How To
Summary
Using an AIX NIM Server to install/Rescue a Linux server
Environment
- SLES 12.x/15.x
- AIX 7.1+ NIM Server
Steps
** Disclaimer ** -- Not supported
1. Loop mount the SLES 12 ISO image. Extract the contents in a directory of your choice (using /sles12 as an example)
# mkdir /sles12
# loopmount -i <sles12 iso filename> -o "-V cdrfs -o ro" -m /mnt
# cd /mnt; cp -pr * /sles12
2. Create a /boot link to the boot directory under /sles12. This is extremely important as NIM specifically looks for /boot path.
# ln -s /sles12/boot /boot
3. Create a directory with distro version under /tftpboot and copy linux, core.elf and initrd over to it.
# mkdir /tftpboot/sles12sp3
# cp -pr /sles12/boot/ppc64le/linux /tftpboot/sles12sp3
# cp -pr /sles12/boot/ppc64le/initrd /tftpboot/sles12sp3
# cp -pr /sles12/boot/ppc64le/grub2-ieee1275/core.elf /tftpboot/sles12sp3
4. Add the following entry in tftpaccess.ctl:
# vi /etc/tftpaccess.ctl
allow:/tftpboot
allow:/boot
5. Add following menuentry in /boot/ppc64le/grub2-ieee1275/grub.cfg
menuentry 'Install Sles12sp3' {
echo 'Loading Kernel ...'
linux /tftpboot/sles12sp3/linux ifcfg=eth0=<IP Address>/<Netmask range>,<Gateway>,<nameserver> hostname=<host name> vnc=1 vncpassword=installme install=nfs://<nim_server_ip>:/sles12
initrd /tftpboot/sles12sp3/initrd
}
menuentry 'Rescue System' {
echo 'Loading kernel ...'
linux /tftpboot/sles12sp3/linux rescue=nfs://<nim_server_ip>:/sles12
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /tftpboot/sles12sp3/initrd
}
Note: This is a basic configuration example. This can be modified based on specific needs such as adding autoyast and using http protocol instead of nfs.
6. Add the following entry in /etc/exports
/sles12 -vers=3:4,public,sec=sys:krb5p:krb5i:krb5:dh,ro
7. Export out /sles12
$ exportfs -a
8. Add the following entry in /etc/bootptab
<client_lparname>:bf=/tftpboot/sles12sp3/core.elf:ip=<client ip>:ht=ethernet:ha=<client_macaddress_without_colons>:sa=<nim ip>:gw=<client gateway>:sm=<client netmask>:
Now, we are ready to boot off the network. You can use lpar_netboot from the HMC or manually boot the LPAR from network via SMS.
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** Disclaimer ** -- Not supported
Additional Information
Note1: Make sure <client_lparname> is resolvable (add in /etc/hosts)
Note2: sles12 install will use nfsv4 by default so instead of forcing for nfsv3, it will be easier to configure NIM to use nfsv3 and nfsv4 if not already configured for it.
To configure nfsv4, we can do:
$ chnfsdom <domainname> -- Add appropriate domainname here
$ startsrc -g nfs -- To start nfsv4 daemons
Document Location
Worldwide
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Document Information
Modified date:
01 April 2021
UID
ibm10967577