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 use system plans with the HMC to accomplish the following goals:

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 that in the system plan. Note that 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 pious 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 or additional provisioning items for Virtual I/O Server 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 then can use the HMC to redeploy the modified system plan to configure the new logical partition.

However, if you make changes to a number of existing items in the system plan, the system plan cannot pass validation or the changed item cannot be deployed. For example, you cannot use a system plan to make changes to the attributes for a partition and then deploy that system plan to make those changes to the already deployed partition.

To create logical partitions from a system plan, you must first complete the following tasks:

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 means of 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 that on the source system.
Deploy the system plan.

After you create a system plan, you also can view, delete, and export the system plan. The following table provides a complete overview of system plan tasks.

Table 1. Overview of the tasks for system plans
Task	Overview
Create a system plan	You can create system plans by using any of the following methods: System Planning Tool (SPT) SPT helps you design a system to fit your needs, whether you want to design a logically partitioned system or want to design an unpartitioned system. SPT incorporates the function from Workload Estimator to help you create an overall system plan. The SPT opens the Workload Estimator to help you gather and integrate workload data, and provides advanced users with the option of creating a system plan without the help of additional tools. Hardware Management Console (HMC) Web user interface You can use the HMC to create a system plan based on the configuration of one managed system and can use the HMC to deploy that plan to another managed system. Based on the logical partition configuration in the system plan, the HMC creates logical partitions on the managed system to which it deploys the system plan. Depending on the contents of the system plan, the HMC can install operating environments on the logical partitions in the plan and, if the plan contains Virtual I/O Server provisioning information for a partition, such as storage assignments, the HMC can make these resource assignments for the partition. HMC command-line interface You also can use the mksysplan command to create a system plan. After the system plan is created, you can also use the command-line interface to deploy that plan to a managed system. Based on the logical partition configuration in the system plan, the HMC creates logical partitions on the managed system to which it deploys the system plan.
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 already 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: Upload the system-plan file from the remote console (the computer from which you remotely access the HMC) Copy the system-plan file to media (optical disc or USB drive), insert the media into the HMC, and import the file from the media. Download the system-plan file from a remote FTP site. Note: You can also use the HMC command-line interface to import a system plan. 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.
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. You cannot, however, deploy a system plan to a managed system if the managed system has logical partitions that are not also in the system plan. Also, if you want to deploy a system plan in stages, you need to create a new system plan if you change the resource allocations on the logical partitions on the managed system between stages to avoid validation problems 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. If the system plan contains installation information about the Virtual I/O Server, you can use the Deploy System Plan Wizard to install the Virtual I/O Server and assign virtual networking and storage resources for the client logical partitions. Beginning with HMC Version 3.3.0, and later, you also can use the wizard to install the AIX® or Linux® operating environments on client logical partitions if the necessary installation information is in the system plan.
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: Save the system-plan file to the remote console (the computer from which you remotely access the HMC). Export the system-plan file to media that is mounted to the HMC (such as optical discs or USB drives). Export the system-plan file to a remote FTP site. Note: You can also use the HMC command-line interface to export a system plan.
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.

To learn more about how to maximize the amount of information that you can obtain in a system plan that you create by using the HMC, see System plan validation on the HMC.

To learn more about how the system plan validation process on the HMC affects system plan deployment, see System plan validation on the HMC.

To learn more about how to maximize the amount of information that you can obtain in a system plan that you create by using the HMC, see Optimizing data when creating a system plan on the HMC.