which would rule out rootvg on EMC. I've also seen where people are doing this, but I don't want to risk any support from IBM or the software vendor.

I forgot to add that we are running AIX 5.1 with HACMP 4.4.1.

Thanks
Tim

 

[Yegolev]

they will support you if you harass them enough. assuming you have a service contract, that is. the reason for not putting paging on external disks should be obvious, however with dual load-balanced 2GB PCI-X fibre HBAs i don't think such talk will deter us in the face of saving a few dollars. IBM makes a reasonable stance because they don't want people doing silly things. it's a CYA statement.

as for docs, this concept is still just a bullet-point on our 2004 project list. we will figure it out on our own if we have to. i think IBM should support booting from an ESS or whatever they call their crappy storage frame, so it would just be a matter of a firmware update at worst? hard to say. couldn't be any harder than booting a R40 from SSA, now could it?

IBM Certified -- AIX 4.3 Obfuscation

 

[Yegolev]

another interesting point, EMC does an outstanding job supporting AIX. they have very knowledgeable techs and are very interested in having their frames work on your OS. chances are the solution/process will come from them.

IBM Certified -- AIX 4.3 Obfuscation

 

[swortsoul]

Thanks for that. I will talk to EMC.

I may be off base with this, but don't you need the SDD to talk to the ESS, therefore, you can't boot off the ESS until the OS is up and the SDD started? I'd think it would take a pretty good rework for that. Then again, I'd be way out of my league there.

Tim

 

[comtec17]

Hope this helps:

Obtain the EMC Symmetrix and AIX Fibre boot document from avatar.eng.emc.com for installation and configuration instructions.

System microcode CM020407 or later.

AIX 4.3.3 ML9, APAR IY22024

For all PCI-based hosts only: see HBA placement guidelines in the IBM document PCI Adapter Placement Reference SA38-0538-6, available at

http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/pseries/library/hardware_docs/sa38/380538.pdf

Booting from a PowerPath device is supported with FC-SW topology only.

Minimum Powerpath version 3.0.2. For Powerpath patches 3.0.x, the bootfix.sh script is required for boot support. See the EMC Primus case ID emc58038 for more details and the PowerPath Release Notes for installation

Fibre boot when used under AIX 4.3 requires APAR IY42989 which can be obtained from IBM at

https://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/fixes?view=pSeries.

Requires minimum AIX 4.3.3 with maintenance level 08.

IBM Native Fibre Channel drivers with feature code 6227 and with feature code 6228 are supported on the same server. Feature 6228 and 6239 are supported on the same server. Mixed FC-AL and FC-SW are supported on the same server. 6227 filesets: devices.pci.df1000f7.com, devices.pci.df1000f7.diag, devices.pci.df1000f7.rte; 6228 filesets: devices.pci.df1000f7.com, devices.pci.df1000f7.diag, devices.pci.df1000f9.diag, devices.pci.df1000f9.rte; 6239 filesets: devices.pci.df1000f7.com, devices.pci.df1000f7.diag, devices.pci.df1080f9.diag, devices.pci.df1080f9.rte

 

[comtec17]

Also

https://powerlink.emc.com/HighFreq/P_PL_H572.1_EMC_Symmetrix_and_AIX_Fibre_Boot_LDV.1.pdf

 

[Yegolev]

yeah, piece of cake then, isn't it? thanks, comtec.

IBM Certified -- AIX 4.3 Obfuscation