This is a quick and dirty method of setting up an LPP source and SPOT of AIX 5.3 TL10 SP2, without having to swap DVD's into the AIX host machine. What you basically need is the actual AIX 5.3 TL10 SP2 DVD's from IBM, a Windows host, and access to your NIM server. This process basically works for every AIX level, and has been tested with versions up to AIX 7.2.

If you have actual AIX DVD's that IBM sent to you, create ISO images of the DVD's through Windows, e.g. by using MagicISO. Or, go to Entitled Software Support and download the ISO images there.

SCP these ISO image files over to the AIX NIM server, e.g. by using WinSCP.

We need a way to access the data in the ISO images on the NIM server, and to extract the filesets from it (see IBM Wiki).

For AIX 5 systems and older:

Create a logical volume that is big enough to hold the data of one DVD. Check with "lsvg rootvg" if you have enough space in rootvg and what the PP size is. In our example it is 64 MB. Thus, to hold an ISO image of roughly 4.7 GB, we would need roughly 80 LPs of 64 MB.

# /usr/sbin/mklv -y testiso -t jfs rootvg 80

# /usr/sbin/crfs -v jfs -d testiso -m /testiso -An -pro -tn -a frag=4096 -a nbpi=4096 -a ag=8

# mkdir /sw_depot/5300-10-02-0943-full

# /usr/bin/dd if=/tmp/aix53-tl10-sp2-dvd1.iso of=/dev/rtestiso bs=1m
# chfs -a vfs=cdrfs /testiso

# mount /testiso
# bffcreate -d /testiso -t /sw_depot/5300-10-02-0943-full all
# umount /testiso

# rmfs -r /testiso
# rmlv testiso

# loopmount -i aixv7-base.iso -m /aix -o "-V cdrfs -o ro"

# rm -rf /tmp/aix53-tl10-sp2-dvd*iso

# mkdir /export/lpp_source/LPPaix53tl10sp2
# nim -o define -t lpp_source -a server=master -a location=/export/lpp_source/LPPaix53tl10sp2 -a source=/sw_depot/5300-10-02-0943-full LPPaix53tl10sp2

# lsnim -l LPPaix53tl10sp2

# nim -Fo check LPPaix53tl10sp2

Warning: 0042-354 c_mk_lpp_source: The lpp_source is missing a
    bos.vendor.profile which is needed for the simages attribute. To add
    a bos.vendor.profile to the lpp_source run the "update" operation
    with "-a recover=yes" and specify a "source" that contains a
    bos.vendor.profile such as the installation CD.  If your master is not
    at level 5.2.0.0 or higher, then manually copy the bos.vendor.profile
    into the installp/ppc directory of the lpp_source.

# nim -o define -t spot -a server=master -a location=/export/spot/SPOTaix53tl10sp2 -a source=LPPaix53tl10sp2 -a installp_flags=-aQg SPOTaix53tl10sp2

# nim -o check SPOTaix53tl10sp2
# nim -o lppchk -a show_progress=yes SPOTaix53tl10sp2

A very good article about migrating AIX from version 5.3 to 6.1 can be found on the following page of IBM developerWorks:

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/library/au-migrate_nimadm/index.html?ca=drs

For a smooth nimadm process, make sure that you clean up as much filesets of your server as possible (get rid of the things you no longer need). The more filesets that need to be migrated, the longer the process will take. Also make sure that openssl/openssh is up-to-date on the server to be migrated; this is likely to break when you have old versions installed.

Very useful is also a gigabit Ethernet connection between the NIM server and the server to be upgraded, as the nimadm process copies over the client rootvg to the NIM server and back.

The log file for a nimadm process can be found on the NIM server in /var/adm/ras/alt_mig.

