Compiling the VSL from source - IBM Systems

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H211816

Symptom

IBM offers support for the IBM High IOPS driver (referred to as a VSL, or 'Virtual Software Layer') for major versions of supported operating systems, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6. IBM provides binary versions of this VSL in the package for specific kernel versions that were shipped in specified tested releases.

For example, for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, the readme file has this information.

Supported 64-bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.x Kernels:

Affected configurations

The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM options:

• 1.2 TB High IOPS MLC Mono Adapter, option 90Y4377, any replacement part number
• 1.28 TB High IOPS MLC Duo Adapter, option 81Y4527, any replacement part number
• 2.4 TB High IOPS MLC Duo Adapter, option 90Y4397, any replacement part number
• 640 GB High IOPS MLC Adapter, option 81Y4531, any replacement part number
• 640 GB High IOPS MLC Duo Adapter, option 68Y7383, any replacement part number
• 640 GB High IOPS MLC Duo Adapter, option 81Y4519, any replacement part number
• 640 GB High IOPS SLC Duo Adapter, option 81Y4539, any replacement part number
• 785 GB High IOPS MLC Mono Adapter, option 46C9081, any replacement part number

This tip is not system specific.

This tip is not software specific.

Workaround

IBM also provides support for Linux kernel versions not listed in the readme file, by providing a source Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) that can be rebuilt to support a later kernel within the major version. For example, IBM will support Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.9, which ships with kernel version 2.6.18-348.el5, when the RPM is rebuilt to accommodate the newer kernel.

Additional information

This is based on the information found within the 'IBM ioMemory VSL 3.2.3 User Guide for Linux'.

1. First, install the requisite rpms:
   • kernel-headers-2.6.18-348.el5.x86_64
   • kernel-devel-2.6.18-348.el5.x86_64
   • gcc
   • rsync
   • rpm-build
   • make
2. Download the 3.2.3 package from the web. For this example: ibm_dd_highiop_ssd-3.2.3_rhel5_x86-64 package
3. Extract the package into its own directory. For example: /tmp/3.2.3_rhel5
4. Then rebuilt the RPM that is in the software_source dir using the command:
   

   rpmbuild --rebuild iomemory-vsl-3.2.3.950-1.0.src.rpm

5. This created 3 files in the /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/x86_64 directory, but the only one to be concerned with is: iomemory-vsl-2.6.18-348.el5-3.2.3.950-1.0.x86_64.rpm
6. Copy that file over to the /tmp/3.2.3_rhel5/software_binaries directory so it will be easier to find later. Change to that directory.
7. Install the newly created VSL package with this command, from the /tmp/3.2.3_rhel5/software_binaries: rpm -Uvh iomemory-vsl-2.6.18-348.el5-3.2.3.950-1.0.x86_64.rpm
8. Then install the utilities and libs from the /tmp/3.2.3_rhel5/utilities directory. Users may use the command:
   

   rpm -Uvh *.rpm

   However, note that if users do not have ibmcimom installed, dependency errors will cause fio-smis to not install, causing the entire update command to fail.
9. An alternative command that may be run from the /tmp/3.2.3_rhel5/utilities directory is:
   

   for i in `ls`; do rpm -Uvh $i; done

   Users will have to run the command at least twice to ensure the dependencies are all met, as the sysvinit package cannot install until the utilities package is installed.
10. Next, after everything is installed, start the newly installed module:
    

    modprobe iomemory-vsl

    Users may use lsmod | grep vsl to ensure the module is loaded.
11. At this point everything should be working normally. Use fio-status -a to confirm.