Using the NIM alt_disk_install operation to Clone a VIO Server Disk

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You can use the alt_disk_install operation (available in AIX® 6.1 TL9 or later) to clone a VIO server’s running rootvg to an alternate disk or disks.

The NIM alt_disk_install operation can be used to copy the current root volume group of a VIOS or IVM NIM object to an alternate disk and in addition to update the operating system to the next fix pack level.

The command-line syntax for the alt_disk_install clone operation of a VIOS or IVM object is as follows:

nim -o alt_disk_install -a source=rootvg -a disk=target_disk(s) \  
-a attribute=Value.... TargetName

The management target of an alt_disk_install operation can be a VIOS or IVM NIM management object. The management object must also have the bos.alt_disk_install.rte fileset installed.

To display the alternate disk installation status while the installation is progressing, enter the following command on the master:

lsnim -a info -a Cstate ClientName

lsnim -l ClientName

The following are required attributes for the alt_disk_install rootvg clone operation:

Item Description

-a source=rootvg Specifies the type of alt_disk_install to perform.

Item	Description
-a source=rootvg	Specifies the type of alt_disk_install to perform.
-a disk=target_disk	Specifies the disks on the client system that the mksysb image is restored. This disk or these disks must not currently contain any volume group definition. The lspv command shows these disks as belonging to volume group None. If you are specifying more than one disk, the disk names must be enclosed in a set of single quotation marks; for example, `'hdisk2 hdisk3'`. When you are specifying a target disk or disks, it is advised that the lsmap command must be used (on the target VIOS / IVM) to verify that the target disks are not in use. The lsmap command displays the mapping between the virtual host adapters and the physical devices they are backed to.

-a disk=target_disk

Specifies the disks on the client system that the mksysb image is restored. This disk or these disks must not currently contain any volume group definition. The lspv command shows these disks as belonging to volume group None. If you are specifying more than one disk, the disk names must be enclosed in a set of single quotation marks; for example, 'hdisk2 hdisk3'.

When you are specifying a target disk or disks, it is advised that the lsmap command must be used (on the target VIOS / IVM) to verify that the target disks are not in use. The lsmap command displays the mapping between the virtual host adapters and the physical devices they are backed to.

The following are optional attributes that can be specified for the alt_disk_install rootvg clone operation when you are using a VIOS or IVM as the target:

Item	Description
-a boot_client`= Value`	Specifies whether to reboot the client when the alt_disk_install operation is completed. `Value` can be `yes` or `no`, where `no` is the default value. This attribute would normally be set only if the set_bootlist attribute was also set to `yes`.
-a debug`= Value`	Specifies whether to skip the checks on the target_disks.`Value` can be `yes` or `no`, where `no` is the default value. When set to `yes`, the equivalent of the `–g` flag is passed to the alt_disk_install command.
-a exclude_files`= Value`	Specifies an exclude_files resource to use to exclude files and directories from the rootvg. Files and directories that are specified in this file is not copied to the new cloned rootvg.
-a filesets`= Value`	Specifies the list of filesets to install into the alternate rootvg after the clone of the rootvg is complete.
-a fixes`= Value`	Specifies the APARs to install into the alternate rootvg after the clone of the running rootvg. The fixes are in the format "`IX123456`" or "`update_all`"
-a fix_bundle`= Value`	Specifies the fix_bundles resource that lists the APARs to install into the alternate rootvg after the clone of the running rootvg.
-a force`= Value`	Specifies whether to skip the checks on the target_disks. `Value` can be `yes` or `no`, where `no` is the default value. When set to `yes`, the equivalent of the `–g` flag is passed to the alt_disk_install command.
-a installp_bundle`= Value`	Specifies an installp_bundle resource that lists filesets to install into the alternate rootvg after the clone of the running rootvg.
-a installp_flags`= Value`	Tells installp how to apply the filesets, installp_bundle, fixes, or fix_bundles attributes. The default value is installp_flags=`-acgX`.
-a phase`= Value`	Specifies the phase to run during this invocation of alt_disk_install. The installation is divided into three phases, and the default is to perform all three phases. The valid values are; 1, 2, 3, 12, 23, or all. 12 - performs phases 1 and 2. 23 - performs phases 2 and 3. all - performs all 3 phases
-a script`= Value`	Specifies the script resource to call at the end of the alt_disk_install operation. This script is called on the running system before the /alt_inst file systems are unmounted, so files are copied from the running system to the /alt_inst file systems before the reboot. During this operation, files are copied or modified in the alternate file system because the logical volume names are changed to match the rootvg, and they are not accessible until the system is rebooted with the new alternate rootvg.
-a set_bootlist`= Value`	Specifies whether to set the `bootlist` to point to the new rootvg when the installation is complete. `Value` can be `yes` or `no`, where `yes` is the default value. The next time that the system is rebooted, it will boot from the newly installed alternate disk if `Value` is set to `yes`.
-a verbose`= Value`	Specifies whether to show files as they are being backed up for a rootvg clone. `Value` can be`yes` or `no`, where `no` is the default value. The output goes to the alt_disk_install log on the client, /var/adm/ras/alt_disk_inst.log.