Installing GSKit on AIX and Linux

Edit online

Use gskinstall script to complete the GSKit installation on AIX® and Linux® system.

Before you begin

  • Log in as the root user.
  • Ensure the IBM Verify Directory 11.0.1 installation media is extracted.
  • Navigate to the directory where the installation image is extracted.

About this task

This task describes how to install IBM Global Security Kit (GSKit) on AIX and Linux systems using the gskinstall script provided with IBM® Verify Directory 11.0.1 installation media.

Before beginning GSKit installation, ensure that the main IBM Verify Directory 11.0.1 installation procedure has been completed.

Platform-Specific Installation Behavior
  • On an AIX system:

    Both 64‑bit and 32‑bit GSKit packages are installed by default.

  • On a Linux system:

    Only 64‑bit GSKit is installed by default. On Linux x86_64, 32‑bit GSKit installation is optional using --install32bit. (This requires 32 bit runtime support to be installed on the OS).On Linux s390x, 32‑bit GSKit is not supported.

Procedure

  1. Change to the IBM Verify Directory installation directory: 
    cd <path_to_extracted_IVD_11.0.1>
  2. Run the GSKit install script to install or update the GSKit packages. 
    ./gskinstall
  3. (Optional) Install 32‑bit GSKit on Linux x86_64: 
    ./gskinstall --install32bit
    GSKit script options and version management
    The gskinstall script supports the following optional parameters to control installation, upgrade, and removal of GSKit packages: 
     --install32bit         Force installation of 32-bit GSKit (Linux x86_64 only)
  --force                Force reinstallation of same version (required only when versions match)
  --no-backup            Skip backup of existing installation (faster but risky)
  --create-liblinks      Create symbolic links in /usr/lib/ for GSKit libraries only when needed by AIX secldap application (AIX only; not needed for standard installations)
  --create-odm           Create ODM database entries for installed GSKit packages only when needed by AIX secldap application (AIX only; not needed for standard installations)
  --version              Display script version
  --help                 Display this help message
  --uninstall [VERSION]  Uninstall GSKit (optionally specify version like 9.0.0.8)
    Default behavior
    • On Linux x86_64 system:

      Installs 64-bit GSKit only by default.

      Use --install32bit to additionally install 32-bit GSKit.

    • On AIX system:

      Installs both 32-bit and 64-bit GSKit by default.

    • Version handling:
      • If a different GSKit version is already installed, the script automatically backs up the existing installation and installs the new version.
      • It detects and compares the versions of the existing GSKit installation and the installation tar files.
      • Reinstallation of the same version requires the --force option.
      • Existing installations are backed up using:
        • gsk9.VERSION or gsk9_64.VERSION
      • Installation and upgrade history is recorded in: 
        /tmp/gskit_version_history.log
      • Examples: 
        ./gskinstall                           # Install/upgrade GSKit (auto-backup if exists)
  ./gskinstall --install32bit            # Install 32-bit GSKit on Linux x86_64
  ./gskinstall --force                   # Reinstall same version (requires --force)
  ./gskinstall --no-backup --force       # Reinstall without backup (risky)
  ./gskinstall --create-liblinks         # Install and create symbolic links in /usr/lib/ only when needed by AIX secldap application (AIX only)
  ./gskinstall --create-odm              # Install and register GSKit in ODM only when needed by AIX secldap application (AIX only)
  ./gskinstall --uninstall               # Uninstall all GSKit versions
  ./gskinstall --uninstall 9.0.0.8       # Uninstall specific GSKit version
    Symbolic Links for AIX only
    • Use --create-liblinks option to create symbolic links for all libgsk9*.so libraries.
      • 32-bit links: 
        /usr/lib/libgsk9*.so -> /opt/IBM/ldap/V11.0.1/gskit/gsk9/lib/libgsk9*.so
      • 64-bit links: 
        /usr/lib/libgsk9*_64.so -> /opt/IBM/ldap/V11.0.1/gskit/gsk9_64/lib64/libgsk9*_64.so
    • Removes existing symbolic links, if present, and creates new links for the installed GSKit version.
    • Symbolic links are created only when the --create-liblinks option is specified.
    • During uninstallation, it removes only the symbolic links that point to the current GSKit installation.
    Object Data Manager(ODM) entries for AIX only
    The --create-odm option registers installed GSKit packages in the AIX ODM database. 
    GSKit9.gskcrypt32.ids1101.ppc.rte
                             9.0.0.8  COMMITTED  IBM GSKit Cryptography Runtime
                                                 (32-bit)
  GSKit9.gskcrypt64.ids1101.ppc.rte
                             9.0.0.8  COMMITTED  IBM GSKit Cryptography Runtime
                                                 (64-bit)
  GSKit9.gskssl32.ids1101.ppc.rte
                             9.0.0.8  COMMITTED  IBM GSKit SSL Runtime With
                                                 Default Policy (32-bit)
  GSKit9.gskssl64.ids1101.ppc.rte
                             9.0.0.8  COMMITTED  IBM GSKit SSL Runtime With
                                                 Default Policy (64-bit)
    When enabled, the installation:
    • Creates lpp, product, and inventory ODM entries using vpdadd.
    • Allows installed GSKit packages to be displayed in lslpp -l output.
    Limitations:
    • Supported only on AIX.
    • The option is rejected with an error when used on Linux systems.
    Verifying the GSKit installation
    • On a AIX system:

      /opt/IBM/ldap/V11.0.1/bin/gsk9ver_64

      /opt/IBM/ldap/V11.0.1/bin/gsk9ver

    • On a Linux system:

      /opt/ibm/ldap/V11.0.1/bin/gsk9ver_64

      /opt/ibm/ldap/V11.0.1/bin/gsk9ver

    GSKit installation location
    • On an AIX system:

      /opt/IBM/ldap/V11.0.1/gskit

    • On a Linux system:

      /opt/ibm/ldap/V11.0.1/gskit

    GSKit 9 utilities installed with IVD 11.0.1

    These utilities (wrapper scripts) configure all necessary environment variables before invoking the appropriate GSKit 9 executable in the Gskit installation folder.

    The wrapper scripts are available in platform-specific directories:

    • On an AIX system:

      /opt/IBM/ldap/V11.0.1/bin

    • On a Linux system:

      /opt/ibm/ldap/V11.0.1/bin

    Utilities:
    • gsk9certutil_64 – 64‑bit GSKit 9 certificate utility
    • gsk9certutil – 32‑bit GSKit9 certificate utility
    • gsk9ver_64 – 64‑bit GSKit9 version utility
    • gsk9ver – 32‑bit GSKit9 version utility