Installing PowerVM NovaLink

Use the PowerVM® NovaLink installer to install the entire PowerVM NovaLink environment on a new managed system (Greenfield Installation). Alternatively, for systems that are already running and managed by a Hardware Management Console (HMC), create a Linux® logical partition, and use the PowerVM NovaLink installer to prepare and install the Linux operating system and the PowerVM NovaLink (and related) software.

About this task

If you plan to use the PowerVM NovaLink installer to install the entire PowerVM NovaLink environment on a new managed system, add the Virtual I/O Server installation files to the PowerVM NovaLink image.

PowerVM NovaLink must be installed before adding the system to the Power® Enterprise Pool 2.0. If PowerVM NovaLink is reinstalled by using the installer, the host must be removed from the Power Enterprise Pool 2.0 before the install procedure.

The PowerVM NovaLink software is supported by the PowerVM support contract. The support for the underlying operating system (Ubuntu or Red Hat® Enterprise Linux) on which the PowerVM NovaLink software runs on can be obtained separately, either directly with the Linux vendor or through IBM®.

For easier installation of PowerVM NovaLink on multiple servers, set up a netboot (bootp) server to install PowerVM NovaLink from a network.

For storage that are not supported by VIOS and require you to install additional drivers on VIOS, complete the following steps:
  1. Remove the connection to the storage from the CEC.
  2. Install the PowerVM NovaLink software along with the VIOS
  3. Install on the VIOS the drivers that are specific to the storage that must be attached to the CEC.
  4. Add the storage back to the CEC.