Setting up the server to share virtual optical image files with the client system for installation and upgrade

The following directions show how to set up the server to share virtual optical image files with the client system for installation and upgrade of IBM i.

1. You must have previously created an image catalog containing the images that you want to share. The images must contain Licensed Internal Code and base IBM i (which includes libraries QSYS, QGPL, and QUSRSYS). The image catalog used must have an image catalog path name of 127 characters or less. Path name characters are limited to A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and / (slash). Each image file name is limited to 127 characters.
2. After the image catalog has been created and loaded, you need to verify the image catalog to create a volume list file (VOLUME_LIST) that will be used by the virtual optical device on the client system. The following command is an example of how to create the volume list file:
   • VFYIMGCLG IMGCLG(INSTALL) TYPE(*UPGRADE) NFSSHR(*YES)

   Note: The VFYIMGCLG command creates the volume list file and adds a new subdirectory called BOOTP in the image catalog directory. The subdirectory contains files required to perform the IBM i install.

   The volume list file can also be created by using an ASCII editor. There are specific guidelines that must be met when creating a volume. Refer to Requirements for virtual optical storage within a Network File System network for more information.

3. Ensure that the NFS file servers are running.
   Enter either one of the following Start Network File System Server (STRNFSSVR) commands:

   • Run all these commands on your servers:
     • STRNFSSVR *RPC
     • STRNFSSVR *SVR
     • STRNFSSVR *MNT
   • Or start all the servers with this command:
     • STRNFSSVR *ALL
4. Export the image catalog directory.
   This example restricts access by all NFS clients because it is read-only. Ensure that the exported directory is in the public directory and that it is a subdirectory of the NFSROOT path.

   • CHGNFSEXP OPTIONS('-i -o ro') DIR('directory-name')
5. Specify the level of authority for the user id (UID), group id (GID), or *PUBLIC that owns or manages the image catalog directory and the image files. The minimum authority that is required is the following:
   • Execute (*X) data authority for the exported directory and any subdirectories
   • Read (*R) data authority for files in the exported directory and any subdirectories.

   The following example is for the use of the authority *PUBLIC:

   CHGAUT OBJ('/catalog_directory') USER(*PUBLIC) DTAAUT(*RX) SUBTREE(*ALL)

6. Add the /CATALOG_DIR/BOOTP directory as the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) alternate source directory by using CHGTFTPA command:
   • CHGTFTPA AUTOSTART(*YES) ALTSRCDIR('/catalog_directory/BOOTP')
7. Ensure QTFTP has *RX authority to all install files located in the TFTP alternate source directory:
   • CHGAUT OBJ('/catalog_directory/BOOTP') USER(QTFTP) DTAAUT(*RX) SUBTREE(*ALL)
8. Ensure that the TFTP servers are started and reflect the previous changes made by stopping/starting the servers:
   • ENDTCPSVR *TFTP
   • STRTCPSVR *TFTP