Readme for IBM PowerVM NovaLink 1.0.0.11
This is the September 2018 release of IBM PowerVM NovaLink. Learn more about PowerVM NovaLink at
Download of the IBM PowerVM NovaLink installation media is available at the Entitled Systems Support site (ESS).
http://www-304.ibm.com/servers/eserver/ess/OpenServlet.wss
NovaLink is entitled for download if you have a license for IBM PowerVM
NovaLink
for KVM on Power is supported via the iBM PowerVC product.
Table of Contents
Known Issues
(PowerVM and KVM on Power)
Fixes and service packs for
this product are available in the following online repositories:
·
Ubuntu: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/systems/virtualization/Novalink/debian
·
RHEL 7.3 and
7.4: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/systems/virtualization/Novalink/rhel/73/novalink_1.0.0
To upgrade to the 1.0.0.11
release, run the following:
· Update the apt repository cache
o
sudo apt update
·
Upgrade to
1.0.0.11. The ‘upgrade’ will upgrade all
software, or you can specifically only update the NovaLink
and RSCT portion.
o
sudo apt
upgrade (or alternatively: sudo apt install pvm-novalink rsct.basic)
·
Remove old
packages that are no longer used (optional)
o
sudo apt-get autoremove
See the Knowledge Center documentation
for more information on installing fixes and updates
·
http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/POWER8/p8eig/p8eig_updating_ubuntu_online.htm?cp=POWER8
·
Various bug
fixes
·
Secure Boot
Support
·
Allow User
Disable LPM functionality for Individual LPARs
·
Metered
Enterprise Pool / PAYG Pool Support
·
Issues affecting
HMC Co-Management
o
Prior to
converting a system to a co-managed environment, the user should create a
backup of the profile data (bkprofdata) on the
HMC. This will allow the user to revert to the state prior to
co-management should they desire.
o
Any LPAR that has
not been powered on at least once prior to switching over to a co-managed mode
will need to be re-created.
o
The HMC Enhanced
UI should be used when using the HMC in a co-managed mode. The classic UI
is missing key functionality due to the lack of partition profiles when running
co-managed.
o
NovaLink does not
currently have support for Active Memory Sharing or Hibernation.
·
Issues affecting
full installs (where NovaLink deploys the entire PowerVM stack including the VIOS).
o
When performing
a full install on a new system, if any error occurs before the VIOS server(s)
have been created or installed, you will need to reset the system in order to try again.
Resolution:
If
you encounter an error during the creation or installation of the VIOS
Server(s), you will need to reset your system to the initial factory settings.
This can be done via the ASMI interface or by rebooting the NovaLink
partition and use the 'Reset System' under the 'Choose to repair a system'
option of the NovaLink installation wizard.
o
When performing
a full install on a new system, the IP addresses associated with NovaLink and the VIOS should not use the 192.168.128.1
network (or any superset). NovaLink sets up a
192.68.128.1 network through which to install the VIOS, and allocating that
same network for the external facing IPs will cause the install to fail.
·
Issues affecting
installation in an HMC environment.
o
NovaLink supports
using multipath I/O of physical volumes via redundant VIOSs. However, when using Virtual Optical DVD (vtoptX)
to perform an installation of the NovaLink software,
the same vhostY hosting the NovaLink
LPARs disk must be used if the disk has multiple paths. The following is an example lsmap (on VIOS) output showing vhost0 serving both vtopt0
and vtscsi0 for hdisk1.
$
lsmap -all
SVSA
Physloc Client Partition ID
---------------
-------------------------------------------- ------------------
vhost0
U9119.MHE.21BB977-V1-C5 0x00000003
VTD
vtopt0
Status
Available
LUN
0x8200000000000000
Backing
device /var/vio/VMLibrary/novalink-installer-96-ISO
Physloc
Mirrored
N/A
VTD
vtscsi0
Status
Available
LUN
0x8100000000000000
Backing
device hdisk1
Physloc U78CD.001.FZH8538-P1-C4-T1-W5005076802161E9F-L1000000000000
Mirrored
false
·
Issues
affecting installation in a Software Defined Network mode:
o When installing in Software Defined
Network mode, if a slot assigned to SDN contains disk storage device previously
installed with NovaLink, the installation may fail
with the error message 'No root filesystem is defined'.
Resolution:
If possible assign slots that only have
network device to SDN
Issues affecting
applications
·
While running
workload with sustained heavy disk IO, you may see warning messages like “INFO:
rcu_sched detected stalls on CPUs/tasks” on VM console.
Resolution:
It should automatically recover when the task finishes.
Installation
instructions for PowerVM NovaLink
are available on the on-line Knowledge Center.
·
http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/POWER8/p8eig/p8eig_installing.htm?cp=POWER8
PowerVM NovaLink uses versioning
in the form of Version, Release, Mod Level and Fix (VRMF). Example
1.0.0.8.0
·
Version and
Release increments have a 3-year software support Lifecycle and follow IBM’s
standard software lifecycle (http://www-01.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle/lc-policy.html).
·
Starting in the 1.0.0.6
release, Mod Level (fourth digit) increments have an
12 months, or N-1 support policy depends on which one is longer. The current
available Mod Level and the previous releases of Mod Levels from the prior 12
months are supported.
o
This means if
there are 4 releases a year, supported releases are up to N-3. If there are 2 releases a year, supported
release is up to N-1.
o
For example, if
1.0.0.9 is the latest release, and 1.0.0.6 was the release from a year ago,
then 1.0.0.8, 1.0.0.7, and 1.0.0.6 versions are in support. Once 1.0.0.10
release is available, support for 1.0.0.6 ceases.
o
Any releases
prior to 1.0.0.6 are out of support.
·
Fix (fifth
digit) increments indicate fix and service pack levels for the Mod Level of the
release. PowerVM NovaLink
uses the Debian method of delivering fixes via a fix repository.
See the Knowledge Center for more information. Errata for service fixes will be posted to Fix Central.