Live Partition Mobility Setup Checklist

Published 24 May 2014, updated 25 July 2016

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Authors: Scott Vetter, Bradley Vette

Abstract

When setting up Live Partition Mobility (LPM) for the first time in your environment, use the Live Partition Mobility Setup Checklist. The checklist provides basic details.

A companion document exists that may be of interest: Live Partition Mobility Preparation Checklist available at:

Live Partition Mobility Preparation Checklist

Related content

Contents

Live Partition Mobility Setup Checklist


HMC tasks:Complete = XComments
  1. Check HMC hardware level:
    • Log in to HMC.
    • Use the lshmc -V command.
2. Check the HMC software level for compatibility with the entire configuration using the IBM® Fix Level Recommendation Tool (FLRT) at this address:
3. For remote HMC migrations use the mkauthkeys command-line interface (CLI) command to generate the SSH authentication key pairs on the local and remote HMC:
    mkauthkeys ––ip <ip address of remote HMC> -u hscroot
Systems tasks:Complete = XComments
1. Check source and destination system firmware levels and have all the recommended fixes for Partition Mobility (use FLRT)
2. Check source and destination system firmware levels for compatibility using the firmware support matrix Web site: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/8286-42A/p8hc3/p8hc3_firmwaresupportmatrix.htm
3. Ensure that the logical memory block (LMB) size is the same on both the source and destination system:
    • Log in to HMC.
    • Use the following command:
      lshwres -r mem -m <machine name> --level sys -F mem_region_size
4. Ensure the destination system has enough memory to support the mobile partition.
    To determine whether the destination server has enough physical memory available to support the mobile partition, complete the following steps from the HMC:

    1. Identify the amount of physical memory that the mobile partition requires:

      1. In the navigation pane, open Systems Management and select Servers.
      2. Click the source server on which the mobile partition is located.
      3. In the work pane, select the mobile partition.
      4. From the Tasks menu, click Properties. The Partition Properties window opens.
      5. Click the Hardware tab.
      6. Click the Memory tab.
      7. Record the dedicated minimum, assigned, and maximum memory settings.
      8. Click OK.
    2. Identify the amount of physical memory that is available on the destination server:
      1. In the navigation pane, open Systems Management and select Servers.
      2. In the work pane, select the destination server to which you plan to move the mobile partition.
      3. From the Tasks menu, click Properties.
      4. Click the Memory tab.
      5. Record the Current memory available for partition usage.
      6. Click OK.
    3. Compare the values from steps 1 and 2. If the destination server does not have enough physical memory available to support the mobile partition, continue to prepare the source and destination servers for Partition Mobility.
5. Ensure the destination system has enough processor to support the mobile partition.
    To determine the available processors on the destination server using the HMC, complete the following steps:

    1. Determine how many processors the mobile partition requires:
      1. In the navigation pane, open Systems Management and select Servers.
      2. Select the managed server of your choice in the navigation pane.
      3. In the work pane, select the logical partition of your choice.
      4. Select Properties and select the Hardware tab and the Processors tab.
      5. View the Processor section and record the minimum, maximum, and available processor settings.
      6. Click OK.
    2. Determine the processors available on the destination server:
      1. In the navigation pane, open Systems Management and select Servers.
      2. Select the managed server of your choice in the navigation pane.
      3. Select Properties and the Processors tab.
      4. Record the Available processors.
      5. Click OK.
    3. Compare the values from steps 1 and 2. If the destination server has enough available processors to support the mobile partition, continue to prepare the source and destination servers for Partition Mobility.
Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) tasks:Complete = XComments
1. Check source and destination VIOS levels (use FLRT):
    • Log in to VIOS as padmin.
    • Use the ioslevel command.
2. Ensure the mover service partition (MSP) attribute is selected on at least one VIOS on both frames.
3. For the one or more VIOS servers that are serving network access to the mobile partition using a Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA) connected to a Shared Ethernet Adapter (SEA), ensure the “promiscuous” mode attribute is set on the HEA group.
4. For the one or more VIOS servers that are serving storage to the mobile partition on both the source and destination system, ensure both VIOS servers see the same disks (use the odmGet or lspv command) required by the mobile partition and have the no_reserve attribute set on those disks.
    • To list the attributes of hdiskX, use the following command:

      Lsdev -dev hdiskX -attr
    • If reserve_policy is not set to no_reserve, use the following command:

      chdev -dev hdiskX -attr reserve_policy=no_reserve
5. Verify that the physical Fibre Channel adapters that are assigned to the source and destination VIOS logical partitions support N-Port ID Virtualization (NPIV). Run the lsnports command to view the physical ports on the physical Fibre Channel adapters that support NPIV.Not applicable (N/A) for vSCSI.
6. Verify that the switches to which the physical Fibre Channel adapters on both the source and destination VIOS logical partitions are cabled support NPIV. Run the lsnports command to view the fabric support of the physical ports on the physical Fibre Channel adapters. If the fabric support is 1, the physical port is cabled to a switch that supports NPIV.N/A for vSCSI.
7. Ensure that both frames have a VIOS that has an SEA configured that bridges to the same physical network (same subnet) required by the mobile partition.
8. Verify that your VIOSs are configured correctly to give you the best performance. See the VIOS configuration and tuning for optimum partition mobility performance in the IBM Knowledge Center for more information:

http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/POWER8/p8hc3/p8hc3_viostune_lpmperf.htm
Mobile Partition tasks:Complete = XComments
1. Check the software levels (use FLRT).
2. Ensure that storage for the mobile partition is accessible (zoned and masked) by at least one VIOS on each frame.
3. Ensure that the network is accessible (same subnet) by at least one VIOS on each frame.
4. Ensure that the mobile partition’s name is unique across both frames. As part of the migration process, the HMC creates a new migration profile containing the partition’s current state.
5. Verify that the processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition is supported on the destination server.
6. Ensure that the mobile partition is not a service partition.
7. Ensure that the mobile partition does not use huge pages.
    To check huge pages for the mobile partition using the HMC, you must be a super administrator and complete the following steps:

