System configuration plan validation

Now we have a system configuration plan on the paper. Before we actually perform the configuration and installation tasks, we need to validate our plan. This validation is even more important if you plan to include the existing hardware resources.

We highly recommend to use LPAR Validation Tool, LVT, for this purpose. This section discusses how to use LVT to validate our system configuration plan.

2.4.1 LPAR Validation Tool

LPAR Validation Tool provides a graphical interface and it works with the latest machine models and operating systems releases. As its name implies, it acts as a validator. It is a validation tool and does not actually perform and configuration changes.

Our example is to give you an idea how to use LVT to create a valid LPARed system focusing on selecting which ethernet card to use as a directly attached network adapter to the Linux partition.

1. Create a new file from the main LVT menu and select the system type, the processor feature, the system memory that you have, the number of partitions and the additional partition default OS that you want as illustrated in Figure 2-5. Click Next button.

Figure 2-5 LPAR Validation Tool - System Selection

2. Next, give the configuration values to each partition. In our example we give s 1 processor to i5/OS partition and 0.1 processor to Linux partition. Click Next to continue.

Note: For further information and actual download of LVT, check:

http://www.iseries.ibm.com/lpar

There are two books you might want to use along with LVT: – IBM Eserver i5, iSeries and AS/400e Builder, SG24-2155

Figure 2-6 LPAR Validation Tool - Partition specifications

3. Then define the memory and the virtual I/O that your partitions will have. In our example we define 14 GB for i5/OS and 2 GB for Linux. Also we define the i5/OS as Server SCSI and Linux as SCSI client.

as illustrated in Figure 2-6 and Figure 2-7 the upper field represents the total available resources.These values change as you allocate the resources to a specific partition. In the middle area you define each partition’s resources such as shared processor, the total value of memory, the uncapped processor option and virtual I/O resources.

At the bottom of the screen, you see the number of required OS lisence(s). As you key in specific values in uncapped option fields, this information will change. For example, if you check Uncapped for i5/OS partition and select 2 for Uncapped Max, the number of OS/400 licenses will change to 2.

Click to Finish button to continue.

4. Allocate the IOPs, IOAs, Drivers and Linux IOAs to the respective partition as illustrated in Figure 2-8.

On the left pane, you work with the hardware that can be configured in the machine. On the right pane, you work with the slots or physical spaces of the machine. Each slot has a description that suggests what type of recourse can be put on it.

The bottom of the screen is the tips and information pane. In our example, the tool says that the partition one or P1 requires a disk drive on slot P3, so you can start to allocate one disk drive in that position.

Figure 2-8 LPAR Validation Tool - IOP, IOA, Drives and Linux IOA allocation

5. Validate all the resources. Click Validate → Validate Partitions.

Note: In Linux, the licenses number can vary depending on the distribution. The LPAR Validation Tool takes one license of Linux per uncapped max processor by default.

Figure 2-9 LPAR Validation Tool - Validating Partitions

When everything is correct you receive a message that all the partition requirements have been satisfied as illustrated at the bottom information pane in Figure 2-9. Now we have the actual configuration of our machine.

6. Instead of purchasing a new network adapter, we are going to take an available adapter from the i5/OS partition. To see which adapter is OK to take away and from which slot, we need do a search.

To do that click on Linux tab if that tab is not already selected and choose the IOA as illustrated in Figure 2-10. When you select a specific IOA from the left pane, LVT will show you from which slots you can take that resource away by highlighting them in pale blue. In our example, these are slots C04 and C02 at the bottom of the right pane. Note C01 is also highlighted but the resource is IOP, not IOA.

Figure 2-10 LPAR Validation Tool - Attaching Linux IOA

7. Remove one of the ethernet adapters either from C04 or C02. Currently, they are

dedicated to the P1 partition which is an i5/OS partition. Click on Remove buttonThen the button changes to Add.

8. On the exactly same spot, which is now Add button, click on Add button to attach this IOA, the ethernet adapter, to the Linux partition.

9. Select the partition that will be the owner of the IOA as illustrated in Figure 2-11. Click OK to apply the selection.

Figure 2-11 LPAR Validation Tool -Selecting the partition for device 0623

10.Validate the configuration. Click Validate → Validate Partitions. You have “All partition requirements been satisfied” message at the bottom pane and the IOA on slot C04 now belongs to P2 partition as illustrated in Figure 2-12.