Installation and Migration Guide

Appendix F. Overriding the PPSIZE in a mksysb image

When installing a new node in an existing configuration, the mksysb image.data file will be used to describe the node's rootvg volume group. If the new node has a different size disk than the existing nodes, the parameters in the image.data file may have to be altered.

Refer to the AIX mkvg command for related hardware limitations. A 4.5 GB disk requires an 8 MB partition size and a 9 GB drive requires 16 MB.

If the PPSIZE entry in the image.data file is too small for the disk that is being installed, no action is needed. The AIX install program will automatically increase the PPSIZE to the appropriate number and adjust the LPs to match (cutting them in half or to one-quarter of their original size).

If you want to change the PPSIZE to a value other than the default or to modify other image.data parameters, follow this procedure. For more information about the image.data file, see the AIX Files Reference.

To alter the PPSIZE of the root volume group, do the following:

1. Extract the image.data file from mksysb:

   cd /spdata/sys1/install/images
   restore -xvf MKSYSB ./image.data
   

   where MKSYSB is the file name of your mksysb image.

2. Use a text editor to modify the PPSIZE in the vg_data stanza of the image.data file. The vg_data stanza looks like the following:

   vg_data:
      VGNAME= rootvg
      PPSIZE= 4
      VARYON= yes
      VG_SOURCE_DISK_LIST= hdisk0
      QUORUM= 2
   

   Each logical volume in the group has a stanza named lv_data. They also must be modified to be consistent with the new PPSIZE.

3. Create an image.data resource from the SMIT panel:

   smitty nim_res
    
   Select: Define a Resource
   Select: image_data
   

   On the SMIT panel, enter these values:

     Resource Name              [imagedata]
     Resource Type              image_data
     Server of Resource         [master]
     Location of Resource       [DIR/image.data]
     comments                   []
   

4. Set the node to install by using the spbootins command:

   spbootins -r install -l node_number
   

5. Allocate the image.data NIM resource to the node:

   nim -Fo reset node_hostname
   

   This will remove the boot and nim_script entries which will change the NIM state so that the image.data NIM resources can be allocated to the node.

   Bring up the SMIT panel:

   smitty nim_mac
    
   Select: Manage Network Install Resource Allocation
   Select: Allocate Network Install Resources
   Select: node_hostname
    
   Select: imagedata            image_data
   

   When the command completes, hit cancel twice to return to the "Manage Machines" panel.

   Select: Perform Operations on Machines
   Select: node_hostname
   Select: bos_inst = perform a BOS installation
   

   The "Perform a Network Install" panel will come up. Enter these values:

   Target Name                                node_hostname
   Source for BOS Runtime Files                      mksysb
   installp Flags                                    [-agX]
   Fileset Names                                     []
   Remain NIM client after install?                  yes
   Initiate Boot Operation on Client?                no
   Set Boot List if Boot not Initiated on Client?    no
   Force Unattended Installation Enablement?         no
   

   Press Enter after making all desired changes. Exit SMIT.

6. Verify that the imagedata resource and all NIM resources associated with an "install" were allocated.

   lsnim -c resources node_hostname
   

   The following output will be generated:

   lppsource_AIX421   lpp_source
   spot_AIX421        spot
   noprompt           bosinst_data
   psspscript         script
   mksysb_1           mksysb
   imagedata          image_data
   boot               boot represents the network boot resource
   nim_script         nim_script - directory containing customization script
   

7. Perform a netboot for all the nodes in question.