Installing VM Recovery Manager HA

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The VM Recovery Manager HA solution provides high availability (HA) management for IBM® Power Systems servers with PowerVM® virtualization. After you plan the implementation of VM Recovery Manager HA solution, you can install the VM Recovery Manager HA software. The VM Recovery Manager HA solution uses other subsystems such as Hardware Management Console (HMC) and Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) that must exist in your production environment.

The following figure shows the key components in the VM Recovery Manager HA solution:
Figure 1. Components of the VM Recovery Manager HA solution
Components of the VM Recovery Manager HA solution

To install the VM Recovery Manager HA solution, you must first install the KSYS filesets. After the KSYS software is installed, the KSYS subsystem automatically monitors the health of hosts by enabling the host monitors in the VIOS partitions of each host that is part of the VM Recovery Manager HA management. You can optionally install the VM agents in the virtual machines that run AIX® or Linux® operating systems to monitor health of an individual virtual machine and applications that run in the virtual machines. You can also install the GUI server for the VM Recovery Manager HA solution to use the GUI by using a browser.

Complete the following procedures to install the VM Recovery Manager HA solution.
  1. Install the VIOS interim fix.
  2. Install the KSYS software.
  3. Optional: Install the GUI filesets.
  4. Optional: Install VM agents in the virtual machines.
Note: You must have root authority to perform any installation tasks.

Installing the VIOS interim fix

Install the interim fix before you initialize the KSYS subsystem. Complete the following steps to install the VIOS interim fix:
  1. Copy the interim fix to each of the VIOS instances.
  2. Ensure that any cluster services are not active by running the cluster -status command. Stop any active cluster services by running the following command:
    clstartstop -stop -n clustername -m hostname
  3. Run the following command in each of the managed VIOS instances:
    updateios -install -dev ifix_location -accept
    Follow the on-screen instructions. You might need to restart the system.
  4. Verify whether the installation of interim fix is successful by running the following command: 
    lssw
  5. If the cluster services were stopped, start the cluster services by running the following command:
    clstartstop -start -n clustername -m hostname

Installing the KSYS software

You can use the installp command in the AIX LPAR to install KSYS filesets that are included in the package. Complete the following steps to install the KSYS software:

  1. Ensure all the prerequisites that are specified in the Requirements topic are complete.
  2. Navigate to the directory that contains the images that you want to install, and run the following command:
    installp -acFXYd fileset_location -V2 [-e filename.log] ksys.hautils.rte ksys.ha.license ksys.main.cmds 
                    ksys.main.msg.en_US.cmds ksys.main.rte ksys.ui.agent ksys.ui.common
    start of changeThe installp command replaces the existing configuration files with the new files that are part of the installation package. If you need to update the configuration file later, you can update the file manually.end of change The -V2 flag enables the verbose mode of installation. Alternatively, you can use the smit installp command with the all_latest option to install all filesets in the directory.
  3. Verify whether the installation of filesets is successful by running the following command:
    lslpp -l ksys.ha.license ksys.hautils.rte ksys.main.cmds 
                    ksys.main.msg.en_US.cmds ksys.main.rte
    An output that is similar to the following example is displayed:
    Fileset                    Level  State      Description
  ------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
ksys.license               1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.ha.license            1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.hautils.rte           1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.cmds             1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.rte              1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.en_US.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.DE_DE.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.ES_ES.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.FR_FR.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.IT_IT.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.JA_JP.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.PT_BR.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.ZH_CN.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
ksys.main.msg.ZH_TW.cmds   1.8.0.0  COMMITTED  Base Server Runtime
  4. Run the /opt/IBM/ksys/ksysmgr command to check the command line utility of the KSYS subsystem. The KSYS subsystem might take a few minutes to run the command for the first time. You can add the /opt/IBM/ksys directory to your PATH environment variable so that you can access the ksysmgr command easily.
  5. After successful installation of KSYS filesets, enter the following command to check whether the class IDs are reserved:
    cat /usr/sbin/rsct/cfg/ct_class_ids
IBM.VMR_HMC                                     510
IBM.VMR_CEC                                     511
IBM.VMR_LPAR                                    512
IBM.VMR_VIOS                                    513
IBM.VMR_SSP                                     514
IBM.VMR_SITE                                    515
IBM.VMR_SA                                      516
IBM.VMR_DP                                      517
IBM.VMR_DG                                      518
IBM.VMR_KNODE                                   519
IBM.VMR_KCLUSTER                                520
IBM.VMR_HG                                      521
IBM.VMR_APP                                     522
IBM.VMR_CLOUD                                   523
IBM.VMR_DP_CLD                                  524
IBM.VMR_SA_CLD                                  525
IBM.VMR_LPAR_CLD                                526
IBM.VMR_SITE_CLD                                527
IBM.VMR_VMG_CLD                                 528
IBM.VMR_APP_CLD                                 529
IBM.VMR_SITE_PVS                                530
IBM.VMR_WORKSPACE_PVS                           531
IBM.VMR_WG_PVS                                  532
IBM.VMR_LPAR_PVS                                533
    If any of the class IDs that are displayed in the preceding screen are missing in your output, add the missing entries in the /usr/sbin/rsct/cfg/ct_class_ids file before configuring the KSYS cluster.

