System plans on the HMC
You can use system plans with the Hardware Management Console (HMC) to perform a number of high-level system management tasks.
- You can deploy a system plan that you create based on one system that an HMC manages to other systems that the HMC manages with identical hardware as in the system plan. Any internal drive bays and external SCSI cables also must be cabled in an identical manner on the target system. In this way, you can rapidly configure and use other, similar systems in your business.
- You can export a system plan from one HMC to another HMC and use it to deploy the system plan to other systems that the target HMC manages with identical hardware, and identical cabling, as that in the system plan. In this case and the previous case, you can use the system plan to create logical partitions on new managed systems that do not already have logical partitions created on them.
- You can convert a system plan
that you created by using the HMC for use in the System Planning Tool (SPT). However, the SPT Conversion Wizard
can convert a limited amount of hardware information from the original
system plan. How much the wizard can convert depends on the operating
environment of the logical partition and the version of the HMC that
you used to create the system plan.
You must use the SPT to manually specify any missing or incomplete information. After you convert the system plan, you can use the SPT to edit the system plan for redeployment of newly added partitions. For example, assume that you converted an HMC system plan that contains two client logical partitions. You can use the SPT to add another logical partition and to specify Ethernet adapters, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) disks, and virtual Ethernet adapters for the new partition. You can then use the HMC to redeploy the modified system plan to configure the new logical partition.
After you create or convert a system plan on the SPT, you can use the HMC to deploy the system plan. However, the SPT must validate this system plan successfully before you can deploy it. The HMC only supports deployment of system plans on which you have created logical partitions and logical partition profiles. It does not support deployment of system plans on which you have modified attributes of existing logical partitions and logical partition profiles. For example, if you use the SPT to add a logical partition and assign unassigned resources to the logical partition, you can deploy the system plan by using the HMC. However, if you use the SPT to move resources from an existing logical partition to a new logical partition, you cannot deploy the system plan by using the HMC.
- Create the system plan.
- Import the system plan (when necessary).
- If you are deploying a system plan that you created in the SPT, verify that cards and disk drives on the target system are in the same locations specified for the cards and disk drives that are in the system plan. Also, verify that any cabling instructions for disk-drive bays have been followed. You can obtain these instructions by using the Report function in the SPT.
- If you are deploying a system plan that you created by using the HMC, verify that the hardware and cabling on the target system is identical to the hardware and cabling on the source system.
- Deploy the system plan.
Task | Overview |
---|---|
Create a system plan | You can create system plans by using any of
the following methods:
|
Import the system plan | Before you can use a system plan to create logical
partitions, the system-plan file must exist on the HMC that manages the managed
system to which you want to deploy the system plan. If the system-plan
file does not exist on the HMC,
you must import the file into the HMC. You can use the HMC web-user interface
to import the file into the HMC from
one of the following sources:
After you import the system-plan file into an HMC, you can deploy the system plan within that file to other systems that the HMC manages. Note: You
can also import a system plan by using any of the following methods:
|
Deploy the system plan | You can choose to deploy a system plan in stages,
with some logical partitions being created in one stage, and other
logical partitions being created in later stages. However, you cannot
deploy a system plan to a managed system if the managed system has
logical partitions that are not also in the system plan. If you
change resource allocations on logical partitions that you have already
deployed in one stage, make the same changes in the system plan by
using the SPT.
The system plan can only then be validated successfully when you deploy
additional logical partitions in later stages. When you deploy a system plan by using the HMC web-user interface, the HMC validates the system plan. The managed system on which you deploy a system plan must have hardware, including any internal drive bay cabling and external SCSI cabling, that is identical to the hardware in the system plan. The HMC deploys a system plan to a managed system only if the system plan level is supported by the HMC, the format of the system plan is valid, and the hardware and each existing logical partition on the managed system passes validation. |
Export the system plan | You can use the HMC web-user interface
to export a system-plan file from the HMC to one of the following
locations:
|
View the system plan | You can look at the contents of a system-plan
file in the HMC by
using the System Plan Viewer that is integrated with the HMC. The System Plan Viewer
uses a navigation tree and tables to display the information in the
system-plan file. It includes features such as dynamic table-column
sorting and displaying EADS boundary lines. You can open a system
plan in the System Plan Viewer, either by using the View System Plan
task or by clicking the name of a system plan. When you start the
System Plan Viewer, you must enter your HMC user ID and password
before you can view the system plan. Note: Some messages,
such as cabling instructions for internal drive bays, are viewable
only when you use the System Plan Viewer in the SPT.
|
Print the system plan | You can use the System Plan Viewer to print a system plan that you have open in the Viewer. You can print all of the system plan or a portion of the system plan, depending on the current view of the system plan. To print the current view of the system plan, click Print in the Actions pane of the System Plan Viewer. |
Delete the system plan | You can delete unnecessary system plans from your HMC. |