new mirror-ux setup.. confirm my thoughts on setup?

[mike_s_brentlinger]

I know the subject has been somewhat beaten to death, as ive done quite a bit of reading, eg
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=651090
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=221058
http://h21007.www2.hp.com/dspp/tech/tech_TechSingleTipDetailPage_IDX/1,2366,5343,00.html

But some of these are a bit dated and have conficting and/or extra commands that arent the same in both so, could someone check my understanding of mirror-ux. Im new to the whole thing and understandably dont want to be "the guy who destroys the departments new toy"

Plus I figured if this is right then its may help serve as a good guide for my other fellow rookies

I have a new rx4640 running HP-UX B.11.23 U ia64. I have the application install dvd, a code word to install mirror-ux (server) and know how to use swinstall, point it at the dvd and install mirror-ux from that dvd, however Im a bit curious as to what to do after that. The existing server layout is as follows

(the attached mirrorux-setup.txt file has the same as the message below but with spaces and tabs to make it a bit more readable if that helps; it seems this forum post ate my formatting and made it hard to read)


$ioscan -nfCdisk
Class I H/W Path Driver S/W State H/W Type Description
=============================================================================
disk 0 0/0/3/0.0.0.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE TEAC DV-28E-N
/dev/dsk/c0t0d0 /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0
disk 1 0/1/1/0.0.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HP 73.4GST373454LC
/dev/dsk/c2t0d0 /dev/rdsk/c2t0d0
disk 2 0/1/1/0.1.0 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HP 73.4GST373454LC
/dev/dsk/c2t1d0 /dev/dsk/c2t1d0s2 /dev/rdsk/c2t1d0 /dev/rdsk/c2t1d0s2
/dev/dsk/c2t1d0s1 /dev/dsk/c2t1d0s3 /dev/rdsk/c2t1d0s1 /dev/rdsk/c2t1d0s3
disk 20 0/2/1/0.22.4.0.0.0.1 sdisk CLAIMED DEVICE HP HSV200
/dev/dsk/c12t0d1 /dev/rdsk/c12t0d1
...which ends up as...
/dev/vg00/lvol1 /stand
/dev/vg00/lvol2 swap
/dev/vg00/lvol3 /
/dev/vg00/lvol4 /tmp
/dev/vg00/lvol5 /home
/dev/vg00/lvol6 /opt
/dev/vg00/lvol7 /usr
/dev/vg00/lvol8 /var

...so to mirror my whole vg00 and protect myself from either of my two internal disks dying, should i...
$pvcreate -B /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0
$vgextend /dev/vg00 /dev/dsk/c0t0d0
$mkboot -l /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0
$mkboot -a "hpux -lq (;0)/vmunix" /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0
$for i in /dev/vg00/lvol[1-3] ; do lvextend -m 1 $i /dev/dsk/c0t0d0 ; done;
$lvlnboot -b /dev/vg00/lvol1
$lvlnboot -s /dev/vg00/lvol2
$lvlnboot -d /dev/vg00/lvol2
$lvlnboot -r /dev/vg00/lvol3

...check that BDRA is ok...
$lvlnboot -R /dev/vg00

...Verify that the mirrors were properly created....
$lvlnboot -v /dev/vg00

...then mirror the rest of my lvols in vg00...
$for i in /dev/vg00/lvol[4-8] ; do lvextend -m 1 $i /dev/dsk/c0t0d0 ; done;

...then "setboot -v" should show...
$setboot -v
Primary bootpath : 0/1/1/0.1.0
Alternate bootpath : 0/1/1/0.0.0

...so if i do the following i should be able to change my alternate to primary for testing...
$setboot -a 0/1/1/0.0.0

but what happens if it wont boot? and why do i want to do the setboot option anyway since
it seems i can Create an EFI boot option to be stored in NVRAM that i can use later, though
from what ive seen in the other forum posts its a bit diffrent from my setup.. should i
do the following?


