Topics: AIX, System Admin, Virtualization

Set up private network between 2 VIO clients

The following is a description of how you can set up a private network between two VIO clients on one hardware frame.

Servers to set up connection: server1 and server2
Purpose: To be used for Oracle interconnect (for use by Oracle RAC/CRS)

IP Addresses assigned by network team: 

192.168.254.141 (server1priv)
192.168.254.142 (server2priv)
Subnetmask: 255.255.255.0
VLAN to be set up: PVID 4. This number is basically randomly chosen; it could have been 23 or 67 or whatever, as long as it is not yet in use. Proper documentation of your VIO setup and the defined networks, is therefore important.

Steps to set this up:
  • Log in to HMC GUI as hscroot.
  • Change the default profile of server1, and add a new virtual Ethernet adapter. Set the port virtual Ethernet to 4 (PVID 4). Select "This adapter is required for virtual server activation". Configuration -> Manage Profiles -> Select "Default" -> Actions -> Edit -> Select "Virtual Adapters" tab -> Actions -> Create Virtual Adapter -> Ethernet adapter -> Set "Port Virtual Ethernet" to 4 -> Select "This adapter is required for virtual server activation." -> Click Ok -> Click Ok -> Click Close.
  • Do the same for server2.
  • Now do the same for both VIO clients, but this time do "Dynamic Logical Partitioning". This way, we don't have to restart the nodes (as we previously have only updated the default profiles of both servers), and still get the virtual adapter.
  • Run cfgmgr on both nodes, and see that you now have an extra Ethernet adapter, in my case ent1.
  • Run "lscfg -vl ent1", and note the adapter ID (in my case C5) on both nodes. This should match the adapter IDs as seen on the HMC.
  • Now configure the IP address on this interface on both nodes.
  • Add the entries for server1priv and server2priv in /etc/hosts on both nodes.
  • Run a ping: ping server2priv (from server1) and vice versa.
  • Done!
Steps to throw it away:
  • On each node: deconfigure the en1 interface:
    # ifconfig en1 detach
  • Rmdev the devices on each node:
    # rmdev -dl en1
# rmdev -dl ent1
  • Remove the virtual adapter with ID 5 from the default profile in the HMC GUI for server1 and server2.
  • DLPAR the adapter with ID 5 out of server1 and server2.
  • Run cfgmgr on both nodes to confirm the adapter does not re-appear. Check with:
    # lsdev -Cc adapter
  • Done!




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