Installing GUI filesets

To use the VM Recovery Manager HA and to manage KSYS nodes by using the graphical interface (GUI), you must install the GUI server and GUI agent filesets on a system. The logical partition in which you want to install the GUI filesets, must be running IBM AIX 7.2 with Technology Level 2 Service Pack 1 (7200-02-01), or later. You can choose to install the GUI server and GUI agent filesets on one of the KSYS nodes. You must install the following GUI server and GUI agent filesets before you start using the VM Recovery Manager HA GUI.

Depending upon your system environment and your requirement choose a procedure to install the GUI server and GUI agent filesets.
Installing the GUI server filesets and GUI agent filesets on the machine where KSYS filesets are installed
To install the GUI server and GUI agent filesets on the same machine where the KSYS filesets are already installed, complete the following steps.
  1. Ensure all the prerequisites that are specified in the Requirements topic are met.
  2. To install both the GUI server and the GUI agent filesets on one of the KSYS nodes, run the following command:
    installp -acFXYd fileset_location -V2 [-e filename.log] ksys.ui.server ksys.ui.agent ksys.ui.common
    Note: If you are using the AIX 7.3 operating system, you must install the mandatory efix on the GUI node that is described in the Installing VIOS and KSYS interim fixes topic. If the agent and the sever nodes are different, you must install the efix on both the nodes.
  3. To install the open source software packages, which are not included in the installed filesets, choose one of the following procedures depending on your system environment:
    • If your system is connected to the internet, run the following command in your system: 
      /opt/IBM/ksys/ui/server/dist/server/bin/vmruiinst.ksh
      This command downloads and installs the open source software packages that are not included in the filesets because these files are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
    • If your system is configured to use an HTTP proxy to access the internet, run the following command in your system to specify the proxy information:
      /opt/IBM/ksys/ui/server/dist/server/bin/vmruiinst.ksh -p
      You can also specify the proxy information by using the http_proxy environment variable.
    • If your system is not connected to the internet, complete the following steps:
      1. Copy the vmruiinst.ksh file from your system to a system that is running the AIX operating system and that has internet access.
      2. Run the vmruiinst.ksh -d /directory command where /directory is the location where you want to download the open source software packages. For example, /vmruiinst.ksh -d /tmp/vmrui_rpms. The following package managers are downloaded in the specified directory:
        • info-6.6-2.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • cpio-2.13-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • readline-8.0-2.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • libiconv-1.16-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • bash-5.0.18-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • gettext-0.20.2-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • libgcc-8.3.0-2.aix7.1.ppc.rpm
        • libstdcplusplus-8.3.0-2.aix7.1.ppc.rpm
      3. Copy the downloaded software packages to a directory in your system.
      4. In the your system, run the vmruiinst.ksh -i /directory command where /directory is the location where you copied the downloaded software packages.