    1. Open the source system and select Properties.
    2. Click the Advanced tab.
8. Ensure that the mobile partition does not use the Barrier Synchronization Register (BSR, Active Migration).
    To validate BSR for the mobile partition using the HMC, you must be a super administrator and complete the following steps:

    1. In the navigation pane, open Systems Management and select Servers.
    3. In the contents area, open the source system.
    4. Select the mobile partition and select Properties.
    5. Click the Hardware tab.
    6. Click the Memory tab.
    If the number of BSR arrays equals zero, the mobile partition can participate in inactive or active migration.
9. Ensure that the partition does not use non-default virtual serial-I/O adapters greater than 1.
10. Ensure that the mobile partition’s disks are virtualized by the VIOS.
    To validate that the disks are virtualized, verify that the same SAN disks that are used as virtual disks by the mobile partition are assigned to the source and destination VIOS logical partitions.
11. Ensure that all physical I/O adapters that are assigned to the mobile partition’s profile are marked as Desired.Applies only to IBM AIX and Linux partitions. IBM i partitions cannot have physical I/O.
12. For each virtual Fibre Channel adapter on the mobile partition, verify that both worldwide port names (WWPNs) are assigned to the same set of logical unit numbers (LUNs) on the SAN.
    To identify the WWPNs that are assigned to a virtual Fibre Channel adapter using the HMC, complete the following steps:

    1. In the navigation pane, open Systems Management and select Servers.

    2. Click the server on which the mobile partition is located.

    3. In the navigation pane, select the mobile partition.

    4. From the Tasks menu, click Properties. The Partition Properties window opens.

    5. Click the Virtual Adapters tab.

    6. Select a virtual Fibre Channel adapter slot.

    7. From the Actions menu, click Properties. The Virtual Fibre Channel Adapter Properties window opens, showing the WWPN pair. Record both addresses.

    8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each virtual Fibre Channel adapter on the mobile partition.

    9. Click Close to return to the Partition Properties window.

    Now that you have the WWPNs, verify that BOTH of them are assigned to the same set of logical unit numbers (LUNs) on the SAN.

N/A for vSCSI.
13. Verify that the mobile partition has access to the virtual Fibre Channel adapters on the source VIOS logical partition:
    • Verify the location code by using this command:

      lscfg -vl fcs* | grep fcs
    • Verify that the fcs ports are “Available” (not “Defined”) by using this command:

      lsdev | grep fcs
    • Verify the fcs state by using a command similar to this sample command:

      fcstat fcs0
14. Ensure that the mobile partition is not designated as a redundant error path reporting partition.
15. Ensure that the mobile partition is not part of an LPAR workload group.
16. Ensure that Resource Monitoring and Control (RMC) connections exist between the mobile partitions, service processors, and mover service partitions (MSP):
    1. Log in to the partition with root authority.

    2. Use the lsrsrc IBM.ManagementServer command. If the command output includes ManageType = "HMC", then the RMC connection is established,

    3. On HMC, run lspartition -dlpar and then look for Active:<1> (not <0>). Virtual I/O Client (VIOC) should have the rsct_rm and rsctv service groups started.

17. Ensure that the latest mobile partition profile was activated at least once.
18. Ensure that all physical I/O devices are dynamically removed (DLPAR removed) off the mobile partition at the time of migration.Applies only to AIX and Linux partitions. IBM i partitions cannot have physical I/O.
19. The client has all virtual slots, no vopt device, and no LV-based devices on related vhost maps in the VIOS.
20. Be sure the restricted IO partition property is set on the IBM i partition (this property can be changed only on a deactivated IBM i partition).N/A for AIX and Linux partitions.
21. An IBM i logical partition cannot be moved while an NPIV (virtual Fibre Channel) attached tape device is varied on.N/A for AIX and Linux partitions.
22. The IBM i partition must not be assigned a virtual SCSI optical or tape device at the time of the operation.N/A for AIX and Linux partitions.
23. An IBM i partition cannot host or be hosted by an IBM i system. This includes the following restrictions:
    • The IBM i partition cannot be activated with a partition profile that has a virtual SCSI server adapter.
    • The IBM i partition cannot be activated with a partition profile that has a virtual SCSI client adapter that is hosted by another IBM i partition.
    • No virtual SCSI server adapters can be dynamically added to the IBM i partition.
    • No virtual SCSI client adapters that are hosted by another IBM i logical partition can be dynamically added to the logical partition being moved.
N/A for AIX and Linux partitions.
24. If the mobile partition on the source server is capable of the Trusted Boot feature, verify that the destination server supports the Trusted Boot feature and has the same trusted key as the source server. Also, verify that the destination server has an adequate number of available Virtual Trusted Platform Modules (VTPMs) for the mobile partitions to use.

Special Notices

This material has not been submitted to any formal IBM test and is published AS IS. It has not been the subject of rigorous review. IBM assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness. The use of this information or the implementation of any of these techniques is a client responsibility and depends upon the client's ability to evaluate and integrate them into the client's operational environment.

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