For example, if you wish to add the bos.alt_disk_install.rte fileset to a SPOT:

List the available spots:

# lsnim -t spot | grep 61
SPOTaix61tl05sp03     resources       spot
SPOTaix61tl03sp07     resources       spot

# lsnim -t lpp_source | grep 61
LPPaix61tl05sp03       resources       lpp_source
LPPaix61tl03sp07       resources       lpp_source

# nim -o showres SPOTaix61tl05sp03 | grep -i bos.alt

# nim -o showres LPPaix61tl05sp03 | grep -i bos.alt
  bos.alt_disk_install.boot_images 6.1.5.2                    I  N usr
  bos.alt_disk_install.rte    6.1.5.1                    I  N usr,root

# nim -o cust -a filesets=bos.alt_disk_install.boot_images
-a lpp_source=LPPaix61tl05sp03 SPOTaix61tl05sp03

# nim -o showres SPOTaix61tl05sp03 | grep -i bos.alt
  bos.alt_disk_install.boot_images
  bos.alt_disk_install.rte 6.1.5.1 C F Alternate Disk Installation

In this section, we will configure the NIM master and create some basic installation resources:

• Ensure that Volume 1 of the AIX DVD is in the drive.
• Install the NIM master fileset:

  # installp -agXd /dev/cd0 bos.sysmgt.nim

• Configure NIM master:

  # smitty nim_config_env

  Set fields as follows:
  • "Primary Network Interface for the NIM Master": selected interface
  • "Input device for installation images": "cd0"
  • If you already have set up an /export file system, you may choose not to create new file systems for /export/lpp_source and /export/spot; It is up to you.
  • Select to prepend the level to the LPP_SOURCE and SPOT names, so you can identify the level of AIX that was used to create the LPP_SOURCE and SPOT.
  • "Remove all newly added NIM definitions if the operation fails": "yes"
  • Press Enter.
  • Exit when complete.
  If you run into an issue here, where it says that the SPOT cannot be created, because the LPP_SOURCE is missing the simages (short for system images) attribute, because fileset bos.vendor.profile is missing, then this means it is telling you that the LPP_SOURCE doesn't include all the required filesets to create the SPOT. This looks like a bug because fileset bos.vendor.profile can be found on the AIX media. But it seems somehow it is not copied to the target LPP_SOURCE folder while the LPP_SOURCE is created. It has been seen in AIX 7.1 TL4. If you run into this, do the following:
  • Check if bos.vendor.profile exists on the installation media. It should be in the installp/ppc folder.
  • If so, rerun the steps above (starting with smitty nim_config_env), and while the LPP_SOURCE is being created, copy the bos.vendor.profile file yourself from the AIX installation media to the LPP_SOURCE target folder. For example, if your installation folder is /aix (assuming you have mounted the first AIX installation ISO image using loopmount on mount point /aix; and assuming you are using AIX 7.1 TL4), then run:

    # cp /aix/installp/ppc/bos.vendor.profile /export/lpp_source/710-04lpp_source1/installp/ppc/bos.vendor.profile

• Initialize each NIM client:

  # smitty nim_mkmac

  Enter the host name of the appropriate LPAR. Set fields as follows:
  • "Kernel to use for Network Boot": "mp"
  • "Cable Type": "tp"
  • Press Enter.
  • Exit when complete.

There will be a situation where you want to test a mksysb recovery to a different host. The major issue with this is, that you bring up a server within the same network, that is a copy of an actual server that's already in your network. To avoid running into 2 exactly the same servers in your network, here's how you do this:

First make sure that you have a separate IP address available for the server to be recovered, for configuration on your test server. You definitely don't want to bring up a second server in your network with the same IP configuration.

Make sure you have a mksysb created of the server that you wish to recover onto another server. Then, create a simple script that disables all the items that you don't want to have running after the mksysb recovery, for example:

# cat /export/nim/cust_scripts/custom.ksh
#!/bin/ksh

# Save a copy of /etc/inittab
cp /etc/inittab /etc/inittab.org

# Remove unwanted entries from the inittab
rmitab hacmp 2>/dev/null
rmitab tsmsched 2>/dev/null
rmitab tsm 2>/dev/null
rmitab clinit 2>/dev/null
rmitab pst_clinit 2>/dev/null
rmitab qdaemon 2>/dev/null
rmitab sddsrv 2>/dev/null
rmitab nimclient 2>/dev/null
rmitab nimsh 2>/dev/null
rmitab naviagent 2>/dev/null

# Get rid of the crontabs
mkdir -p /var/spool/cron/crontabs.org
mv /var/spool/cron/crontabs/* /var/spool/cron/crontabs.org/

