Running IBM Storage Scale commands

Use the gpfsprod user to run IBM Storage Scale commands.

Starting with IBM Storage Scale V1.2.5.0, you can install the IBM Storage Scale server or client instances on virtual machines where root login, with password or with key, is disabled. It is also possible to install the IBM Storage Scale server or client and disable root login later, after deployment, using IBM Storage Scale operations.

However, most of the IBM Storage Scale administrative commands must be run by a user with root privileges who can execute remote commands on the IBM Storage Scale cluster nodes. Since the root login can be disabled on the IBM Storage Scale virtual machines, the IBM Storage Scale pattern creates a new user, gpfsprod, on all virtual machines where IBM Storage Scale is installed. IBM Storage Scale is configured by the pattern to execute all remote commands through this user only. This user has root privileges and can execute all IBM Storage Scale commands that require root access.

As a result, you must use the sudo facility as gpfsprod to run IBM Storage Scale commands. For example:

 su - gpfsprod -c 'sudo /usr/lpp/mmfs/bin/mmchconfig <Configuration Parameters> -N <Node(s)>'