Starting the installation from i5/OS

This topic describes the installation of Linux® initiated from an i5/OS™ command line.

The installation of an integrated Linux server is initiated from an i5/OS command line using the Install LINUX Server (INSLNXSVR) command. The installation is completed from the Linux console.

The Linux server installation occurs in two steps. During the first step, the INSLNXSVR command creates all necessary objects to manage the server. This includes a network server description, message queue, line descriptions, storage spaces and TCP/IP interfaces.

During the second step of the Linux server installation, the Integrated xSeries server is varied on to start the Linux server installation. Further Linux server installation is performed using the file server console and the normal Linux server install process.

When INSLNXSVR completes normally, the Linux server is left in a varied on state.

Restrictions:

• You must have input/output system configuration (*IOSYSCFG), all object (*ALLOBJ) and job control (*JOBCTL) special authorities to run this command.

• Existing file servers that use the same specified Integrated xSeries hardware resource must not be varied on.

• The file server will be varied off and varied back on during the second step of the install as Linux server installs and requires the server to reboot.

If the installation fails at an early stage, all i5/OS objects that have been created are removed. However, if the installation fails after being transferred to the Linux console, the i5/OS objects remain. This is because you might be able to correct the error and recover the installation. In this case, restart the server and the installation code will try to resume from the point of failure. If you are unable to recover, or you decide to restart the installation from scratch, you can delete the Linux server instance using the DLTLNXSVR command.

Note: Any time a restart of the Integrated xSeries® Adapter occurs, the attached xSeries is rebooted twice, so you see the Power On Self Test (POST) sequence twice. This is normal.

To start the installation of Linux on the Integrated xSeries hardware, complete the following steps:

  1. If you are installing Linux on an Integrated xSeries Server, verify that the USB diskette drive is plugged into a USB port on the server.
  2. If you are installing Linux on an Integrated xSeries Adapter-attached xSeries, locate the driver diskette but do not insert it into the diskette drive of the xSeries server yet.
  3. Verify that no other NWSD is varied on for the hardware resource you want to install on by running the CL command by typing WRKCFGSTS *NWS. Display each NWSD that is varied on and confirm that it is not using the resource you intend to use.
  4. If you are installing Linux on an IXS, verify that the iSeries optical drive is varied on and that it is not being used by another job. Insert the Linux installation CD in the iSeries’ optical drive.
  5. Sign on to an i5/OS green screen session with a profile that has the following authorities: *IOSYSCFG, *ALLOBJ, and *JOBCTL or *SECADM.
  6. Change the QSYSOPR message queue to something other than *BREAK so that the installation is not interrupted. For example, type the CL command CHGMSGQ MSGQ(QSYSOPR) DLVRY(*NOTIFY).
  7. On the i5/OS command line type INSLNXSVR and press F4. This will display the parameters for the command. Below is a brief description of the parameters that must be explicitly entered. All other parameters are filled in with default values which can be modified as you prefer. For more details on the parameters see the section tilted ‘INSLNXSVR command parameter descriptions’.
    Network Server Description

    Choose any name of up to eight characters that is meaningful to you. This does not have to be identical to the Linux server’s host name. It is simply used to track the i5/OS objects associated with the integrated server. This name is used as the prefix for the system and install drives, and the Point-to-Point Virtual Ethernet line description.

    Resource name

    Type in the hardware resource name (LINxx) for the Integrated xSeries Server or Integrated xSeries Adapter that you identified.

    Linux server distribution

    Select the appropriate distribution. At the time of writing, the valid options are *RHEL3, *RHEL4, *SLES8 or *SLES9. This might change as newer Linux distributions become available. Note: RHEL 3 is the only Linux distribution supported on the IXS.

    There are a few parameters that are filled in by default but are worth noting here. These parameters are critical to the Linux install.

    Server storage space sizes

    • Install source size

    The default value is calculated based on the space required to hold the install source. Typically, a storage space of 200 megabytes is created for the install source disk. This virtual disk can be a between 200 MB and 2047 MB. It does not need to be larger than the calculated value and it must be kept as *FAT format. The Linux integration code installs some utilities and configuration files here for its own use. The install drive is not intended for public use.

    • System size

    The default value is calculated based on the space required to hold the Linux installation. Typically, a storage space of 12000 megabytes is created for the system disk. The size of the system storage space can be anywhere between 1024 MB and 1024000 MB. Depending on how much data you want to store on this disk, you might need to make it considerably larger. The calculated value takes into account the following:

    Table 1. System storage space
    Partition Description
    Linux system partition(s) The estimate for the root and boot (if created) partitions with room for updates is 8 GB.
    Swap partition This needs to be at least as large as the amount of installed memory. We assume 4 GB.
    Note: Be careful about specifying a system drive size less than the calculated value. While this might work initially, over time as you install more distribution updates you might run out of space.

    Unlike other Linux platforms, the size of the system drive on iSeries has absolutely no effect on performance. This is because storage spaces are actually files residing on iSeries disk storage, and the data is automatically spread across all physical disk drives in the specified auxiliary storage pool (ASP). Therefore, size the drive according to the space you need, not with any performance considerations in mind.

    Restricted device resources

    You can use this parameter to list iSeries tape and optical devices that you do not want to make available to the Linux server as virtual devices. However, the installation of RHEL 3 requires that at least one optical drive is not restricted.

  8. When you press Enter, the following occurs:
    • The NWSD is created.
    • The system storage space is created. This might take a few minutes depending on the size.
    • The install storage space is created.
    • Files are copied to the install drive.
  9. If you are installing Linux (other than RHEL 3) on an externally attached xSeries you will be prompted to input the installation media in the xSeries optical drive. For example, a SLES 9 install would prompt with:

    Please insert SLES9 disc 1 into the xSeries CD-ROM (C G).

    Verify that the installation media is inserted in the xSeries’ CD-ROM drive. Type G then press Enter. (Do not insert the diskette at this time.)

  10. The configuration files are updated and then the installation is transferred to the Linux server’s console. When this happens you see the following message at the bottom of the green screen session from which you ran the INSLNXSVR command:

    Network server install completed for <network server name>.

    The server boots after the i5/OS portion of the installation has completed. The Linux installation wizard is displayed on the server’s console. You must now complete the installation from the Linux console.

Parent topic: Linux on an integrated xSeries solution