Readme for IBM PowerVM NovaLink 1.0.0.7
This is the September 2017 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
Table of Contents
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 1.0.0.7
release, run the following:
· Update the apt repository cache
o
sudo apt update
·
Upgrade to
1.0.0.7. 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
·
Bug fixes
·
When installing
the optional pvm-msp package (SDE only), the
user will be prompted to accept the VIOS license during the install. To
automatically accept the license, add licenseaccepted=True in the NovaLinkConfiguration
section of the configuration file.
· GRUB option pvm-noupdate,
when set to 1 will prevent the IBM’s public APT repository from being used to obain updates during the installation.
· A new GRUB option pvm-preseed
can be used to specify the location of a debian preseed file containing additional configuration to be
appended to the preseed file that NovaLink
installer generates:
pvm-preseed=http://<server
address>/mypreseed.cfg
·
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
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 1.0.0.7
· 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).
· Mod Level (third digit) increments have an N-1 support policy. The current available Mod Level and the previous release of a Mod Level are supported.
o For example if 1.0.1.x is currently the latest shipped release, then 1.0.0.x versions are in support. Once 1.0.2.x release is available, support for 1.0.0.x ceases.
· Fix (fourth 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.