iSeries considerations

Before you install Windows Server 2003 on an IXA server or IXS, you should consider the issues specific to iSeries that are presented in the following sections.

2.3.1 Disk storage requirements

To install Windows Server 2003 on an IXA server or IXS, you must consider these disk storage requirements:

iSeries integration software licensed program

The iSeries Integration for Windows Server licensed program (5722-WSV) provides the necessary software and device drivers that enable Windows Server 2003 to run on an IXA server or IXS. The base licensed program, plus option 2 (Integration for Windows 2000 and .NET), uses approximately 100 MB of disk storage when installed on the iSeries.

Windows Server 2003 disk drives

When Windows Server 2003 is installed on the IXA server or IXS, two network server storage spaces are created that represent the server’s C: and D: drives. The C: drive contains the Windows Server 2003 boot and system files, and the D: drive contains the

Windows Server 2003 installation source code and the client-side component of the Windows integration software. You choose the size of these drives at the time of

installation. Refer to 2.7, “Windows Server 2003 disk storage sizing” on page 36, for more information about estimating disk storage requirements for your server.

2.3.2 Program temporary fixes (PTFs)

Before you attempt to install Windows Server 2003 on an IXA server or IXS, you should ensure that any PTFs that may be required are loaded onto your iSeries server. Required PTFs fall into two categories:

Cumulative PTFs

Cumulative PTF packages contain code updates for most of the iSeries Program products, including Integration for Windows Server (5722-WSV). You should order the latest cumulative package well in advance so that you can install it at least a week before you plan to install Windows Server 2003. This allows you enough time to ensure that the system is stable.

Specific PTFs for iSeries Windows integration

There may be PTFs available for the iSeries Windows integration environment that have not yet been included in a cumulative PTF package. Windows integration code fixes may be included in PTFs to iSeries software products including:

– 5722-999: System Licensed Internal Code (SLIC) – 5722-SS1: OS/400

– 5722-WSV: Integration for Windows Server

5722-WSV is the key component of the Windows integration environment because it provides the required drivers as well as integrated functions such as user enrollment.

Service packs for the Windows side of the integration code are also supplied as PTFs for 5722-WSV. Notice that you cannot download integration code service packs directly to Windows. You must load and apply the OS/400 service pack PTF and then use the supplied Windows utility or iSeries Navigator to install it. The number of the service pack is the number of the OS/400 PTF that it is distributed with, and the format is SInnnnn. For more information about the installation of integration service packs, refer to Chapter 8, “Software maintenance” on page 245.

A list of all available PTFs not included in the latest cumulative PTF package can be found on the iSeries Windows Integration Web site at:

http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/windowsintegration/ntptf.htm

It is strongly recommended that you install all of the latest PTFs in advance of your installation date. This enables the latest Windows integration code to be downloaded to the server as soon as you have finished the installation of Windows. Most problems that arise after installation are due to the fact that integration service packs have not been applied to the Windows server.

2.3.3 Installation source directory

You can install Windows Server 2003 on an IXA server or IXS from either the

Microsoft-supplied CD or an image of it located somewhere in the OS/400 integrated file Note: Do not confuse Windows integration service packs with Microsoft Windows service packs. The integration service packs address issues in the OS/400 Windows integration code, whereas the latter are released by Microsoft to address issues in Windows.

system (IFS). The latter choice may be useful if you intend to create multiple Windows Server 2003 installations on a single iSeries server simultaneously, or if you need to send an image of the installation CD to a remote location.

An IFS copy of the installation media can also be used to slipstream a Microsoft service pack with the install media (Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 271791). This can be useful when a Microsoft service pack is required for the installation drivers or security fixes are desired immediately for the new installation.

For details about copying an image of the installation CD to the IFS, see Chapter 3.3,

“Completing the pre-installation tasks on OS/400” on page 58. We recommend that you install from the CD unless you plan to install multiple instances of Windows. In this case, installing from an image in the IFS is quicker.

2.3.4 iSeries NetServer

Integration code service packs are downloaded to the integrated Windows server using iSeries NetServer. It is possible to configure enough iSeries NetServers from a 5250 green screen session to enable this download. However, you can also use iSeries Navigator to perform the setup. In fact, iSeries Navigator is essential if you want to unleash the full capabilities of iSeries NetServer. You only have to install iSeries Access on one Windows client in the network in order to use iSeries Navigator to configure iSeries NetServer, and it does not require an iSeries Access license.

Initially you may want to set up only enough iSeries NetServers to enable you to apply service packs to the Windows server. We tell you when to do this as you work through, or you can do it now. In this case, refer to Chapter 13, “iSeries NetServer” on page 339 for a description of how to perform both the minimum and complete setups. Another good reference for iSeries NetServer information is the redbook The AS/400 NetServer Advantage, SG24-5196.

Notice that a user profile with *SECADM special authority is required to set up iSeries NetServer.