    After the GUI filesets have been installed, a message displays the URL of the GUI dashboard. To use the VM Recovery Manager HA GUI, open a web browser and enter the following URL:
    HTTPS://<hostname>:3000/login.
    After you log in to the VM Recovery Manager HA GUI, you can register the KSYS and add the existing clusters to your environment.

Installing GUI server filesets
To install only the GUI server filesets on a machine where GUI agent filesets and KSYS filesets are not installed, complete the following steps:
  1. Ensure all the prerequisites that are specified in the Requirements topic are met.
  2. To install only GUI server filesets on a separate system that manages all the KSYS nodes, run the following command:
    installp -acFXYd fileset_location -V2 [-e filename.log] ksys.ha.license ksys.ui.server ksys.ui.common
    Note: If you are using the AIX 7.3 operating system, you must install the mandatory efix on the GUI node that is described in the Installing VIOS and KSYS interim fixes topic. If the agent and the sever nodes are different, you must install the efix on both the nodes.
  3. To install the open source software packages, which are not included in the installed filesets, choose one of the following procedures depending on your system environment:
    • If your system is connected to the internet, run the following command in your system:
      /opt/IBM/ksys/ui/server/dist/server/bin/vmruiinst.ksh
      This command downloads and installs the open source software packages that are not included in the filesets because these files are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
    • If your system is configured to use an HTTP proxy to access the internet, run the following command in your system to specify the proxy information:
      /opt/IBM/ksys/ui/server/dist/server/bin/vmruiinst.ksh -p
      You can also specify the proxy information by using the http_proxy environment variable.
    • If the your system is not connected to the internet, complete the following steps:
      1. Copy the vmruiinst.ksh file from your system to a system that is running the AIX operating system and that has internet access.
      2. Run the vmruiinst.ksh -d /directory command where /directory is the location where you want to download the open source software packages. For example, /vmruiinst.ksh -d /tmp/vmrui_rpms. The following package managers are downloaded in the specified directory:
        • info-6.6-2.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • cpio-2.13-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • readline-8.0-2.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • libiconv-1.16-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • bash-5.0.18-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • gettext-0.20.2-1.aix6.1.ppc.rpm
        • libgcc-8.3.0-2.aix7.1.ppc.rpm
        • libstdcplusplus-8.3.0-2.aix7.1.ppc.rpm
      3. Copy the downloaded software packages to a directory in your system.
      4. In your system, run the vmruiinst.ksh -i /directory command where /directory is the location where you copied the downloaded software packages.

    After the GUI filesets have been installed, a message displays the URL of the GUI dashboard. To use the VM Recovery Manager HA GUI, open a web browser and enter the following URL:
    HTTPS://<hostname>:3000/login.
    After you log in to the VM Recovery Manager HA GUI, you can register the KSYS and add the existing clusters to your environment.

