Installing the PowerVM NovaLink environment on a new managed system

Use the PowerVM® NovaLink installer to install the PowerVM NovaLink environment on a new managed system.

1. If you are installing PowerVM NovaLink from a bootable USB drive, plug the drive into a USB port on the managed system. If you want to network install PowerVM NovaLink, connect an Ethernet port (other than the service processor ports) to the network in which the netboot server resides. Also, you must use a grub file for the network install. An example grub file follows:

   
   set default=0
   set timeout=10
   
   menuentry 'PowerVM NovaLink Install/Repair' {
    insmod http
    insmod tftp
    regexp -s 1:mac_pos1 -s 2:mac_pos2 -s 3:mac_pos3 -s 4:mac_pos4 -s 5:mac_pos5 -s 6:mac_pos6 '(..):(..):(..):(..):(..):(..)' ${net_default_mac}
    set bootif=01-${mac_pos1}-${mac_pos2}-${mac_pos3}-${mac_pos4}-${mac_pos5}-${mac_pos6}
    regexp -s 1:prefix '(.*)\.(\.*)' ${net_default_ip}
   
   # USER CAN CONFIGURE THESE
        set ipaddr=${net_default_ip}
        set hostname=ip9-47-71-90
        set gateway=9.47.79.254
        set netmask=255.255.240.0
        set nameserver=9.12.16.2
        set root=tftp,${net_default_server}
        set serveraddress=${net_default_server}
        set domain=${net_ofnet_network_domain}
   # END CONFIGURE
     linux //novacentos8/ppc/ppc64/vmlinuz ro inst.text ip=${ipaddr}::${gateway}:${netmask}:${hostname}::none nameserver=${domainnameserver} inst.repo=http://${net_default_server}/novacentos8 BOOTIF=${net_default_mac}\
    pkgsel/language-pack-patterns= \
    pkgsel/install-language-support=false \
    netcfg/disable_dhcp=true \
    netcfg/choose_interface=auto \
    netcfg/get_ipaddress=${ipaddr} \
    netcfg/get_netmask=${netmask} \
    netcfg/get_gateway=${gateway} \
    netcfg/get_nameservers=${nameserver} \
    netcfg/get_hostname=${hostname} \
    netcfg/get_domain=${domain} \
    debian-installer/locale=en_US.UTF-8 \
    debian-installer/country=US \
    pvm-repo=http://${serveraddress}/novalink_dev_test/repo \
    pvm-viosdir=http://9.114.254.135/vios/31314/2211A_72X/ \
    pvm-install-other-os=RHEL \
    pvm-os-install-source=http://9.47.68.254/rhel84_new/ \
    pvm-ks-file=http://9.47.68.254/novalink_install_cfgs/rhel8/novalink-arch-finalRHEL84-ks.cfg 
   
    initrd //novacentos8/ppc/ppc64/initrd.img
   }
   

2. Prepare the system for PowerVM NovaLink installation by using the Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) by completing the following steps.
   1. If you have already configured the IP address of the FSP of the managed system, access the ASMI by using the administrator account by using a browser on another system. Otherwise, access the ASMI by using the PC or notebook.
      For information about how to connect to ASMI by using the PC or notebook, see Accessing the ASMI using a PC or notebook and web browser.
   2. If the system is powered on, power off the system from the ASMI by clicking Power/Restart Control > Power On/Off System.
   3. If the system was used earlier, you must clear the system firmware configuration by clicking System Service Aids > Factory Configuration.
      Ensure that you select only Reset server firmware settings.
   4. If the system is found connected to an Hardware Management Console HMC, disconnect the system by clicking System Configuration > Hardware Management Consoles, then click Reset the server to a non-HMC-managed configuration.

      To disconnect a Central Electronics Complex (CEC) from an Hardware Management Console HMC, log in to the HMC. Select the CEC on which the PowerVM NovaLink installation is done. Click Action > Reset or Remove System Connection. On the window that is displayed, select the Remove connection and click OK.

   5. Enable Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) in the managed system by clicking System Configuration > Console Type > IPMI.
   6. Set the IPMI password by clicking Login Profile > Change Password > User ID IPMI and entering a password.
   7. From ASMI, power on the system to boot to the SMS menu by clicking Power/Restart Control > Power On/Off System and change AIX®/Linux partition mode boot to Boot to SMS menu.
      If Boot to SMS menu is not an available option, click System Configuration > Firmware Configuration, select PowerVM, and click Save. Set Server Firmware Start Policy to Running. Click Save settings and power on.
   8. Use the IPMI console on a running Linux instance in another system to access the SMS menu. This Linux instance must have the ipmitool command installed. Enter the following command, and then enter the IPMI password (as set in step 2.f) when prompted to check the power status of the system:

      ipmitool -I lanplus -H FSP-ip-addr chassis power status

      where FSP-ip-addr is IP address of the FSP that is used in a browser to access ASMI.

      Connect the IPMI console to the system by running the following command:

      ipmitool -I lanplus -H FSP-ip-addr sol activate

      On successful completion of the ipmitool command, a prompt as shown below is displayed on the IPMI console:

      [SOL Session operational. Use ~? for help]

3. If you are installing PowerVM NovaLink from the network, open an SSH terminal session to the netboot server and add the managed system to the /etc/bootptab file on the netboot server.
   Choose an IP address, subnet mask, and gateway IP address for the managed system, and note the IP address of the netboot server.
4. Select the boot device by using the SMS menu.
   You can select either a USB drive or a netboot server as the boot device. For your chosen boot device, complete the steps listed in the following table.

