Exploiting IBM AIX Workload Partitions

Chapter 9. Workload partition migration scenarios 219

Creating logical volume 'fslv04' specified in image.data

Creating file system '/' specified in image.data

...

x 136 ./.savewpar_dir/data.files10092688

x 136 ./.savewpar_dir/vgdata.files

...

Workload partition mig_wpar_2 created successfully

Here, we used the -C flag to ignore any incompatibility with the source system. Now, we start

the newly added WPAR:

# lswpar

Name State Type Hostname Directory RootVG WPAR

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

mig_wpar_2 D S mig_wpar_2 /wpars/mig_wpar_2 no

# startwpar mig_wpar_2

Starting workload partition 'mig_wpar_2'.

Mounting all workload partition file systems.

Loading workload partition.

...

0513-059 The cor_mig_wpar_2 Subsystem has been started. Subsystem PID is 7929956.

Verifying workload partition startup.

We successfully tested accessing the Sample Application on WebSphere Application Server

on the WPAR.

9.2.4 Migrating a system WPAR from AIX 6.1 to AIX 7.1 in another system

using the savewpar image

This scenario is similar to the WPAR Manager relocation facility, which does not work from an

AIX 6.1 to an AIX 7.1 system due to libraries and system call differences.

It is possible to restore a savewpar that was collected in an AIX 6.1 system to an AIX 7.1

system; thus, you can use this procedure as a migration procedure. In this test, both the

source and target systems have access to the same NFS repository where the savewpar

image is stored from an AIX 6.1 system and where later the savewpar image is accessed and

restored in an AIX 7.1 system. Refer to Chapter 11, “Backing up and restoring workload

partitions” on page 259.

Creating the source WPAR

This time, we created a private system WPAR by including the -l flag. This migration

procedure to a target system with another AIX level also applies to a shared system WPAR.

We proceeded, as shown in Example 9-25.

Example 9-25 Creating the source WPAR for migration using a savewpar image

# mkwpar -l -r -n mig_wpar_4 -N address=172.16.20.119 netmask=255.255.252.0

...

Workload partition mig_wpar_4 created successfully.

mkwpar: 0960-390 To start the workload partition, execute the following as root:

startwpar [-v] mig_wpar_4

220 Exploiting IBM AIX Workload Partitions

At this point, we installed a WebSphere Application Server on mig_wpar_2 to reproduce a

scenario running a sample application. We had to extend the /usr file system to allocate the

necessary space for this installation. We extended the /usr file system from the global

environment by extending the /wpars/mig_wpar_2/usr file system. We also created the mount

point /wpars/mig_wpar_2/SW and mounted the /dev/swlv on this mount point from the global

environment, to make the WebSphere installation software available to the WPAR. For

installing WebSphere Application Server on a WPAR, see the following technical documents:

򐂰 http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21420491

򐂰 http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21377268

򐂰 http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21291889

򐂰 http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21294421

Deleting the WPAR from the source system

Before deleting the WPAR, make sure that there is no file system on the WPAR_name Mount

Group other than those file systems that were created by the mkwpar command, because they

will all be deleted. If you need to preserve any file system, use smit chfs to change the

Mount Group to any other value or to blank. You can issue a savewpar command, as shown in

Example 9-26.

Example 9-26 Executing the savewpar command

# mount nimres1:/nimrepo/savewpars /savew

# savewpar -if /savew/mig_4_savewpar mig_wpar_4

Creating information file (/image.data) for mig_wpar_4.

Creating list of files to back up

Backing up 92766 files......................

92766 of 92766 files backed up (100%)

0512-038 savewpar: Backup Completed Successfully.

Alternatively, if you have a NIM server, you can accomplish the same task from the NIM

master. Make sure that the NIM master and the WPAR alias are resolvable to an IP address in

both the NIM master and the WPAR. On the NIM master, define the WPAR:

# nim -o define -t wpar -a mgmt_profile1="750_1_LPAR_4 mig_wpar_4" -a if1="nim172

mig_wpar_4 0" mig_wpar_4

In this definition, 750_1_LPAR_4 is the source system containing the WPAR wpar_mig_4. On

wpar_mig_4, initiate as the NIM client:

# clogin wpar_mig_4

# niminit

# nim -o define -t savewpar -a server=master -a

location=/nimrepo/savewpars/mig_4.image -a source=mig_wpar_4 -a mk_image=yes

sw_mig_4

Next, we remove the WPAR from the source system.

# rmwpar mig_wpar_4

Important: Because a savewpar image can be larger than 2 GB, use the following

command. That way, you do not reach the filesize limit, which causes the savewpar to fail.

# ulimit unlimited

Use this command before launching the savewpar command.