Installing GUI agent filesets
This topic describes steps required to install only GUI agents on a machine where the KSYS filesets are installed and the GUI server filesets will not be installed. You must have the KSYS filesets installed on the machine before installing the GUI agent filesets.
  1. Ensure all the prerequisites that are specified in the Requirements topic are met.
  2. To install only GUI agent filesets on a separate system that manages all the KSYS nodes, run the following command:
    installp -acFXYd fileset_location -V2 [-e filename.log] ksys.ui.agent ksys.ui.common
    Note: If you are using the AIX 7.3 operating system, you must install the mandatory efix on the GUI node that is described in the Installing VIOS and KSYS interim fixes topic. If the agent and the sever nodes are different, you must install the efix on both the nodes.
  3. To install the open source software packages, which are not included in the installed filesets, choose one of the following procedures depending on your system environment:
    • If your system is connected to the internet, run the following command in the GUI agent LPAR:
      /opt/IBM/ksys/ui/agent/lib/vmragentinst.ksh
      This command downloads and installs the open source software packages that are not included in the filesets because these files are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
    • If your system is configured to use an HTTP proxy to access the internet, run the following command in the your system to specify the proxy information:
      /opt/IBM/ksys/ui/agent/lib/vmragentinst.ksh -p
      You can also specify the proxy information by using the http_proxy environment variable.
    • If the your system is not connected to the internet, complete the following steps:
      1. Copy the vmragentinst.ksh file from your system to a system that is running the AIX operating system and that has internet access.
      2. Run the vmragentinst.ksh -d /directory command where /directory is the location where you want to download the open source software packages. For example, /vmragentinst.ksh -d /tmp/vmrui_rpms. The following package managers are downloaded in the specified directory:
        • libgcc-8.3.0-2.aix7.1.ppc.rpm
        • libstdcplusplus-8.3.0-2.aix7.1.ppc.rpm
      3. Copy the downloaded software packages to a directory in your system.
      4. In your system, run the vmragentinst.ksh -i /directory command where /directory is the location where you copied the downloaded software packages.

Installing VM agents

VM agents are components that are installed in virtual machines (VMs) or logical partitions (LPARs). These optional agents offer robust monitoring of the VMs and applications that are running in VMs. You can manage HA applications in VMs through a lightweight application monitoring framework.

To install a VM agent in an AIX VM, go to Installing a VM agent in an AIX VM. For setting up a VM agent in Linux, see Installing a VM agent in a Linux VM.

Installing a VM agent in an AIX VM

  1. Ensure all the prerequisites that are specified in the Requirements topic are complete.
  2. Run the following command in the AIX virtual machine:
    installp -acFXYd fileset_location -V2 [-e filename.log] ksys.vmmon.rte
  3. Perform one of the following steps to verify whether the installation of VM agent is successful:
    1. Run the lslpp command.
    2. Ensure that the ksysvmmgr command and the binary file for the VM agent daemon exist in the following directories:
      • /usr/sbin/ksysvmmgr
      • /usr/sbin/ksys_vmmd
    3. Run the lssrc -s ksys_vmm command to verify whether the VM agent daemon is enabled. The status of the ksys_vmm subsystem must be Active in the output of this command.

Installing a VM agent in a Linux VM

To install the VM agent Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) packages in a Linux virtual machine, complete the following steps:

  1. Ensure that the following Reliable Scalable Cluster Technology (RSCT) packages are installed in the Linux VM:
    • rsct.core
    • rsct.opt.storagerm
    • rsct.core.utils
    • rsct.basic
    • DynamicRM
    You can download the packages from the following link: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/service-and-productivity-tools. For information about configuring the repository to easily install those packages, see Updating RSCT packages for PowerVM NovaLink.
  2. Install the VM agent RPM packages based on the following Linux distributions in the virtual machine.

    In Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) (little endian) virtual machines, run the following command:

    start of change
    rpm -ivh vmagent-1.8.0.0-1.0.el7.ppc64le.rpm
    end of change

    In SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) (little endian) virtual machines, run the following command:

    start of change
    rpm -ivh vmagent-1.8.0.0-1.0.suse123.ppc64le.rpm
    end of change
  3. Ensure RMC connection between the VMs and HMC. If the firewall is enabled on the RHEL VM, the RMC connection might be broken. Modify the firewall settings on the VMs to allow the RMC connection with the HMC. For instructions about modifying the firewall settings, see Configuring the firewall for incoming requests to the server and Installing the PowerVM NovaLink software on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux partition topic.
  4. Install the required ksh93 package depending on the Linux distribution that you are using on the virtual machine.