Maintaining the Linux integration code

This topic discusses how to maintain and manage your integrated Linux® server code.

The Linux integration software has some components that run on i5/OS™, and others that run on Linux. The Linux components are installed when you create the Linux server. The i5/OS-based code can be maintained using the normal PTF process; however, you need a way to maintain the integration code installed on Linux. You can do this from Linux using the ixsupdt command. This command updates the kernel code and user level code.

Note: Linux distributions have methods to update the software (that is, online update, update CD-ROMs, etc.). If a Linux distribution’s update includes a kernel update, we recommend that you back up your server prior to applying the update. Immediately after applying the Linux distribution’s update, you must run the ixsupdt command. This is to ensure that the latest iSeries™ Linux integration drivers are available for the updated kernel. To see a list of kernels supported by the Linux integration drivers, please check the following Web site:

http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/integratedxseries/linux/ Link outside information center

To run the ixsupdt command, complete the following steps:

  1. Log in to Linux as either the root user or a user with root authority, and start a terminal session.
  2. At the command prompt enter the ixsupdt command and press Enter. The syntax is:
    ixsupdt <userid> [<address>]

    Where userid is an i5/OS user profile and address is the IP address or host name of the hosting i5/OS partition. The ixsupdt command allows you to change the IP address or host name listed as the managing iSeries for your server.

    Linux integration support needs this data in order to set up a connection to exchange administrative information with i5/OS. It is important that you specify a valid IP address, or host name that is registered in the local DNS.

  3. Linux issues a prompt for the i5/OS user’s password. Type in the password and press Enter.
  4. If the kernel has been updated, a reboot is required to run with the updated kernel.