# Disable start scripts
chmod 000 /etc/rc.d/rc2.d/S01app

# copy inetd.conf
cp /etc/inetd.conf /etc/inetd.conf.org
# take out unwanted items
cat /etc/inetd.conf.org | grep -v bgssd > /etc/inetd.conf

# remove the hacmp cluster configuration
if [ -x /usr/es/sbin/cluster/utilities/clrmclstr ] ; then
        /usr/es/sbin/cluster/utilities/clrmclstr
fi

# clear the error report
errclear 0

# clean out mail queue
rm /var/spool/mqueue/*

# smitty nim_mkres

# lsnim -l UnConfig_Script
UnConfig_Script:
   class       = resources
   type        = script
   comments    = 
   Rstate      = ready for use
   prev_state  = unavailable for use
   location    = /export/nim/cust_scripts/custom.ksh
   alloc_count = 0
   server      = master

Customization SCRIPT to run after installation [UnConfig_Script]

Specify using the 'image_data' resource when running the 'bosinst' command from the NIM master:

From command line on the NIM master:

# nim -o bos_inst -a source=mksysb -a lpp_source=[lpp_source] -a spot=[SPOT] -a mksysb=[mksysb] -a image_data=mksysb_image_data -a accept_licenses=yes server1

# smit nim_bosinst

         Install the Base Operating System on Standalone Clients

Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.

[TOP]                                         [Entry Fields]
* Installation Target                       server1
* Installation TYPE                         mksysb
* SPOT                                      SPOTaix53tl09sp3
  LPP_SOURCE                               [LPPaix53tl09sp3]
  MKSYSB                                    server1_mksysb

  BOSINST_DATA to use during installation  []
  IMAGE_DATA to use during installation    [server1_image_date]

Transfer the /image.data file to the NIM master and store it in the location you desire. It is a good idea to place the file, or any NIM resource for that matter, in a descriptive manor, for example: /export/nim/image_data. This will ensure you can easily identify your "image_data" NIM resource file locations, should you have the need for multiple "image_data" resources.

Make sure your image.data filenames are descriptive also. A common way to name the file would be in relation to your clientname, for example: server1_image_data.

Run the nim command, or use smitty and the fast path 'nim_mkres' to define the file that you have edited using the steps above:

From command line on the NIM master:

# nim -o define -t image_data -a server=master -a location=/export/nim/image_data/server1_image_data -a comments="image.data file with broken mirror for server1" server1_image_data

# smit nim_mkres

                       Define a Resource

Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.

                               [Entry Fields]
* Resource Name            [server1_image_data]
* Resource Type             image_data
* Server of Resource       [master]
* Location of Resource     [/export/nim/image_data/server1_image_data]
  Comments                 []

  Source for Replication   []

# lsnim -t image_data

# lsnim -t image_data
server1_image_data     resources       image_data

# lsnim -l server1_image_data
server1_image_data:
   class       = resources
   type        = image_data
   Rstate      = ready for use
   prev_state  = unavailable for use
   location    = /export/nim/image_data/server1_image_data
   alloc_count = 0
   server      = master

Create a new image.data file by running the following command:

# cd /
# mkszfile

# vi /image.data

lv_data:
VOLUME_GROUP= rootvg
LV_SOURCE_DISK_LIST= hdisk0 hdisk1
LV_IDENTIFIER= 00cead4a00004c0000000117b1e92c90.2
LOGICAL_VOLUME= hd6
VG_STAT= active/complete
TYPE= paging
MAX_LPS= 512
COPIES= 2
LPs= 124
STALE_PPs= 0
INTER_POLICY= minimum
INTRA_POLICY= middle
MOUNT_POINT=
MIRROR_WRITE_CONSISTENCY= off
LV_SEPARATE_PV= yes
PERMISSION= read/write
LV_STATE= opened/syncd
WRITE_VERIFY= off
PP_SIZE= 128
SCHED_POLICY= parallel
PP= 248
BB_POLICY= non-relocatable
RELOCATABLE= yes
UPPER_BOUND= 32
LABEL=
MAPFILE= /tmp/vgdata/rootvg/hd6.map
LV_MIN_LPS= 124
STRIPE_WIDTH=
STRIPE_SIZE=
SERIALIZE_IO= no
FS_TAG=
DEV_SUBTYP=

