0. Migrating to the next wave of IBM Iron
Alan Fulton
Twitter

1. Session objectives
Brief History on Virtualization
Various ways to migrate AIX systems, both disruptive and nondisruptive.
Some of these methods include LPM, Enterprise Pools, mksysb, Remote Restart.
Required AIX levels for the various platform levels are discussed.
Planning considerations for the upgrade and/or the migration are also addressed.

2. Virtualization In the Beginning ….
There was iron – it was all encompassing , single use , single OS , single machine

3. Virtualization 1990’s Began with LPAR ( Logical Partitions )
This was the virtualization of CPU / Memory
Still using physical slots.

4. Virtualization 2002 ( approx) DLPAR ( Dynamic Logical Partitions )
This was the virtualization of CPU / Memory
Still using physical slots.
Good on AIX 5.2 and Power4
BETTER on AIX 5.3 and Power5

5. Virtualization 2007 ( approx)
PowerVM and its precursor APV ( Advanced Power Virtualization )
This was the virtualization of EVERYTHING
Power5 and higher

6. Terminology A few key items and definitions
Concurrent ( non-disruptive ) migrations
Non-concurrent ( disruptive ) migrations
RAS
Live Partition Mobility
Enterprise pools
Mksysb restore

7. One Destination – Many Paths

8. Live Partition Mobility – What’s that?
vvvvvvvv
Live Partition Mobility – What’s that?
It’s not magic (almost )
Move a running VM from one frame to another frame with no loss of service
Requirements – F/W , HMC , OS 8

9. Concurrent Migrations with LPM

10. LPM Firmware Requirements
The BIGGER question - Why are you not current on Firmware? Compatibility Matrix

11. Power Enterprise Pools
The capability to freely move core and memory activations between servers in a pool provides a new degree of architecture.
Rebalancing Server Capacity
Temp / Perm for peak activity
Full blown Perf testing.
LPM
Power HA –
Transfer between primary and HA nodes
Disaster Recovery
Transfer between primary and DR nodes

12. Since everything is virtualized – it does not matter where “there” is.
“Pushing Iron”
Since everything is virtualized – it does not matter where “there” is.

13. “Pushing Iron” Description: Setup
Verify all of the pre-requisites. ( anything else is “unsupported”)
Build new VM with identical virtual mappings ( all I/O)
Ethernet
VFC / Vscsi adapters
Zone storage to new frame ( with your SAN/Stg Admin)
Map Vscsi ( if needed )
Migration:
Shutdown the Original VM
Boot the NEW VM ( pushing all your Virtual I/O under new Iron )
Post-Migration
Clean up Original VM and Virtual I/O mappings.
This is incredibly important... Booting the old VM can reek havoc on that shared disk – DON’T do it.

14. “Pushing Iron”– Prerequisites
Pre-reqs
Both Frames are on the same network.
Both frames must the same SAN fabric.
Both frames System Clock should be synchronized.
Both frames must be running same VIOS version.
Both frames are same proc type and mode. If they are 64 bit then make sure on both sides. ( not sure who is running 32 bit anymore )
The slot numbers of the virtual ethernet and virtual SCSI client adapters for the VM must match on both frames. This goes for virtual SCSI client and virtual SCSI server adapter mappings also.
Software on all VIOS VMs must be at the same levels. Think about your multipathing software ( like PowerPath etc. ) and why should all be the same.

15. “Pushing Iron” Prerequisites (cont’d)
All storage has to be virtual SAN storage
The attribute reserve_policy for all the SAN disks on VIOS should be set to no_reserve. This is why it is SO important not to have both VMs booted at the same - they will step on each other and it will be ugly.

16. Mksysb Options
Mksysb restore is the gold standard of backing up and restoring rootvg. This is the most trusted and most utilized process for restoring rootvg. <stare off in the distance and reminisce on running mksysb to taping and storing offsite >
Many options – depending on your shop
Rootvg not on SAN , datavg is on SAN
Restore mksysb for rootvg , exportvg/importvg rezone SAN disk for datavg
Rootvg / datavg not on SAN , but you have good backups
Restore mksysb for rootvg , then use savevg to recreate your filesystem structure for your datavgs. Then you can restore your datavg info from media/tape/etc.

17. Works same as “LIVE” LPM
LPM (disruptive)
When you cannot move lpars via LPM ( LIVE ) for any number of reasons –
Source server is down
An instance where you do not want the VM “UP” after migration.
Vlan mismatch
Works same as “LIVE” LPM
Profile work happens automatically
VIO work happens automatically
Via the HMC you may be able to override some errors ( ie. VLANS)
One caveat – It cannot move a system with NPIV if it has not moved before.

18. Remote Restart
What is Remote Restart?
High Availability function on POWER VM Enterprise Edition
A mechanism to relocate and restart a partition on another frame when its original frame fails.  LPM isn’t possible as the VIOS and Hypervisor are no longer running.
The partition is created similar to a LPM-capable partition such that all its I/O requirements (SAN and LAN) are done with the (VIOS).
The partition MUST be marked as “remote restartable” on the HMC GUI.
Need to switch on SRR on the HMC and reboot the VM ( mandatory)

19. Types of Remote Restart
2 types of Remote Restart (R/R)
Partition Remote Restart –Power7
HMC V8R8.1 or higher
Much more cumbersome and cloodgy
Simplified Remote Restart- Power8
Just like it says – simplified - IBM removed the need for a Reserved Storage Device so it is much simpler to configure and allowed to change a partition to/from “remote restartable ”

20. Remote Restart Requirements & Setup
Partition Simplified Remote Restart minimum requirements
PowerVM Enterprise Edition
HMC Version V8R8.1
VIOS level of
System Firmware Level 820
Setup / testing
Get Live Partition Mobility (LPM) working ( It’s a must )
Set the Simplified Remote Restart flag for VM
LPM Validate & Simplified Remote Restart Validate
Test it BEFORE catastrophic failure via the HMC CLI
Test it BEFORE catastrophic failure via PowerVC GUI
Full blown step by step -

21. Unsupported methods and errors
Many objects in an AIX system that are unique to it; Hardware location codes, WWPN, Partition IDs, and VPD and much, much more….
Much of this is stuffed in the ODM
When moved identically ( copied bit by bit or yanking drives to put in another machine) , you may be moving to different hardware/firmware. Devices will be seen differently in device tree.
Devices that were valid before will be missing ( and possibly new ones discovered )
Supported methods link:
When in doubt – call the people at Lab Services – this is one of the many things that they excel in.

22. AIX Versions
AIX 6.1 EOS 30-April Important to stay current.

23. Comparison charts

24. Comparison charts

25. Designing your iron to be RAS-y
RAS – Reliability , Availability , Serviceability
There are a LOT of options available at each platform offering from IBM
Lets take a look at just a few of the methods to build the most resiliency into your design

26. P770 / Dual VIOS / RAS
Take advantage of all the RAS-y features and harden your iron.

27. E-850 / Dual VIOS / RAS
Take advantage of all the RAS-y features and harden your iron.

28. E-870 / Dual VIOS / RAS
Take advantage of all the RAS-y features and harden your iron.

29. E-870 / Dual VIOS / RAS
Take advantage of all the RAS-y features and harden your iron.

30. E-870 / Dual VIOS / RAS
Take advantage of all the RAS-y features and harden your iron.

31. Contact Info

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