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Upgrading the system ASP to NVMe - mirror protected

To upgrade the system ASP which contains all SAS or SAN LUNs to use all NVMe namespaces, where the current system ASP has mirror protection, follow this procedure.

Task What to do
1. Determine if the system ASP is mirror protected.
  1. Start System Service Tools (STRSST), and specify the user name and password.
  2. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Work with disk units.
  3. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk configuration.
  4. On the Work with Disk Configuration display, select Display disk configuration.
  5. On the Display Disk Configuration display, select Display disk configuration protection.
  6. Examine the column called 'Protection'. If the value in that column for ASP 1 is not 'Mirrored', then use the procedure Upgrading the system ASP to NVMe - not mirror protected.
2. Display the current disk configuration and calculate the space requirements for the system ASP (ASP 1).
  1. Press F12 to return to the Display Disk Configuration display.
  2. On the Display Disk Configuration display, select Display disk configuration capacity.
  3. Examine the entry for the system ASP (ASP 1).
  4. Write down the Size value in the column titled '---Unprotected----' for ASP 1. Write down the Size value in the column titled '----Protected-----' for ASP 1.
  5. Add the two numbers you wrote down in step 4. You need enough NVMe devices to contain twice that capacity. IBM recommends that all NVMe units have mirror protection.
  6. Ensure that you have the correct quantity of NVMe devices, and that the capacity of the devices is enough to hold the data in the ASP.
3. Backup the data on the partition.
  1. Use the GO SAVE command, and use option 21 from the Save menu to save the data.
4. Physically Install the NVMe devices.
  1. Install the NVMe devices.
5. Prepare the NVMe devices.
  1. Start System Service Tools (STRSST), and specify the user name and password.
  2. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Work with disk units.
  3. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk configuration.
  4. On the Work with Disk Configuration display, select Work with NVM Devices.
  5. Repeat these steps for each NVMe device that is installed on the partition.
    1. Select a NVMe device.
    2. Select Delete existing NVM namespaces.
    3. Select the NVMe device.
    4. If there are no namespaces listed for the NVMe device, press F12 and go to the next NVM device.
    5. Select the option 4=Delete Namespace on each of the listed namespaces.
    6. Press F10 to confirm the delete of the namespaces.
  6. When all of the namespaces have been deleted on all of the NVMe devices, press F12 to return to the System Service Tools (SST) display.
6. Create NVMe namespaces.
  1. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Work with disk units.
  2. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk configuration.
  3. On the Work with Disk Configuration display, select Work with NVM Devices.
  4. Repeat these steps for each NVMe device that is installed on the partition.
    1. Select Create NVM namespaces.
    2. Select the NVM device.
    3. Enter the quantity and capacity of the namespaces you want on the NVMe device. It is recommended that a capacity of 393 GB be used.
    4. Press F10 to confirm the creation of the namespaces.
  5. When all of the namespaces have been created on all of the NVMe devices, press F12 to return to the System Service Tools (SST) display.
7. Identify two NVMe disk units which will become the Load Source and the mirror mate of the Load Source.
  1. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Work with disk units.
  2. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Display disk configuration.
  3. On the Display Disk Configuration display, select Display non-configured units.
  4. Write down the serial number and resource name of a NVMe disk unit. This unit will become the Load Source disk unit in task 13.

    Serial number: _____________________________

    Resource name: _____________________________

  5. Write down the serial number and resource name of a NVMe disk unit which is on a NVMe device different than the unit you found in step 4. This unit will become the mirror mate of the Load Source disk unit in task 14.

    Serial number: _____________________________

    Resource name: _____________________________

  6. Press F12 to return to the System Service Tools (SST) display.
  7. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Start a service tool.
  8. On the Start a Service Tool display, select Hardware service manager.
  9. On the Hardware Service Manager display, select Locate resource by resource name.
  10. Type the resource name that you wrote down in step 4 and press Enter.
  11. Select the option 8=Associated packaging resource(s) and press Enter.
  12. Select the option 5=Display Detail and press Enter.
  13. Write down the Unit ID, Planar ID, and Card values. This information is needed in task 12.

    Unit ID: _____________________________

    Planar ID: _____________________________

    Card: _____________________________

  14. Press F12 to return to the System Service Tools (SST) display.
8. Add NVMe units to the system ASP (ASP 1).
  1. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Work with disk units.
  2. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk configuration.
  3. On the Work with Disk Configuration display, select Add units to ASPs.
  4. On the Add Units to ASPs display, select Add units to existing ASPs.
  5. On the Specify ASPs to Add Units to display, you will see a list of non-configured NVMe disk units displayed. Type 1 on the Specify ASP field for the NVMe disk units to be added to the system ASP.
    Notes: The System ASP is mirror protected, so you must select an even quantity of NVMe disk units to add to the System ASP. Two NVMe disks that reside in the same NVMe device cannot be used to construct a mirror protected unit.