2.3.5 Daylight Savings Time

The integration software uses the iSeries offset from Greenwich Mean Time (QUTCOFFSET system value) and its time setting (QTIME system value) to calculate the correct time for the Windows Server. Even though xSeries servers have an on-board clock, the attached xSeries still picks up its time from the iSeries in the same way as the IXS.

Because the iSeries does not automatically adjust QTIME for Daylight Savings Time, you must adjust QTIME manually when the time change starts and ends. Notice that, for the integrated Windows Server to report the correct time, you also have to adjust the

QUTCOFFSET system value. QUTCOFFSET works differently from the time zone setting under Windows, which you do not have to adjust when Daylight Savings Time starts and ends. Add one hour to QUTCOFFSET when Daylight Savings Time starts, and subtract one hour when it ends.

If Daylight Savings Time is observed in your location, select the Windows server setting Automatically adjust clock for daylight savings changes; otherwise the integrated Windows Server will report the time incorrectly.

Notice that Windows Server 2003 uses the default dates for your time zone to identify the start and end of Daylight Savings Time. If, for some reason, the actual dates on which the time change starts and ends are different than the defaults, you can use QUTCOFFSET to adjust for this situation. For example, if Daylight Savings Time starts earlier than the default

date, adjust QTIME, but not QUTCOFFSET. When the default start date is reached, simply add one hour to QUTCOFFSET to correct the Windows Server 2003 time.

If Daylight Savings Time is not observed in your location, the Automatically adjust clock for daylight savings changes setting should be grayed out. If it is not, be sure this option is not selected. Otherwise the integrated Windows Server 2003 will report the time incorrectly.

Notice that the Windows server does not have to be in the same time zone as the iSeries for the integration software to correctly calculate the Windows time setting.

2.3.6 Logical partitioning

You may wish to consider setting up a separate logical partition (LPAR) for your integrated Windows servers for various reasons, including:

Simplicity at little extra cost

If you have spare processor, memory, expansion unit, and disk capacity on your iSeries you could create a separate partition for your Windows servers. Creating and managing LPAR on iSeries is a relatively easy task. This offers your Windows environment complete isolation from native OS/400 applications.

Performance

If performance of your iSeries line of business applications is critical, you may wish to separate the iSeries resources required for your Windows applications using logical partitioning (LPAR). In this way, resource consumption by integrated Windows servers cannot affect the performance of applications running in other partitions.

Notice that although the iSeries resources required for running integrated Windows servers is usually not great, under some circumstances, such as very heavy Windows file serving, CPW requirements can be significant.

Availability

If the availability requirements of your native OS/400 applications are different from your Windows applications, this is often a compelling reason to create a separate partition for your integrated Windows servers. For example, if your Windows servers require 24 x 7 access but your OS/400 applications do not, you do not want to have to shut down your Windows servers every time you run an IPL on the partition to install code updates to your OS/400 applications.

If you use logical partitions on your iSeries, install the Integration for Windows Server (5722-WSV) base licensed program, plus option 2, in each logical partition that will have an IXA server or IXS installed.

If you are going to use the iSeries tape and CD-ROM drives from Windows Server 2003, you must switch these devices to the same logical partition as the IXA server or IXS before you can use them. Typically, if you are implementing logical partitioning, you would have multiple CD-ROM and tape drives on your iSeries because partitions are, in effect, separate iSeries servers running on the same physical machine.

For more information about iSeries logical partitioning, refer to Slicing the AS/400 with Logical Partitioning: A How to Guide, SG24-5439.

2.3.7 Independent auxiliary storage pools

OS/400 independent auxiliary storage pools (IASPs) are separate groupings of disks within single level storage. Under normal circumstances the failure of a RAID set results in a system down. IASPs are independent and, therefore, if a failure happens in an IASP (for example,

failure of a RAID set), the system will continue to run without that IASP. This enables customers to partition their applications into separate IASPs to minimize the effect of most hardware failures.

Figure 2-1 Windows servers in IASPs

In this case the NWSSTG spaces (the whole Windows server) would be created in the IASP.

The processing, memory, and HSL resources are still shared with all other applications running on the server. The exception to all data being in the IASP is the Network Server Description (NWSD), which must remain in the system ASP.

Independent ASPs can also be switchable. This offers the ability to switch the Windows server to another iSeries host in the event of a planned outage or failover.

For more information about IASPs and switching, see iSeries Independent ASPs: A Guide to Moving Applications to IASPs, SG24-6802.

2.3.8 Integration code language version

During installation, you can specify a value for the OS/400 language feature that corresponds to the language version of Windows Server 2003 being installed. This value identifies the installed language environment used to display OS/400 Integration for Windows Server text and messages on the Windows server.

If you wish to specify a language version other than the primary language on the iSeries, refer to Networking: Windows server on iSeries, which is available at:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iseries/v5r2/ic2924/info/rzahq/rzahqntspo.htm