How to delete nPar from MP Console on rp7410

[David McNeill_1]

We have several rp7410 servers being redeployed to other tasks.

In order to move them from one data centre to another, they have to be 'clean', so no information leaks.

We have removed the disks and wiped them with dban in a seperate storage array.

The machines are currently cold, and off, in the staging rack.

We've reset the MP console data with the little black button for 5 seconds, and verified they are all gone. The chassis log remains, but there is nothing sensitive in that.

However the machine still knows about the nPars that it had, knowing their name and allocated resources. Resources is not a problem, but the name of the former nPar definitely is.

In MP Console, how do you delete an nPar, or remove the MP's knowledge of it, especially it's name?

All the instructions I've seen require a running system with partition tools.

David

[Torsten.]

Have a look at the "cc" MP command

MP:CM> help cc

[David McNeill_1]

Thanks for the starter Torsten.


CM>
Use RR first to prevent npartition from booting otherwise
Sorry, command failed: RtnCodeCellSlotNotBootBlocked

CM>CC
G genesis create- Build Genesis complex profile
L - Restore Last complex profile

(there is no option to D Delete complex profile or similar)


G - Genesis
Enter cell number: 0
Do you want to modify the complex profile? Y
-> The complex profile will be modified

That was nice, so did it create a new Genesis partition that wiped the existing one?


L - Last
Do you want to modify the complex profile? Y
-> The complex profile will be modified

Great, so did that restore a blank nothing last profile over the existing one and wipe it? Has it done this now, or does it intend to do it at next boot? When does it intend to do this modification? What will it modify?

It's a bit spartan or cryptic really.

After the above, the only partition was listed as Partition 0, and I could not find any trace of the original partition name.

I booted it, watched the console, and did lots of generic device stuff, and never mentioned the former partition name. It failed to boot with no boot devices of course, so it looks clean to me.

Machines have been signed off and sent on their merry way.

I imagine there must be a full procedure for this somewhere. Would be nice to locate it as there is another 30 or so machines to do.

David.

[Torsten.]

Creating a genesis partition will built a 1-cell partition as a default configuration. Do

MP:CM> help cc

for more information.

[Duncan Edmonstone]

one word of caution here...

given the age of these systems I don't imagine they have any instant capacity (iCAP/iCOD) processors in them... however if they do, it is a breach of the termms & conditions of the iCAP agreement to run  CC on a system with iCAP/iCOD processors as it wipes out all the information on which cores are active/inactive.

if they did have iCAP on them, you will have to speak to your HP account team to get everything fixed up on them.

HTH

Duncan

[Torsten.]

This is a good point, but I thing this is a decommission process anyway, right?

[Michael Steele_2]

Hi

Well I'm a little confused, isn't there a RECONFIGRESET command to reset the partition to a ready-for-reconfig state.

[Torsten.]

Michael, the RECONFIGRESET (RR from MP or shutdown -R) is used to force the system to use a modified complex profile, e.g. if you change the partition configuration by adding or deleting a cell. The genesis is like the name is suggesting, start from the beginning with a 1 cell partition only.

[Michael Steele_2]

Hi

Torsten, et al., I found the procedure for a superdome so I assume it will work on a rp7410.

Question: This comment "..You can revert to the previous partition configuration, if any existed.."

David is looking to wipe everything out. This looks like a loophole.

Question: Isn't the previous configuration written to GSP firmware, and if so, then this firmware would have to be wiped also?

Here is the procedure.

Creating a Genesis Partition
When you create a Genesis Partition, you establish a one-cell partition
on the HP Superdome complex. The Genesis Partition replaces all other
partitions, and once created it is the only partition on the system.

Additional details are given in â Genesis Partitionâ on page 119.
GSP The following procedure creates a Genesis Partition on an HP
Superdome server.

As a result of this procedure, all existing partitions are destroyed and are
replaced with a single, one-cell partition (the Genesis Partition).
You can revert to the previous partition configuration, if any existed
before you created the Genesis Partition. For details see â Restoring a
Complex Profileâ on page 156.

Step 1. Save all current partition configuration details, if any partitions are
configured in the complex.
Saving the current partition information provides you the details you
would need to re-create all partitions as they currently exist.

Use the parstatus command (or an equivalent parmgr procedure) to
save configuration details about each partition.

For each partition, use the parstatus -Vp# command to display detailed
information. You can gather this information from any partition in the
system.

Step 2. Determine which cell will be configured as the Genesis Partition.
The cell must be connected to an I/O chassis. The I/O chassis must have a
core I/O card installed, and must have a bootable disk (or a DVD-ROM
drive for install media, and a disk onto which HP-UX can be installed).
You can perform this task using the GSP menus.
â ¢ â GSPâ on page 153

The only way to create a Genesis Partition is to use the Guardian
Service Processor (GSP) command menu.

Step 3. Ensure that all partitions within the complex are in a ready-for-reconfig
state.
If a partition is running HP-UX, you can shut down the partition to a
ready-for-reconfig state by using the shutdown -R- H command.
Or you can put the partition into a ready-for-reconfig state using the
BCH interfaceâ s RECONFIGRESET command or using the GSP command
menuâ s RR command.

Step 4. Log in to the Superdome serverâ s Guardian Service Processor (GSP).
Log in as a user with Administrator privileges, which are required for
creating a Genesis Partition.

Step 5. Enter the GSP command menu.
From the GSP main menu, enter CM to access the command menu.

Step 6. Issue the CC command, select Genesis Complex Profile, and specify
the cabinet and cell slot for the cell that will comprise the Genesis
Partition.

GSP:CM> CC
This command allows you to change the complex profile.
WARNING: You must shut down all Protection Domains before executing
this command.
G - Genesis Complex Profile
L - Last Complex Profile
Select Profile: g
Enter Cabinet number: 0
Enter Slot number: 0
Do you want to modify the complex profile? (Y/[N]) y
-> The complex profile will be modified.
GSP:CM>

Step 7. Confirm that the Genesis Partition was successfully created.
If the Genesis Partition is successfully created, the CC command reports
that the â complex profile will be modifiedâ .
When the Genesis Partition is created, it is in a boot-is-blocked state, so
must be booted manually.

Step 8. Issue the BO command to boot the Genesis Partition.
This boots the partition to the Boot Console Handler (BCH) interface.

Step 9. Configure the partition as appropriate and necessary.
You may wish to set the boot paths (PRI, ALT, and HAA), the core cell
preferences, the partition name, and other settings. You also may need to
add cells to the partition.
See â Introduction to Partition Tasksâ on page 114 for a table of partition
configuration tasks that you can perform.