EFI Boot Manager ver 1.10 [14.62]

/----------------------------------\
/----------------------------------\ | System Overview |
| Boot Menu | | hp server rx4640 |
| HP-UX Primary Boot: 0/1/1/0.1.0 | | Serial #:
| Core LAN Gb A | | |
| Core LAN Gb B | | System Firmware: 3.17 [4511] |
| EFI Shell [Built-in] | | BMC Version: 3.49 |
| Internal Bootable DVD | | MP Version: E.03.15 |
| ------------------------------- | | Installed Memory: 16384 MB |
>>>> | Boot Configuration | | |
| System Configuration | | CPU Logical |


EFI Boot Manager ver 1.10 [14.62]

/----------------------------------\
/----------------------------------\ | System Overview |
| Boot Menu | | hp server rx4640 |
| HP-UX Primary Boot: 0/1/1/0.1.0 | | Serial #:
| Co/-------------------------\ | | |
| Co| Boot Configuration | | | System Firmware: 3.17 [4511] |
| EF| Boot From File | | | BMC Version: 3.49 |
>>>> | In| Add Boot Entry | | | MP Version: E.03.15 |
| --| Edit Boot Entry | - | | Installed Memory: 16384 MB |
| Bo| Remove Boot Entry | | | |
| Sy| Edit OS Boot Order | | | CPU Logical |
| Se| AutoBoot Configuration | | | Module CPUs Speed Status |
| | BootNext Configuration | | | 0 1 1.6 GHz Active |
\---| ---------------------- | ---/ | 1 1 1.6 GHz Active |
| Driver Configuration | | |
| Console Configuration | | |
| ---------------------- | | |


/----------------------------------\
/----------------------------------\ | System Overview |
| Boot Menu | | hp server rx4640 |
| H/------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| C| File System Explore |
| C|>>>> | E| | I| Removable Media Boot [Internal Bootable DVD] |
| -| Load File [EFI Shell [Built-in]] |
| B| Load File [Core LAN Gb A] |
| S| Load File [Core LAN Gb B] |
| S| |
| \------------------------------------------------------------------------/
\---|


Now navigate to the HP-UX bootloader, HPUX.EFI, on the disk:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
| EFI Boot Maintenance Manager ver 1.10 [14.61]
|
| Select file or change to new directory:
|
| >>> 05/28/03 09:38a 512 EFI
| [Treat like Removable Media Boot]
| Exit
| Select file or change to new directory:
|
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 .
| 05/28/03 09:38a 0 ..
| >>> 05/28/03 09:38a 512 HPUX
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 Intel_Firmware
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 DIAG
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 HP
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 TOOLS
| Exit
| Select file or change to new directory:
|
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 .
| 05/28/03 09:38a 512 ..
| >>> 05/28/03 11:52a 419,545 HPUX.EFI
| 05/28/03 11:52a 24,576 NBP.EFI
| Exit
|
| Filename: \EFI\HPUX\HPUX.EFI
|
| DevicePath:[Acpi(HWP0002,100)/Pci(1|0)/Scsi(Pun1,Lun0)/
| HD(Part1,SigB45A0000)/\EFI\HPUX\HPUX.EFI]
| IA-64 EFI Application 05/28/03 11:52a 419,545 bytes
|
| BootFFFF: Acpi(HWP0002,100)/Pci(1|0)/Scsi(Pun1,Lun0)/
| HD(Part1,SigB45A0000)/\EFI\HPUX\HPUX.EFI
---------------------------------------------------------------------


Now enter a description for this boot option, e.g. "HP-UX mirror boot
disk":
---------------------------------------------------------------------
| Enter Description: HP-UX mirror boot disk 0/1/1/0.0.0
|
| Current BootOption-->Main Menu. Select an Operation
| New BootOption Data. ASCII/Unicode strings only, with max of
| 240 characters
| Enter BootOption Data Type [A-Ascii U-Unicode
| N-No BootOption] : N
---------------------------------------------------------------------


Finally save the setting to NVRAM:
| Save changes to NVRAM [Y-Yes N-No]: Y


Try to boot from the mirror disk by choosing the appropriate boot option.


Thanks in advance to any insights anyone can provide.
-mike

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi MIke:

I think you missed a few required steps for Itanium boot disks; namely the creation of its partitions (see below).

As far using 'setboot', this does write to nonvolatile RAM, so that would be commandline simple.

The whole idea of verifying a correct mirrored boot disk's setup is to boot and from the mirror. When the setup is done properly, there should be no problems.

The correct procedure for Itanium boot disk mirror setup is on pages 26-28 of this guide:

http://docs.hp.com/en/5991-1236/When_Good_Disks_Go_Bad.pdf

Regards!

...JRF...

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Mike,

I feel your pain.
The problem here is that you've read ALL the docs on mirroring on 11iv1 which is also applicable to 11iv2 FOR PA-RISC.
BUT....and here's the big but - throw it ALL away for 11iv2 for Itanium.

