Readme for IBM PowerVM NovaLink 1.0.0.13
This is the March 2019 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, 7.4 and 7.5: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/systems/virtualization/Novalink/rhel/73/novalink_1.0.0
To upgrade to
the 1.0.0.13 release, run the following:
· Update the apt repository cache
o
sudo
apt update
·
Upgrade
to 1.0.0.13. 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
·
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 RHEL installation:
o When upgrading Novalink from an older release, network interface name
might get updated to the “ibmveth*” naming
convention.
Resolution:
Delete
the ibmveth naming file under /lib/udev/rules.d/73-special-net-names.rules
before reboot.
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.