    For example, consider this configuration: A NVMe device has three namespaces (disk units) and another NVMe device has 5 namespaces (disk units). You should select 3 disk units under each NVMe device to add to the System ASP. This ensures that the IBM® i operating system can match the NVMe disk units under two different NVMe devices to construct a mirror protected unit.

    Ensure that the serial number and resource name you wrote down in task 7 step 4 is not in the list of units that you select.

    Ensure that the serial number and resource name you wrote down in task 7 step 5 is not in the list of units that you select.

  6. Confirm the add of the disk unit to ASP 1.
  7. The status display shows the progress of the Add operation. When the Add operation is complete, press F12 to return to the Work with Disk Configuration display.
9. Remove units from the system ASP (ASP 1).
Note: This task could take a significant amount of time to complete
  1. On the Work with Disk Configuration display, select Work with removing units from configuration.
  2. On the Work with Removing Units From Configuration display, select Remove units from configuration.
  3. On the Remove Units from Configuration display, Select the units in ASP 1 which are not NVMe units. You added the NVMe units to the system ASP in task 8.
  4. Press Enter to confirm the remove of the non-NVMe disk units from the system ASP.
  5. If any errors occur, correct those errors before proceeding. Contact your next level of support if needed.
  6. Press F12 to return to the Work with Disk Units display.
10. Move data from the Load Source disk unit.
Note: This task will take up to 2 hours to complete. Data is moved off of the Load Source disk unit, so that task 13 will run faster.
  1. Type STRASPBAL TYPE(*ENDALC) UNIT(1) and press Enter.
  2. Type STRASPBAL TYPE(*MOVDTA) TIMLMT(120) and press Enter.
  3. When the move is complete, type STRASPBAL TYPE(*RSMALC) UNIT(1) and press Enter.
11. Suspend the Load Source unit from mirror protection.
  1. If the Load Source disk unit is not mirror protected, go to task 12.
  2. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk unit recovery.
  3. On the Work with Disk Unit Recovery display, select Suspend mirrored protection.
  4. Select 1=Suspend Mirrored Protection on the Load Source disk unit (unit 1).
  5. Press F12 to return to the Work with Disk Units display.
12. If the system has a Hardware Management Console (HMC), use the HMC to change the I/O tag.
  1. Ensure that all users have signed off the partition.
  2. Type PWRDWNSYS*IMMED RESTART(*NO) to shut down the partition.
  3. In your HMC, expand Systems Management > Servers.
  4. Select the system.
  5. Select the check box for the partition.
  6. From the menu for the partition, click Configuration > Manage Profiles.
  7. In the Managed Profiles pane, click the profile name.
  8. In the Logical Partition Profile Properties pane, click the Tagged I/O tab.
  9. From the Load source pulldown list, select the IOA with 'Non-Volatile Memory Controller' at the address you identified in task 7 step 13.
  10. Click OK.
  11. Expand Properties > General Properties.
  12. Set the IPL Source to B.
  13. Set the Key Lock position to Manual.
  14. Click Save.
  15. Activate the partition.
13. Copy disk unit data to the NVMe device.
  1. Sign on to Dedicated Service Tools (DST).
  2. On the Use Dedicated Service Tools (DST) display, select Work with disk units.
  3. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk unit recovery.
  4. On the Work with Disk Unit Recovery display, select Copy disk unit data.
  5. Type 1 next to the Load Source disk unit (unit 1) and press Enter.
  6. Type 1 next to the NVMe disk unit that has the serial number and resource name you wrote down in task 7 step 4, and press Enter.
  7. On the Confirm Copy Disk Unit Data display, press Enter.
  8. The status display shows progress of the operation. When the copy function is complete, the partition will IPL.
14. Create the mirror mate for the NVMe Load Source disk unit (unit 1).
  1. Sign on to Dedicated Service Tools (DST).
  2. On the Use Dedicated Service Tools (DST) display, select Work with disk units.
  3. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk unit recovery.
  4. On the Work with Disk Unit Recovery display, select Replace configured unit.
  5. On the Select Configured Unit to Replace display, type 1 for Unit 1.
  6. Select the non-configured NVMe unit that has the serial number and resource name that you wrote down in task 7 step 5.
  7. On the Confirm the Replace of Configured Unit Data display, press Enter. This will create a mirror mate for the Load Source disk unit.
15. IPL the partition to IBM i and examine the configuration.
  1. IPL to the IBM i Main Menu.
  2. Start System Service Tools (STRSST), and specify the user name and password.
  3. On the System Service Tools (SST) display, select Work with disk units.
  4. On the Work with Disk Units display, select Work with disk configuration.
  5. On the Work with Disk Configuration display, select Display disk configuration.
  6. On the Display Disk Configuration display, select Display disk configuration status.
  7. Examine the configuration information to ensure that all of the units in ASP 1 are NVME type of disks, and that all units in ASP 1 are mirror protected.

    If the procedure has not been completed correctly, contact your next level of support.
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