   Boot device type	Steps
   USB drive	From the SMS menu, enter 5 to select boot options. Enter 1 to select the install/boot device. Enter 7 to view a list of all boot devices, and then enter the number that corresponds to the USB drive. Enter 2 to perform a normal mode boot, and then enter 1 to exit the SMS menu and to start the boot process.
   Netboot server	From the main menu, enter 2 to set up the remote IPL. Enter the number that corresponds to the Ethernet adapter that you want to use. Enter the number for IPv4 IP addresses. Enter the number for BOOTP as your network service. Enter 1 for IP parameters. Set the IP parameters: Client IP Address is the IP address that you set for the managed system in the /etc/bootptab file on the netboot server. Server IP Address is the IP address of the netboot server. Gateway IP Address is the gateway IP address that you set for the managed system in the /etc/bootptab file on the netboot server. Subnet Mask is the subnet mask that you set for the managed system in the /etc/bootptab file on the netboot server. Press ESC, enter 3 for ping test, enter 1 for execute ping test, and verify that the netboot server is reachable. Enter M to return to the main menu. From the main menu, enter 5 to select boot options. Enter 1 to select the install/boot device. Select Network, BOOTP and then select the network card that you configured. Enter 2 to perform a normal mode boot, and then enter 1 to exit the SMS menu and to start the boot process.

5. At the GNU GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB) screen, select the PowerVM NovaLink Install/Repair option.
6. Complete the PowerVM NovaLink installation wizard.
   1. Select Choose to perform installation and press Next. Use the Tab key to move the cursor to the Next button and press the Enter or Space key.
   2. Select Choose to provide custom values and press Next.
   3. Press I Accept for the license agreement and press Next.
   4. Enter the user name and password of the administrators of PowerVM NovaLink and the Virtual I/O Servers and press Next.
   5. Enter the network configuration settings for the PowerVM NovaLink logical partition and press Next.
   6. If you configured GRUB to enable SDN Technology Preview mode, complete the following steps:
      • Select Choose to enable SDN and press Next.
      • Specify the processor and memory settings for the PowerVM NovaLink logical partition and press Next.
   7. Select whether you want I/O redundancy and press Next. If you select Choose to create I/O redundancy, the installation creates 2 VIOS logical partitions that collectively provide redundancy for the disk data of the VIOS-client logical partition.
   8. Specify the processor and memory settings for VIOS logical partitions and press Next.
   9. Verify the physical I/O settings.
      This screen assigns physical I/O (disk and network) adapters on the server to the VIOS logical partitions. If you are using the SDN Technology Preview mode, you can also allocate network adapters to the PowerVM NovaLink logical partition. The network adapters assigned to the PowerVM NovaLink logical partition will be assigned to Open vSwitch-client logical partitions in the managed system.

      By default, the installer automatically divides all physical I/O adapters between the two VIOS instances if VIOS redundancy was selected and the following conditions apply:

      • Each VIOS must be assigned at least one adapter that serves disk I/O
      • Each VIOS must be assigned at least one Ethernet adapter that is cabled.
      • If using SDN Technology Preview mode, the PowerVM NovaLink logical partition must be assigned at least one cabled Ethernet adapter

      Note that this screen may consist of multiple sub-screens for a server with many adapters. Use the View More and View Previous buttons to navigate among the sub-screens. To assign an adapter to an owner-logical partition, use the Tab key to skip to the correct radio button, press the Enter or Space key to select the radio button. Press Next to go to the next wizard task. To understand the location codes for POWER9 systems, see Part locations and location codes.
   10. If you are using SDN Technology Preview mode, complete the following steps:
       • Select the ports to be used for SDN Virtual Network Bridge and press Next. This screen lists all the network ports from the previously assigned network adapters. Select two or more ports to create a link aggregation device.
       • Select the Link Aggregation parameters for the SDN Virtual Network Bridge and press Next.
   11. Select the ports to be used for VIOS-SEA Network Bridges and press Next.
       This screen lists all the network ports from the previously assigned network adapters. This step will be repeated for each VIOS instance.
   12. If you selected two or more ports to be used for VIOS-SEA Network Bridges, select the Link-aggregation type and press Next.
   13. Enter the Network configuration settings for Virtual I/O Servers and press Next.
   14. Review the settings in the summary screen and press Finish.
       In the Summary screen, you can review the configured installation options, and optionally manually edit the options. To change specific configuration settings, move the cursor to the specific field and select the Edit Settings button.

       • Changing the Time zone: By default the PowerVM NovaLink installer sets the default timezone value to America/New_York. You can change the time-zone to a different value from the Summary screen by performing the following actions:
         • Select Edit Settings.
         • In another window, on a Linux system, run the following command:

           timedatectl list-timezones

           and find the line for your time zone location. For example: “America/Indiana/Indianapolis”.
         • Move the cursor to the line containing timezone =, and replace it with the desired timezone value. For example: “America/Indiana/Indianapolis”.
         • Press Ctrl+X to save and exit to the Summary screen.
       • To use your own Network Installation Manager (NIM) server for installation of Virtual I/O Server, complete the following actions:
         • Select Edit Settings.
         • Set VIOSNIMServerConfig > viosinstallprompt to True and exit.