AIX rootvg boot issues from cDOT storage

JAK · ‎2014-10-06

I am trying to resolve AIX system boot issues from the cDOT system. Here's the issue:

I can boot the AIX from the old IBM N-Series storage using N-Series Host Utilities Kit (HUK). Our goal is to migrate this server from the N-Series to the new cDOT system so the server is booting from the new cDOT. The AIX server doesn't see the boot device after we have uninstalled the N-Series HUK and the new HUK Ver.6 for AIX is installed. We went through various test scenarios as below:

Two IBM AIX Test Enviroments.

Test Environment #1:
- Purpose:
  - Uninstall IBM N-Series HUK in favor of NetApp 6.0 HUK
- Host/LPAR:
  - AIX 6.1 TL8 SP3
  - IBM N-Series HUK Installed.
  - Using NPIV not vSCSI via VIO Server
- Storage:
  - SAN Boot LUN Data has already been migrated from N-Series to the following:
    - SAN Boot LUN on NetApp ClusteredONTAP 8.2 (8040/8020 HA cluster)
- Attempted Tests:
  - Test #1: Uninstall of IBM N-Series HUK & Install of NetApp HUK:
    - 1 - Single Path created for Boot LUN from LPAR to CDOT array using assigned portset to igroup. (Only one HBA adaptor enabled on LPAR)
    - 2 - Boot off single path LUN
    - 3 - Chdev –p hdisk# -a algorithm=fail_over –a reserve_policy=single-path
    - 4 - Bootlist –m normal hdisk# (ensure boot LUN is in bootlist)
    - 5 - Remove all other devices except boot LUN.
    - 6 - Remove all N-Series MPIO drivers

Installation Summary

--------------------

Name Level Part Event Result

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ontap.MPIO_Host_Utilities_K 6.0.0.0 USR DEINSTALL SUCCESS

Ontap.SAN_toolkit.sanlun 6.0.0.0 USR DEINSTALL SUCCESS

Ontap.SAN_toolkit.scripts 6.0.0.0 USR DEINSTALL SUCCESS

7 - Reboot (with single path)
8 - Remove all other devices except boot LUN
9 - Install all packages NetApp HUK (successful)

Installation Summary

--------------------

Name Level Part Event Result

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

NetApp.MPIO_Host_Utilities_ 6.0.0.0 USR APPLY SUCCESS

10 - Reboot (with single path)
11 – Result: Error 554 on boot.

Test #2: Uninstalled of IBM N-Series HUK & Re-install of N-Series HUK.
- Same steps as in Test #1.
- Exception: Replace Step 9 with the following:
  - 9 – Re-install IBM N-Series HUK

MPIO_Host_Utilities_Kit.config
0.0.0 COMMITTED Data ONTAP MPIO PCM Host
MPIO_Host_Utilities_Kit.fcp
0.0.0 COMMITTED Data ONTAP MPIO PCM Host
MPIO_Host_Utilities_Kit.iscsi
0.0.0 COMMITTED Data ONTAP MPIO PCM Host
MPIO_Host_Utilities_Kit.pcmodm
0.0.0 COMMITTED Data ONTAP MPIO PCM Host

10 – Reboot

11 – Result: Reboot Successful.

Test Environment #2:
- Purpose:
  - Uninstall IBM N-Series HUK in favor of NetApp 6.0 HUK
  - (Using AIX image based on NetApp N-Series)
- Host/LPAR:
  - AIX 6.1 TL8 SP3
  - IBM N-Series HUK Installed.
  - Using NPIV not vSCSI via VIO Server
- Storage:
  - SAN Boot LUN Data has already been migrated from N-Series to the following:
    - SAN Boot LUN on NetApp 7-Mode 8.1.4P1 (3140 HA pair)
- Attempted Tests:
  - Test #1: Install Native AIX MPIO Drivers on New AIX OS

Packages Installed:
Native AIX MPIO
- NetApp 6.0 SAN Tool Kit
AIX OS:
- New AIX OS Install from scratch

Results:
Reboot Successful.

Test #2a): Install NetApp 6.0 HUK on New AIX OS
Results:
Reboot Failed.
Test #2b): Install NetApp 5.0 HUK on New AIX OS
Results:
Reboot Failed.

Test #3: Use a different AIX OS
Packages Installed:

NetApp 6.0 HUK (All packages)
NetApp 6.0 SAN Tool Kit

AIX OS:
Different AIX image

Results:
Reboot Failed.

Test #4: Install *only* 3 packages from NetApp 6.0 HUK on New AIX OS
Results:
Reboot Successful

I am wondering if anybody has come through similar situation and resolved it to boot from cDOT storage using AIX HUK 6.0

johnh703 · ‎2016-01-25

I have a customer having the same problem but they are using the NetApp HUK 6.0.0. No solution as thiis point.