lv_data:
VOLUME_GROUP= rootvg
LV_SOURCE_DISK_LIST= hdisk0
LV_IDENTIFIER= 00cead4a00004c0000000117b1e92c90.2
LOGICAL_VOLUME= hd6
VG_STAT= active/complete
TYPE= paging
MAX_LPS= 512
COPIES= 1
LPs= 124
STALE_PPs= 0
INTER_POLICY= minimum
INTRA_POLICY= middle
MOUNT_POINT=
MIRROR_WRITE_CONSISTENCY= off
LV_SEPARATE_PV= yes
PERMISSION= read/write
LV_STATE= opened/syncd
WRITE_VERIFY= off
PP_SIZE= 128
SCHED_POLICY= parallel
PP= 124
BB_POLICY= non-relocatable
RELOCATABLE= yes
UPPER_BOUND= 32
LABEL=
MAPFILE= /tmp/vgdata/rootvg/hd6.map
LV_MIN_LPS= 124
STRIPE_WIDTH=
STRIPE_SIZE=
SERIALIZE_IO= no
FS_TAG=
DEV_SUBTYP=

cat /image.data | while read LINE ; do
  if [ "${LINE}" = "COPIES= 2" ] ; then
    COPIESFLAG=1
    echo "COPIES= 1"
  else
    if [ ${COPIESFLAG} -eq 1 ] ; then
      PP=`echo ${LINE} | awk '{print $1}'`
      if [ "${PP}" = "PP=" ] ; then
        PPNUM=`echo ${LINE} | awk '{print $2}'`
        ((PPNUMNEW=$PPNUM/2))
        echo "PP= ${PPNUMNEW}"
        COPIESFLAG=0
      else
        echo "${LINE}"
      fi
    else
      echo "${LINE}"
    fi
  fi
done > /image.data.1disk

If your AIX server level is below 5.3 TL06, the easiest way is just to upgrade your current OS to TL 06 at minimum (take note it will depend of configurations for Power6 processors) then clone your server and install it on the new p6.

But if you want to avoid an outage on your account, you can do the next using a NIM server (this is not official procedure for IBM, so they do not support this):

• Create your mksysb resource and do not create a spot from mksysb.
• Create an lppsource and spot with minimum TL required (I used TL08).
• Once you do nim_bosinst, choose the mksysb, and the created spot. It will send a warning message about spot is not at same level as mksysb, just ignore it.
• Do all necessary to boot from NIM.
• Once restoring the mksysb, there's some point where it is not able to create the bootlist because it detects the OS level is not supported on p6. So It will ask to continue and fix it later via SMS or fix it right now.
• Choose to fix it right now (it will open a shell). You will notice oslevel is as the same as mksysb.
• Create a NFS from NIM server or another server where you have the necessary TL and mount it on the p6.
• Proceed to do an upgrade, change the bootlist, exit the shell. Server will boot with new TL over the p6.

A "how-to" restore a mksysb through NIM:

• Create a mksysb resource in NIM: Logon to the NIM server as user root. Run smitty nim, Perform NIM Administration Tasks, Manage resources, Define a resource, select mksysb, type name mksysb_, enter "master" as Server of Resource, enter the full path to the mksysb file at Location of Resource: e.g. /backup/hostname.image.
• Add the mksysb resource to the defined machine in NIM, together with the original SPOT and LPP source of the host: Run: smitty nim, Perform NIM Administration Tasks, Manage Machines, Manage Network Install Resource Allocation, Allocate Network Install Resources, select the machine, select the mksysb resource defined in the previous step, along with the correct SPOT and LPP_SOURCE of the oslevel of the system.
• Do a perform operation on the machine in NIM and set it to mksysb: Run smitty nim, Perform NIM Administration Tasks, Manage Machines, Perform Operations on Machines, select the machine, select bos_inst, set the Source for BOS Runtime Files to mksysb, set Remain NIM client after install to no, set Initiate Boot Operation on Client to no, set Accept new license agreements to yes.
• Start up the system in SMS mode and boot from the NIM server, using a virtual terminal on the HMC. Select the disks to install to. Make sure that you set import user volume groups to "yes". Restore the system.

# smitty nim_bosinst