Restoring the Virtual I/O Server from a NIM server by using an mksysb file

You can restore the Virtual I/O Server base code, applied fix packs, custom device drivers to support disk subsystems, and some user-defined metadata from an mksysb image stored in a remote file system.

Before you begin

Before you start, complete the following tasks:

  • Ensure that the server to which you plan to restore the Virtual I/O Server is defined as a Network Installation Management (NIM) resource.
  • Ensure that the mksysb file (that contains the backup of the Virtual I/O Server) is on the NIM server.

About this task

To restore the Virtual I/O Server from an mksysb image in a file system, complete the following tasks:

Procedure

  1. Define the mksysb file as a NIM resource, specifically, a NIM object, by running the nim command.
    To view a detailed description of the nim command, see nim Command.
    For example: 
    nim -o define -t mksysb -a server=servername -alocation=/export/ios_backup/
filename.mksysb objectname
    Where:
    • servername is the name of the server that holds the NIM resource.
    • filename is the name of the mksysb file.
    • objectname is the name by which NIM registers and recognizes the mksysb file.
  2. Define a Shared Product Object Tree (SPOT) resource for the mksysb file by running the nim command.
    For example: 
    nim -o define -t spot -a server=servername -a location=/export/ios_backup/
SPOT -a source=objectname SPOTname
    Where:
    • servername is the name of the server that holds the NIM resource.
    • objectname is the name by which NIM registers and recognizes the mksysb file.
    • SPOTname is the NIM object name for the mksysb image that was created in the previous step.
  3. Install the Virtual I/O Server from the mksysb file by using the smit command.
    For example:
    smit nim_bosinst
    Ensure that the following entry fields contain the following specifications.
    Table 1. Specifications for the SMIT command
    Field Specification
    Installation TYPE mksysb
    SPOT SPOTname from step 3
    MKSYSB objectname from step 2
    Remain NIM client after install? no
  4. Start the Virtual I/O Server logical partition.
    For instructions, see step 3, Boot the Virtual I/O Server, of Installing the Virtual I/O Server using NIM.
  5. If you restored the Virtual I/O Server to a different system from which it was backed up, you must restore the user-defined virtual devices.
    For instructions, see Restoring user-defined virtual devices manually.