Here's the *new* way to do it on Itaniums:

How to mirror the root disk

For the steps below, c0t6td0 will be the primary root drive and c4t6d0 will be the new mirror

1. Create a partition description file
# vi /tmp/partitionfile
3 Number of partitions to create
EFI 500MB Type and size
HPUX 100%
HPSP 400MB

2. Use idisk(1M) command to partition the disk according to description file
# idisk â wf /tmp/partitionfile /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0

3. Create new device files for new partitions (s1, s2 and s3)
# insf â e

4. Use efi_fsinit(1M) to initialize the FAT filesystem on the EFI partition:
# efi_fsinit â d /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0s1

5. Use mkboot(1M) to format the EFI partition (s1) and populate it with the EFI files (/usr/lib/efi/) and to format the LIF volume (s2) and populate it with the LIF files (/usr/lib/uxbootlf)
# mkboot â e â l /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0
# efi_ls â d /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0s1 (To verify EFI)
# lifls â l /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0s2 (To verify LIF)

6. Check/Update content of AUTO file on EFI partition:
# efi_cp â d /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0s1 â u /EFI/HPUX/AUTO /tmp/x; cat /tmp/x
Returns boot vmunix
# mkboot â a â boot vmunix â lqâ /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0 (Alt boot device)
# mkboot â a â boot vmunix â lqâ /dev/rdsk/c0t6d0 (Primary if needed)

7. Copy the HP service partition
# dd if=/dev/rdsk/c0t6d0s3 of=/dev/rdsk/c4t6d0s3 bs=1024k

8. Use LVM commands to mirror the drive, ensuring that you utilize s2
# pvcreate [-f] â B /dev/rdsk/c4t6d0s2
# vgextend /dev/vg00 /dev/dsk/c4t6d0s2
# for I in `vgdisplay â v /dev/vg00|grep â LV Nameâ |awk â {print $3}â `
> do lvextend â m 1 $I /dev/dsk/c4t6d0s2
> done

9. Verify content of LABEL file (lvlnboot definitions)
# lvlnboot â v
Ensure both disks are displayed, if not:
# lvlnboot â r /dev/vg00/lvol3
# lvlnboot â b /dev/vg00/lvol1
# lvlnboot â s /dev/vg00/lvol2
# lvlnboot â d /dev/vg00/lvol2

10. Specify the mirror as an alternate path:
# setboot â a
This will create the EFI boot option automatically


Fun - ain't it???
Welcome to the new world.
Personally I blame MicroCrap - they insist on this FAT-32 stuff....

HTH,
Jeff

[Lolupee]

there is a mixup somewhere. You have forgotten, you are not in 11.11 version 1 but version2.
Mirroring in version 2 is a different ball game. It is not like version one because it uses sections like the old HPUX.

I will make a research and send you the step ASAP

[Lolupee]

Please, check the link to Document ID IA64KBRC00016649 and you will find a way toinstall mirror onItanium servers.

Hope this helps.

[Jeff Schussele]

Gawd...I hate the way the forum "translates" .doc pastes - here it is attached as a .doc file....

Rgds,
Jeff

[mike_s_brentlinger]

Thanks to everyone that replied.

Jeff/James Im comparing the notes in the links you provided and they seem pretty similar

I do have some questions however; in Jeffs guide he has me using dd to copy a partion, where as in the guide James provides that step is no where to be found.

Im also a bit confused about the efi_cp command diffrences (they seem to essentially be accomplishing the same things in a diffrent way)?

And finally Jeffs guide has me running a couple extra mkboot commands that are absent in James's guide too.

Jim/James... could you be kind enough to provide some further guidance or advice on the variations in guides?

[Jeff Schussele · Accepted solution]

Hi (again) Mike,

To answer you inquiries:

1) The service partition is not required to boot the system so I believe that's probably why it's not in the HP guide. But I believe that the mirror disk should *actually* mirror the primary.

2) There is *always" more than one way to skin a cat - especially in UNIX as I've learned.

3) Without the boot vmunix -lq option the system will not boot automatically if *one* of the boot mirrors fails - it'll fail the quorum test. Again - it's not necessary for a "normal" boot, but you'll be damn glad it's there when one of 'em fails.

My 2 cents,
Jeff

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again) MIke:

I agree with Jeff, I'd add the low quorum string to the LIF. I too have seen it omitted from documentation before when there are only two disks involved in a mirror. My thinking is that I want to boot *without_ intervention* if I loose one of two root disks. THen, I want to get up and running and finally, *then* fix the failure.

Regards!

...JRF...

[mike_s_brentlinger]

Thanks again guys, youve been very helpful.